“The purpose of a painting is to distract the viewer
from the urgent activities of today’s living and replace
them with a moment of increased awareness that God has
given us a world with much beauty. That beauty is likely
a commonplace scene – a low sun casting light on a
Plains farmhouse or on October aspens in the mountains.
Such beauty is easy to see in nature when we take time
to see it. Nature is not easy to capture on canvas, and
that challenge keeps me working as a plein air painter.”
A watercolorist for over 12 years, Parks has
concentrated on oils for the last seventeen years. He
believes that he should have personally experienced what
he paints: thus, many of his subjects exist in rural
America. His observations of the Southwest started while
growing up on a farm: “tractor time was a good
opportunity to study nature.” After military service, he
worked as a farm and ranch management specialist for
Texas A&M University which was another opportunity to
observe and appreciate rural life. He believes these
experiences have a major impact on his painting; the
“feel” of the subject matter is there.
He paints in an impressionistic style, using a quick
simple execution done frequently on location, where he
believes an artist learns to see. His observations
produce art that allows others to enjoy glimpses of our
world.
Parks has been in past Midland “Celebration of the
Arts,” and has studied under Ted Goeschner, Frank Mason,
Ovanes Berberian, Scott Christensen, Matt Smith, and
Clyde Aspevig. He has won awards in numerous regional
shows and been included in the Top 200 in the Arts for
the Parks competition. He was chosen as the
Distinguished Artist for the 1996 Celebration of the
Arts in Midland, Texas.
“I am very blessed that I have the opportunity to enjoy
God’s creation through painting. Hopefully I may share
some of that beauty through my paintings.”
