GO TO ARTIST'S GALLERY - SCOTTIE PARSONS

SCOTTIE PARSONS The Rune Marker, 2009 Oil On Canvas 52 x 43 inches

Pieces of Space, an exhibition of works by Texas artist Scottie Parsons, will be on display October 24-November 28 at William Campbell Contemporary Art. An opening reception will be held Saturday, October 24, 6:00-8:00 p.m. The exhibition will feature more than a dozen new oil paintings showcasing Parsons' signature abstraction, which employs color, texture, and intense layering to address notions of space, time, and the sublime.

Parsons uses color as her principal vehicle of expression, deconstructing the picture plane and transforming it into a multidimensional environment of interactive shapes and textures. Bold swaths of pigment define planar segments, even as they fuse with subtle wisps of color to form ethereal layers. These complex gradations overlap and parallel one another to seemingly unending depths. The elements continually emerge and recede as they travel through the space-a journey that also reveals the passage of time. And because it is considered the "fourth dimension," time is integral in the artist's quest to transcend our nominal existence through visual means.

Parsons' intricate process is exemplified in The Rune Marker, which emits an unmistakable energy via vivid colors, subtle layering, and overt textures. The outermost shapes and lines connote a geometric or architectural border, while the central region pulsates with warm color layers and a series of handmade marks, penned by the artist. These elements of writing serve to suggest intense movement while providing a history of the artist's hand moving through space and time. Parsons often includes obscure text on her canvases-a technique that adds additional visual texture, as well as a human element to the nonrepresentational work.

By rigorously examining planes of color and their relationships to one another on the canvas, Parsons strives to inspire a feeling of the infinite-both physical and spiritual-and to evoke a sense of the human essence "beyond everyday life." Each piece creates its own indefinable atmosphere, inviting the viewer to enter, explore, and experience the sublime.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
A highly recognized Texas artist, Scottie Parsons has been making art for more than four decades. She has exhibited work throughout Texas and the Southwest, including shows in Fort Worth and Dallas, Wichita Falls, Austin, and Santa Fe. Her many honors include the 2001 Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Fain College of Fine Arts at Midwestern State University; the 1997 Wichita Falls Art Association Peoples' Choice Award; and recognition by the Women's Hall of Fame of North Texas for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts in 1988. She has been featured on the cover of the Massachusetts Review and in Who's Who of American Women, in addition to various other publications.

Parsons' work may be found in private collections around the world, including those of Neiman Marcus stores across the United States; the Hallmark Collection; Verizon; Las Vegas' Palazzo Hotel; Santa Fe's Rancho Encatado Resort; and the Venetian Hotel in Macau, China.

Scottie Parsons earned a bachelor's degree in art education from Midwestern State University, and went on to complete graduate-level work at Midwestern State and SMU. She has also studied with noted contemporary artists Helen Frankenthaler, Richard Diebenkorn, Nancy Graves, Nathan Oliveira, and Joan Snyder.

ABOUT THE GALLERY

Founded in 1974 by William and Pam Campbell, William Campbell Contemporary Art exhibits high-quality contemporary art in a variety of media, including paintings, works on paper, mixed-media constructions, photography, prints, ceramics, and sculpture. By exhibiting nationally recognized artists, along with new and emerging talent, the gallery aims to nurture an awareness and appreciation of the exciting diversity found in contemporary art.