About the Artist, 2009
Education 1970-72 MFA Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Major, Painting; Minor, Materials Technology 1966-1970 BFA Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri, Painting/Drawing; Minor, Printmaking 1962-1968 A.E. Backus Studio, Ft. Pierce, Florida; Traditional Landscape Painting
Individual Exhibitions
2009 Personal Echoes on the Horizon, Foothills Art Center, Golden, Colorado; interior /exterior works
2006 Balanced Dissolution, Artyard Gallery, Denver Colorado; interior/exterior works
2005 Dahl Art Center, Rapid City, South Dakota; interior /exterior works
2004, Landscapes Sonnet, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, CO; Sculpture, Sound Installation, Wall Constructions, Drawings
2003, Moments of Being, Leedy Voulkos Art Center, Kansas City, Mo; Sculptures, Sound Installation, Wall Constructions, Drawings
2002, Framed Choices, Stewart Gallery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Sound/Interactive Installation, Wall Constructions and Drawings
2002, Time Eventually Comes Up Green, Again, Artyard Gallery, Denver; Sculptures/Drawings 2002, The Vertical Moment, II. Duncan Gallery, Stetson University, DeLand, Florida; - Sound Installation and suite of Drawings - Exterior Sculpture, Subtended Connection
2001, Still Poem, Western Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, CO; Interactive Installation and Working Drawings
2000- 01, The Vertical Garden Series, 3 concurrent One-person Exhibits;
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Ft.Collins, CO; Sound Installation, Wall Constructions, Drawings
- Only Contemporary Art Gallery, Ft Collins, CO; Wall Constructions, Sculptures and Drawings
- Loveland Art Museum. Drawings
1999, A Sense of Place, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, Wyoming 60’ x 70’ Installation; Sculptures, Wall Constructions, Dimensional Drawings
1999, New Works, Changing Scene Theater Gallery Denver, CO; Wall Constructions, Sculptures, full length performance program
1996-95, The Fragility of Permanence, Artyard Gallery Denver, CO; Exterior/Interior Sculptures, Drawings, Wall Constructions
1994, Twilight of the Individual Space, Loveland Art Museum, CO; Sculptures, Wall Constructions, Interactive Installations, Drawings
1993, Working Drawings, Artyard Gallery, Denver; proposal Drawings for realized and unrealized projects
1992, Connections, Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, Kansas City, MO; Sculptures, Wall Constructions, wall installations, Drawings
1991, Memorials to the Living Series, 2 concurrent exhibits as well as full length Performance program - Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO; Large-scale exterior Sculptures; interior Sculptures, constructions - Changing Scene Theater Gallery; Drawings, Wall Constructions
1989, Earth on a Pedestal, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO; Drawings, Exterior/Interior Sculptures; concurrent with exterior. Installation at Aspen Art Museum 78’ x 15’
1989, One-man Exhibit, F. C. I., New York City, NY; Art and Cuisine Series Wall Constructions, Dimensional Drawings
1988, Ocean Gate Series, Edge Art Gallery, Denver, CO; Wall Constructions, Drawings, Interior Sculptures
1987, One Person Exhibits, 2 concurrent exhibits;- Colorado Governor’s Office - Denver Center for the Performing Arts Complex
1987, One-person Exhibit, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO; Exterior/Interior Sculptures, Wall Constructions
1987, In Sequence, Grant St. Art Center, Denver, CO; Wall Constructions, Sculptures, Drawings 1987, Last 10 years of Sculpture, Republic Plaza, Denver, CO; Large-scale Interior Sculptures
1986, One-Man Show and Installation, Slash, Lincoln Arts Center, Ft. Collins, CO; 60’ x 15’ installation plus Wall Constructions and Sculptures
