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
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
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
Supplemental
Video, Western States Film Institute, Denver, Colorado
Performance, Munt-Brooks Dance Studio, Denver, Colorado
Parson’s work has been extensively reviewed, and has been the subject of many feature articles. He has appeared numerous times on television and radio, discussing both his art and the state of the arts. Reviews, features and articles on his work have appeared in many publications, such as the Chicago New Art Examiner, Artspace Magazine, Art Express magazine, American Artist, Plano-Star Courier, Dallas Morning News, The Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, Westword, Straight Creek Arts Journal, Artweek, Upper Larimer Arts and Times, Detroit Free Press, Miami Herald, Pontiac Press, Icon Arts Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, the New York New Times, Sculptural Pursuit Magazine, to name a few. The most current national article will be coming out this spring with a feature article on his works in the Literary/Arts magazine Porcupine, published in Wisconsin.
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.
Exhibition highlights of the recent past included a 7000 square foot exhibition of drawings, constructions, sculptures and sound installations, both interior and exterior, at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. He completed a two person exhibit in the Milwaukee area this past summer with painter Mai Wyn Shantz at Artpost Gallery. He is exhibiting exterior and interior works in a one-person exhibit at the Dahl Art Center in Rapid City, South Dakota this spring. He is currently displaying a large exterior sculpture in the City of Greeley, Colorado Public Arts Program as part of their 2006 program. A one-person show of all-new exterior and interior Sculptures and wall constructions and drawings this summer at Artyard Gallery, located in the Denver region. He will be participating in a two person exhibit with artist Lynette O’Kane in Glenwood Springs, Colorado this fall. Parson is currently installing exterior sculptures on his developing Sisu Sculpture Grounds on 35 remote acres in Colorado on a regular basis. He is preparing works for pending shows in 2007 in the New York City region and in the Kansas City area.
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.
Additionally the 16’ tall Monument to a Wyoming Rancher sculpture
is on display throughout the year in Greeley, Colorado. He has a 15’
tall exterior work on display in downtown Kansas City’s Stretch Sculpture
Garden. The 15’ work, Frame for a Caret, previously on display at
the Purdue University Campus is currently being installed at the Sisu grounds
in southern Colorado late this summer. More of Parson’s exterior works
can be seen on display in front of the Kirkland Museum and their sculpture
garden as part of their recent acquisitions.
Parson is releasing a reprint of his 2002 book release, The Sanctuary of the Moment this spring and is well into his next book, From the Ground Up slated for release in late 2007. A feature article on his works in the Literary and Arts publication, Porcupine will be available this spring.
His website can be viewed at www.charlesparson.com.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |