Biography

After fifty years in the music business, Carol Parks, writer, composer and painter finally set down her headphones and picked up her paints in 2001 returning to her childhood dream of being a full time fine artist. Her work ranges from major works, murals and banners for large spaces to small mixed media images that appeal to collectors from coast to coast. She studied for a few years at Art Center in Pasadena, California and Otis/Parsons in neighboring Los Angeles but eventually branched out to train with a long succession of notable teachers in the Alternative Arts field. "I just felt I was not getting everything I needed in the traditional school setting. Although Art Center and Otis/Parsons are both incredible learning environments that I often recommend to other artists for foundation work, at my age and place on the time line I simply needed some broader choices...more intense and varied learning opportunities. I now travel to the teachers, spending two or three days in deep immersion learning. I often experience major breakthroughs with this method of study. I also find this to be the best way to find great teachers to invite to my place!"

Hosting visiting teachers such as Sabrina Ward Harrison, Lynne Perrella, Juliana Coles, Traci Bunkers and LK Ludwig and bringing exclusive workshops and new techniques to her clients has turned Parks' NoHo Studio and classroom into the happening place to go in the Los Angeles area. Parks completed her external degree (B.A. in Fine Arts) at the age of 56. She lives in and works from her amazing home studio with her dogs, Drake, Candy and Petey in Southern California's NoHo Arts District.

Artist Statement

I strive to envelop the seer in rich color, to stir the soul, to step up the energy
and stimulate the imagination.

I open my head and let the outsider in to my world....a voyeurism of the most
intimate sort....a look inside the mind of an articulate but somewhat crazy person.

When I set out to paint I am cracking myself open like an egg and spilling myself
all over the paper. In a world of great art and artists I seek to simply paint my own way.

When I formed my style I hadn't seen much work by other contemporary artists. I was a mom and a wife and simply too busy for that. I never visited museums. I stayed away from exhibitions. I had seen things in miniature via coffee table books and text books but you can't tell much about technique from books. You get the idea of what subjects people are exploring which is a great way to decide what not to paint. It wasn't until well after I was fully entrenched in my own style, painting intensely for a few years and forced by school requirements that I began to take a look around. I was so shocked to find how crude and wild modern work can be and how unlike most modern work my little paintings are. It felt great to be seeing other artists, loving their stuff but realizing that my own was just that, my own...free of influence, unique. I was so happy to feel that my work was my own invention. So then this is what I think... If my work is like the work of others it is because everything has been done before...other crazy people have thought my same thoughts and so on. Isn't that fresh!?!

As for content, I leave the geopolitical comment to those great and evocative artists who have the tools and the knowledge to make those statements. I was recently told by another artist who works a lot with babies and children and deals in a lot of childrens merchandise that she firmly believes that my work is a lot like what babies see...forms, shapes, bright colors and light. Now that makes me happy...to think that these might be some of my earliest memories. Nice, huh?

Teachers

Jane Bonetti
Bill McNamara
Gail Santochi
Russell Shears
Mary Yanish
Anne Anderson Saitzyk
Franklin Leigal
Teesha Moore
Lynne Perrella
Randi Watts
Traci Bunkers
Julianna Coles
Kelly Kilmer
Anne Grgich
Sas Colby
Sonora Beam
Michael De Meng
Sabrina Ward Harrison
LK Ludwig
Jesse Reno

Recent Publications

Artella
Portals
Indie Arts

Looking Forward

Everyday Matter/The Art of Carol Parks, A One Man Show, October 2007 - The Virtual Tart Gallery
Everyday Matter/The Art of Carol Parks, A One Man Show, 2008 - TBA

Recent Exhibitions

Susan G. Komen Fundraiser/Knoll Kansas City, Kansas May 2006
International Collage Exhibit and Exchange April 2006
ArtFest 2006
The Bungalow Beverly Hills, Ca. 2005
Bakers Dozen International Collage Exchange 2005
National Collage Society “Wish You Were Here” 2005
Long Beach Arts Works On Paper 2004

Private Collectors

Donna Wells
Judith Rafferty
Dr. Rolf and Evangeline McPherson
George Massenburg
Renee’ Armand
W.H. Miller
Amanda and Acacia Parks
Mr. and Mrs. David Kemper
Cheryl Tkach
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Carmichael
Marc Sorger
Edward Leddy III
Teesha Moore
Lindy Lambert
Toby and Lynnee Rogers
Sonora Beam
Sallie Horn
All the Val Gals

Museums, Libraries and Public Collections

International Museo de Collage, Mexico
ArtColle, Sergines, France
Independent Publishing Resource Center Portland, Oregon
San Francisco Public Library Special Collection San Francisco, California
Browne Popular Culture Library Bowling Green, Ohio
Barnard College Library Special Collections New York, New York
Rhode Island School of Design Special Collections Providence, Rhode Island
Tutt Library/Colorado College Special Collections Colorado Springs, Colorado
Baltimore County Public Library Towson, Maryland
Salt Lake City Public Library Special Collections Salt Lake City, Utah

Affiliations

AFTRA (retired)
SAG (retired)
AFM (retired)
National Museum of Women in the Arts Washington, D.C.
MOCA
LACMA
National Collage Society