1985, Recent Works, Atwell Art Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO; Constructions, Sculptures, Drawings
1985, New Dimensional Prints, Grover Art Gallery, Denver
1985, Low Tide on the High Plains, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo, CO; 50’ x 50’ interior installation plus Wall Constructions, Drawings and performance
1984, Between the Lines, 55 Mercer Gallery, New York, NY; Wall installations, Sculptures, Drawings and Wall Constructions
1983, Art in the Streets, Alternative Exhibit, Denver, CO; 2 concurrent facets of Public Art; - 10 billboard size dimensional Drawings; - 40 Drawings on rear advertising panels on metro taxi cabs 1983, Four Conversations/Landscapes Series, Inkfish Gallery, Denver, CO, Drawings, Sculpture 1983, Individual Exhibit, Nimbus Art Gallery, Dallas, TX; Sculptures, Wall Constructions, Drawings 1981, Continuance, Schwayder Art Gallery, Univ. of Denver; Large-scale Sculptures, Wall Constructions, exterior Sculpture 110’x15’; performance in gallery
1981, Continuance, Inkfish Art Gallery, Denver, CO; Mixed-Media, Sculpture Wall Constructions 1979, Drift, St. Charles on Wazee Gallery, Denver, CO; Interior installation 72’; ext. installation, 52’ x 15’
1978, Echo Series; Three concurrent activities, - Sebastian-Moore Gallery, Denver, Sculpture, Drawings, Wall Constructions
- Changing Scene Theater Gallery, Sculpture, Drawings
- Full-length Performance Program
1977, Corridors, 1235 Wazee Alternative Space, Denver, 2 facets; - Wall Constructions, Sculptures - Full-Length performance installation programs
1976, M-Blue, End to End, Changing Scene Theater, Denver; Installation
1976, Seven Elements, Joseph Magnin Gallery, Denver; Environment, Wall Constructions and Drawings
1975, Environment, Changing Scene Theater Gallery, Denver; Installation/Interactive
1974, Spring Canyon, #2, Changing Scene Theater Gallery, Denver; Mixed-media, Sculptures, Drawings
1973, Spring Canyon, Saginaw Valley College Gallery, Michigan; Mixed works, installation
1971, Installation, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan
1970, One-man Exhibit, Fort Pierce Art Museum, Florida;Paintings, Drawings
Selected Art Events/Performance/Temporary Installations
2004, 3 of 3 Performance Gate Theater, University of Denver
2003- Present Earthgate, 28’x64’, Exterior Public Sculpture, Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, CO 2002- Present Subtended Connection, Stetson University, Deland, FL, Exterior Sculpture 14’x20’x10’
2001, Frame for a Caret, Purdue University, IN; Exterior Sculpture, 14’x12’x12’
2001, Three Works, EDAW Architecture, Ft. Collins, CO
2001, 3 of 3 Performance, St. Barnabus Artist Series, Denver, CO; Full length Collaborative Trio 2001 - 03 Earthgate, 28’x64’, Exterior Public Sculpture, Lowery Complex, Denver, CO
2000 - 01 Earthgate, 28’x64’, Exterior Public Sculpture, Hudson Park, Englewood, CO
2000, Monument to a Wyoming Rancher 14' x 8' x 12', Chicago Navy Pier
1999- Present, Earthgate, 28’x64’, Exterior Public Sculpture, Museum of Public Art, Fiddlers Green, Englewood, CO
1999, Steeple, 28’x20’, Exterior Public Sculpture, Chicago Navy-Pier Exhibit, Chicago, IL
1999, Steeple, 28’x20’, Exterior Public Sculpture, Northshore Sculpture Park, Skokie, IL
1999, Night Vision, Changing Scene Theater, Denver Full length Performance Art Program 3/3 1998, 3/3 Performance Works, Collaborative performances in conjunction with Columbine Chamber Music Series, Boulder, CO
1996, Frame for a Caret, CAEA Convention, Breckenridge, CO; Temporary PA event; 14’ Steel, Ice, Stone
1993, Earth Line, Museum of Outdoor Art, CO; Temporary Sculpture, 900’; 19 Panels, Sod, Steel, Polyrope
1992, Home Ground, Kansas City Art Institute; 125’ x 125’ Installation of Sod, Steel, Rope; Temporary
1992, 11 Framed Landscapes, Connemera Conservancy, Plano, TX; Collaborative Installation w/Bruce Taylor, 1000’ long
