Today we’d like to introduce you to Louise Parsons.
Louise, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I am from London England, living in the States now for 12 years. I love it. But at first, the change of location, the change of pace, the unknowns and the uncertainties challenged my thinking…. a lot. What I really wanted to do was become a painter. Not long before leaving the UK I had returned to college and received a master’s degree in Art and Education. I had originally trained in textile design, teaching art in state schools and art colleges for several years, but I knew where my heart and hopes were taking me. I needed a paint brush in my hand and an easel with a canvas in front of me. So, when I arrived here (initially in New York, now Miami Beach) I used my time to research, to paint every day, to work on ideas, to develop a direction I could call my own. I became an explorer, a traveler, a thinker and most of all a learner. I was determined to investigate every spark of inspiration. It wasn’t easy, there were lots of ups and downs and a great deal of challenges to my self-confidence. Eventually I had a body of work I was proud of and that I felt I could share with an audience. I created my first website and launched my work online. Getting good feedback and making my first sale was so exciting. I now have a small number of collectors, very small, but I am building a following which is growing each day. Being an artist is often a lonely vocation but I have met some extraordinary people en route who have encouraged me and included me in some wonderful artist communities. I love what I do. Every single day that I can, I try to run along Miami Beach’s Boardwalk breathing in the pulse and atmosphere of the City which motivates me to pick up that paint brush and capture these moments.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a contemporary mixed media abstract painter. This just means that I work in an ever-expanding range of mediums, including oil, acrylic and watercolor. My love of textures includes the application of many different plasters and natural stone materials. All these things find a way into the marks and colors of my painting. My inspiration comes mainly from my locations. I have a growing number of works based on the urban landscapes in New York City and Miami. I also try to capture the beauty of the ocean and beach – the sounds, the colors, the people, the hotels – all part of the vibrant life I see here every day in Miami. Each painting I undertake has a long journey. Sometimes I know the destination, but the stops and starts en route can change everything!!! In other words, I let the ideas and processes and tools I work with help me to get to a place where I can put down my paintbrush and say “finished, I think, and I love it”. Call it, an emotion, tinged with some thinking. Every painting I do throws in the unexpected, just to keep me on my toes. I hope that when someone looks at my work, they find something that speaks to them, that tells a story. I want my paintings to have a personality and I want them to be something that the viewer can look at for a long time…days weeks, years and the conversation never dries up. My paintings have personalities and they like attention!
How can artists connect with other artists?
I am a bit of a loner when I am working. Sometimes I listen to music – anything from Coldplay to Classical, but often I need to get into the zone with my paintings and focus every part of my thinking and feeling with what I am creating. I need quiet. This time is challenging when progress is slow and exhilarating when I’m able to say “I love this”. Besides ……my two muses, Cosmo and Phoebe, also my harshest critics, are great company (my two beautiful Persian cats). However, there are times it’s good to talk to another artist about work and progress, sharing info about new events, exhibitions and galleries. Social Media, Instagram and more recently Vero, have been great in building a network of like-minded artists who help and encourage one another. It really is important to get out and network too at gallery show previews. I am perfectly placed in Miami and with my trips to NYC. Both these great cities are art capitals of the world, so I am spoiled for choice when it comes to galleries and museums. Being an artist isn’t easy, it’s hard to make a living. But I wouldn’t change it for anything, the passion and excitement of creating something from just a spark of an idea is an exhilarating experience. I wake up every morning looking forward to grabbing a paintbrush and getting some paint under my fingernails. City and Miami Beach life motivate me every day.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work can be seen online on my website www.louiseparsonsart.com. I also sell my paintings through Saatchi Art www.saatchiart.com/louiseparsonsart. I make myself available to help clients choose a painting for their home and spend time ensuring that all my clients are happy and that my paintings find a happy home!! Most paintings are sold through word of mouth – friends of friends or a recommendation, so if you like what you see let more people know! My work sells mainly in the states and the UK. You can follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/louise_parsons_art where I write a short blog there sharing my thoughts, my questions, my works in progress incumbent with the ups and downs of the bumpy journeys I talked about. There is never a dull moment. I am planning to hold studio open days in the coming months (Miami Beach). So, keep in touch to find out more. I can be contacted on [email protected] If you are interested in any works or want more information about studio visits, join my mailing list to keep up to date with these and other events I am involved in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.louiseparsonsart.com
- Phone: 646 963 5112
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/louise_parsons_art
- Other: www.saatchiart.com/louiseparsonsart
Image Credit:
1. Photo of artist taken by Alan Parsons.
2. All other photos taken by the artist.
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