About Scottie Parsons (1925 – 2011)
Scottie Parsons approaches each painting with the idea that the canvas represents a field, a space in which to explore by means of color, shape and line, some meaningful form that speaks to the infinity of space, time and celebrates that mysterious quality of our lives.
Scottie Parsons’ paintings employ simple visual elements to deconstruct then rebuild the picture plane, transforming it into a multidimensional environment of interactive shapes and textures. Bold swaths of pigment define planar segments that fuse with wisps of color and lines to form deep, ethereal layers. These complex gradations overlap and parallel one another to seemingly infinite depths. As the elements emerge and recede, they travel through the space, alluding to the passage of time. And time, the fourth dimension, often played an integral part in Parsons’ quest to transcend our corporeal existence through visual means.
Scottie Parsons’ work emits an unmistakable energy via a complex amalgamation of color, layering, and texture. The pieces often include obscure text as well-a technique that adds additional texture, as well as a human element to the otherwise nonrepresentational paintings. Overall, the work inspires a feeling of physical and spiritual infinity, evoking 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.
A highly regarded Texas artist, Scottie Parsons made art for more than four decades. She exhibited work throughout Texas and the Southwest, including shows in Fort Worth and Dallas, Wichita Falls, Austin, and Santa Fe. Her many honors included 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 was featured on the cover of the Massachusetts Review and in Who’s Who of American Women, in addition to various other publications.
Scottie 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 also studied with noted contemporary artists Helen Frankenthaler, Richard Diebenkorn, Nancy Graves, Nathan Oliveira, and Joan Snyder.