1991, Memorials to the Living, Changing Scene Theater, Denver, CO; Full Length Performance program
1991, Pearl’s Pond, Private Memorial Performance Work, Hazard, KY; 100’ x 100’ waterwork
1989, Earth Shadows, APEX Corporation, New York, NY; Wall Construction
1989, Transitions in Time and Space. Changing Scene Theater, Full-length Performance Work
1986, Ice Floe, Denver Art Museum, 30’x60’ 5 ton Ice/Steel 1985 Performance Works, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo, CO. Performance in conjunction with Low Tide on the High Plains Installation
1983, Performance Works, Denver Art Museum with musician, Dr. Mary Jungerman
1981- 1983, Musical/Visual Performance Programs, Tours of Denver Metro Schools; Young Audience Series
1982, Score, Performance Art Lectures and Performances, Denver Metro Schools, Young Audience Series
1981, Lineage, Installation; Platte River, Downtown Denver, CO; 2 ½ T Ice, 400’ long, 10 performers
1981, Continuance, Schwayder Art Gallery, University of Denver; Performance in conjunction w/visual artworks on display
1980, High Plains Drift, Schwayder Art Building, University of Denver; 110’ long Steel Exterior Temporary Sculpture
1979, Art and Architecture, Larimer Square, Denver, CO; Commissioned Temporary Sculptural Installation
1979, Installation, Atlas Metal and Iron Corp., Denver, CO; Wall Construction, 25’ x 100’
1977, Corridors, 1235 Wazee Alternative Space, Denver, CO; Performance Installations with original dance and music
1976, Phrasing, (from 5 new Dances), Changing Scene Theater, Denver, CO; Performance Work
Selected Stage Design/Consultation (Fine Arts)
1983, Verdi’s Requiem, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver, CO; Consultant, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company
1981, The Love Song of Hillary Sparrow, Telluride Dance Festival and University of Colorado; Barbara Gardner, Choreographer
1979, Nancy Mangus Dance Program, Changing Scene Theater, Denver, CO; Special Effects and Props
1977, More Than Yesterday, Changing Scene Theater, Denver, CO; Stage Design for Janet Locketz Multi-media Dance Program
1976, Cowgirl Ecstacy, Changing Scene Theater; Set Design for play by playwright Michael Smith 1976, Coupling, Changing Scene Theater; Set Design and Musical Instrument design/ construction for modern dance. Choreography by Al Brooks; Munt-brooks dancers
1976, Quanna Powit Quartet, Changing Scene Theater Denver; Set Design for plays by Israel Horovitz
1975, Together and Apart, Tour of Colorado and New Mexico with Munt-Brooks Dance Company, Set Design, Lighting and Costumes for Multi-media Play by choreography, Al Brooks, music, Joe Kasinskas, Writing, Gary Paulsenvr
Awards
1999, AFKEY Award, Alliance for Contemporary Art, Denver Art Museum
1995, Innovation in the Arts Award, Colorado Federation for the Arts
1995, Museum Art Educator of the Year Award (one of five recipients from DMNH team); Colorado Art Education Association
1995, Co-Visions Artist Recognition Grant, Colorado Council on the Arts and Humanities
1987, Commissioned Awards, Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts
Selected Group Exhibits
2009 Colorado Abstraction, Center for the Visual Arts, Denver
2009 Southern Colorado Sculptors, Steamplant Art Center, Salida, Colorado
2008-10 Sculpture Invitational, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Larimie, Wyom.
2008 Anniversary Celebration, Foothills Art Center, Golden, Colorado
2008 Figurative Sculptural Works, Emmanuel Gallery, Denver
2008 & 2009; Design After Dark, Kjos/Parson Collaboration; Redline Gallery, Denver
2006 O’Kane and Parson Colorado Mountain College Gallery, Glenwood Springs, Co.
2005 Two –person Exhibit Schantz and Parson, Artpost Gallery, Milwaukee region
*On-going; Sites; development of 35 acre Art retreat in Southern Colorado, currently with 30 exterior sculptures on display and special temporary art events.
2004, Sculpture, Art Students League, Denver, CO
2004, Purdue 25th Anniversary Show, Purdue University Galleries, IN
2003, Expansions, Lakewood Cultural Arts Center, CO: Curator, -Interior, Process -Exterior, Sculptures
2003, 5 Movements, Ft. Hills Art Center, Golden, CO
2003, Kansas City Sculpture Garden, Stretch Studios, Kansas City , MO. 12’x6’x6’
2002, 15 years, Mangold & Parson, 2 person Exhibit, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO
2002, Frame for a Caret, Stetson University, Deland, FL. Exterior Public Scuplture, 14’x20’
2001, 5 Views, Holter Museum, Helena, MT
2000- 05, Monument to a Wyoming Rancher, Peoria Riverwalk, IL; 13’x10’x8’ Exterior Sculpture 2001-03, Earth Gate, Lowery Complex, Denver, CO; Public Art Exhibit, The Elements; 28’ x 64’ 2000, Bridging the Gap, BWAC Empire-Fulton and Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, NY; 14’ x 20’ x 10’ Public Sculpture
2000, Pier-Walk International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL
2000, The Invisible Museum, Guireys Gallery Denver, CO
1998-2006 Northshore Sculpture Park, Skokie, IL
1999, Earth, Air Fire, Water, The Elements, Museum of Outdoor Art, Englewood, CO; EG, 28’ x 110’
1999, 3D Chicago, Vedanta Gallery, Chicago, IL; Model Exhibit
1999, Western Vernacular, Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, CO; 45’x45’
1999-00 Society for the Preservation of Humanity, Englewood Parks, CO
1999, New Works. Only Contemporary Art Gallery, Ft. Collins, CO
1999, Gallery Artists, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO
1999, 25 Years of Abstract Art, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, CO
1999, All-Colorado Exhibition, Juror, Western Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, CO
1998, Pier-Walk International Sculpture Exhibit, Chicago, IL; 2 ½ story tall sculpture
1998, Three sculptors (Mangold, Beardsley, Parson); Vail Public Arts Program
1998, Blu Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
1998, Only Contemporary Art Gallery, Ft. Collins, CO
1998, 3D Chicago, Models, Woodstreet Gallery, Chicago
1997-98, 8 Colorado Artists, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, Wyoming; One West Art Center, Ft. Collins, CO
1997-98, Burns Park Finalists, Models, 1/1 Gallery, Denver
1997-98, Harmony Gallery Artists, Ft. Collins, CO
1996, Lumina Gallery, Taos, New Mexico
1996, 20/20 Vision, Arvada Center for the Arts, CO
1996, Steam Plant Arts Center, Sculpture Garden, Sailda, CO
1995, Arts Innovation Awards Exhibit, Temple Buell Theater, Denver, CO
1992, AFCA Exhibit, Denver Art Museum, CO
1992, Connemera Artists, Plano Center for the Arts, Plano, TX
1991, Diverse Works, One West Arts Center, Ft. Collins, CO
1991, 60 Sq. Inches, Purdue University (Purchase Award)
1991, Installations, One West Arts Center, Ft. Collins, CO
1991, Prints, Leedy-Voulkus Arts Center, Kansas City, MO
1991, Screens, Invitational, YMCA Gallery, Denver, CO
1991, Atmospheres, Edge Gallery, Denver, CO; 2-Person exhibit with Steve Steele
1990, Value is Value, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO
1990, 6 Installation Artists, Phillip J. Steele Gallery, Denver. CO
1990, Orders, Pyramid Arts Center, Rochester, NY
1989, Colorado Sculpture, Aspen Art Museum, CO; 20’ x 72’ ext. installation
1989, Group Exhibit, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO
1988, Fountains, Artyard Gallery, Denver, CO
1988, Five Regional Artists, Denver Chamber of Commerce
1988, New Acquisitions, City of Westminster, CO;
1987, Colorado Drawing Show, Arvada Center for the Arts, CO; 4 works including 10’ x 18’ x 2’ 1987, Form, Public Sculpture, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO; 6’ x 110’ x 2’ Installation, Site-work
1986, Wall Construction, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
1986, Arne Hansen Art gallery, Vail, CO; Construction/Drawing
1985, Colorado Artists, Arvada Center for the Arts, CO
1984, The Denver/Boulder Exhibit, Seven Artists at the Claremont Arts Galleries, Los Angeles, CA: 14 works by Parson
1984, Inkfish Sculptors, Rickey, Bertoia, Parson, Day, Waters; Inkfish Gallery, Denver, CO
1984, Three Large Sculptures, Arvada Center for the Arts
1984, Sculpture in the Park, Boulder, CO; 15’ x 36’ x 4’
1983, New Acquisitions, Denver Art Museum
1983, Other Than 2-dimensional, Emmanuel Gallery
1982, State of the Arts, Denver Art Museum; 5 person Invitational; Exterior Sculpture, 6’ x 24’ x 3’ 1981, Third Annual Sculpture in the Park, Boulder, CO; 7’ x 36’ x 10’
1980, Second Annual Sculpture in the Park Exhibit, Boulder, CO; 20’ x 110’ x 8’
1979, First Annual Vail Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, Vail, CO
1979, Twelve in the Park, Boulder, CO; 9’ x 50’ x 15’
1978, New Directions in Media, Three person Exhibit, Foster Art Gallery, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
1978, Connelly and Parson, Two person Exhibit, Maggie Kress Art Gallery, Taos, New Mexico
About the Artist (Supplemental)
2008-09
Parson’s current works, Personal Echoes on the Horizon exhibited this summer in the Denver region at the Foothills Art Center show the process of his concept and imagery development. This includes quick sketches from nature that then are expanded upon in their thematic development. These include the focus of small individual spaces on the vast western horizon, individual footsteps and footprints, dialogue between the vast spaces ocean and land forms as well as the cycle of new growth out of barren or aged forms. Interactive and participatory sound installations as well as a series of exterior sculptural bell-like structures further enhance the site specific, contemplative nature of these works on display in the former church structure that now is the exhibition space. Specific musical composition is being developed for these exterior works for performance and recording in mid-fall 2009.
