Brian Parker

Interview with artist Brian Parker —

Brian Parker Art Exhibition –
‘The Journey So Far..My World, My Vision & Me’
Art Can – Hallam Street, London, W1W
April 30th 2019 – October 1st – 5th 2019

1. Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Brian Parker and I am a visual artist.

“An evening view over the rooftops of Manhattan”

2. Why art?
By that I mean I am a painter and my work is made to stimulate the visual sense; it is not concerned with concepts but with beauty, it aims to make the viewer pleased and happy when it is seen.. I am a retired scientist with a second career as a professional artist, painting every day and exhibiting widely and often.

3. What is your earliest memory of wanting to be an artist?
I have always had an involvement in the creative arts beginning with drawing and painting at around the age of six or seven but also performing as a contemporary dancer, being a ceramicist for about twenty years and lead singer/song writer in a rock band for five years. So I don’t really have an earliest memory of ‘wanting’ to be an artist I just seems I always was one!

“Golden Boy”

4. What are your favorite subject(s) and media(s)?
I started painting seriously about ten years ago and could have chosen oils or acrylics and I chose acrylics as a more practical medium in this day and age. I don’t have favourite subjects as such although certain themes do recur throughout my work, rather I see compositions which have the potential for beauty and I try to bring that out in the work, but some themes are people, dancers, architectural scenes and images from my life and travels.

“Clore Gallery Tate Britain #5”

5. How do you work and approach your subject?
Once I have a composition/scene in mind I abstract from it by only putting in the minimum detail that needs to be there, by using flat but intense colours and by bringing out the patterns I see in the image. I have a unique and personal way of viewing the world and this is reflected in my work. My art is also very precise and I use only pencil, ruler and brushes to create the works, so it usually takes between six and twelve weeks to paint one picture. I work in my studio at home and as a minimum I paint for two hours each day before breakfast.

“Saturday Night Sunday Morning”

6. What are your favorite art work(s), artist(s)?
There are many styles of art and artists whose work I appreciate although I don’t believe I am particularly influenced by any of them other than the style of work produced by screen printers in the 60’s but I admire French impressionists, like Toulouse Lautrec and Paul Cézanne, Salvadore Dalí, David Hockney, Edward Hopper, Charles Sheeler and Charles Demuth, Egon Schiele and many others.

“Beech Shelter”

7. What are the best responses you have had to your work?
My work appeals to a very wide audience but is most appreciated by other artists who like the vision and the technique. It’s also very gratifying when work sells as I know someone really appreciates my work when they are willing to spend their hard earned cash to own a piece of it.

“Wardrobe”

8. What do you like about your work?
I like all of my work. I usually have a very clear idea of what I’m aiming at when I start a piece and I stick with it until I’m happy it’s finished. That said, I like the fact that my work is unique, that I have a vision of the world that you can’t get anywhere else.

9. What advice would you give to other artists?
Advice? Be yourself, paint to please yourself, if others like the results that’s good but not essential, and be original.

“The Block”

10. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
My plan for the future is to gain exposure to a much wider audience and establish myself as a well respected, serious artist who has something to contribute to that thing we call ‘Art’.

Brian Parker

LINKS —

 
Website:  https://www.brianparkerartist.co.uk/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Brian.Parker.Artist
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/brian.parker.artist/

Lisa Freeman

Lisa Freeman is an Arts Illustrated’s Correspondent, representing the United Kingdom.
Lisa is also a Public Relations Director for – Quite Great PR & Marketing in Cambridge.