Recent group exhibits include the presentation of his 16’ long stone and steel sculpture from his mid-1990’s series, The Fragility of Permanence in the well-received exhibit of Colorado artists on display at the Center for Visual Arts, Denver, Colorado Abstract. This was a celebratory exhibit of many artists who have contributed to the abstract art scene in the Colorado region in the 20th century. An anthology of these artists included five pages on Parson’s works that have been seen here in Colorado.
Participating in many two person and group shows in the past four years has resulted in the re-development of Parson’s interest in collaboration these past couple of years. Specifically, working with designer John Kjos, Parson has rekindled his design roots from his formal training in developing an emerging series of thematic word and image pieces with Kjos. The last two years of this dialogue has resulted in their display and support of the Denver Art Museum ‘s series. Design After Dark
Sculpture Invitational, at the University of Wyoming Art Museum provides a current look at one of Parson’s most recent large-scale exterior steel, glass and sod sculptures. This 65 foot long work quotes the long, low horizon of the west to focus on the individual and fragile space of the individual ⋯centered in the work, and centrally located on the University of Wyoming’s campus. The grouping of twelve artists who are exhibiting similar, large-scale, and/or site-specific works in this long term exhibit include Ursula von Rydingsvard, Jesus Morales, James Surls, Linda Fleming, Patrick Dougherty and Deborah Butterfield. A resulting symposium in spring 2009 provided great opportunity for shared dialogue and creative energy.
Parson continues to be prolific in his diverse presentation of his artistic vision. He continues to develop the 35-acre remote art retreat, Sisu in Southern Colorado in which over 30 sculptures are now on display. The installation of temporary works and site specific large-scale works, including his 280’ long cut-out poem excerpt from Keats’s Ode to the Nightingale present a personal investigative spirit of placement of works outside of mainstream art venues under differing climate conditions. Included on this site is the development of the house that he and his family are hand-constructing. It utilizes not only recycled sculptural materials of steel, glass and hardware but the use of fortified adobe brick creates a live-in sculptural experience overlooking the sculptures with the background of the Sangre de Cristo range. Parson’s newest book, Built⋯ from the Ground Up is in the editing stage with an excerpt, Natural Time, being published in conjunction with his current exhibit in summer, 2009. This book continues to build upon his first book, The Sanctuary of the Moment in telling some of the stories that weave his everyday life experiences with his creative consciousness and poetic intuitiveness.
Awards are the Denver Art Museum’s Alliance for Contemporary Arts 1999 AFKEY Award. In the mid-90’s he was given the Innovation in the Arts Award from the Colorado Federation of the Arts, a Co-visions Recognition Grant from the Colorado Council on the Arts and Humanities, and was one of the recipients of the Museum Educators of the Year Award from the Colorado Arts Education Association. In the late 70’s throughout the 80’s he received several Best of Westword Awards from the Denver based Arts and Entertainment publication, Westword.
Parson has taught for many years. In August, 2005 he joined the staff of the urban-based Community College of Denver, on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver. There he is the Senior Chair of the Arts Departments and teaches various visual classes. He also has done a large range of diverse art-related employment activities, including designing and producing exhibits at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where he is still a contract muralist/illustrator. Parson is an Affiliate Instructor at the Regis GIS Graduate Program.
Representative large-scale works can be seen in such places as the two-and-a-half storey tall sculpture, Steeple at Northshore Sculpture Park in the north section of the Chicago area. Subtended Connection, II originally seen in Brooklyn now at Stetson University in Florida. In Colorado a three-story tall sculpture, Earthgate , as well as the 14’ Structural Underbelly at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Colorado.
