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Kim Parker

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At an early age I was drawn to working with vivid colors and painting flowers and textile designs. I could easily spend hours at my desk creating patterns in a myriad of color combinations with my can of magic markers or box of paints. Having come from a family of serious classical musicians I was fortunate to be exposed to a rich spectrum of sounds. By eight years old I was already serious about studying the flute. With a degree in Flute Performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, I fully intended to pursue a career as a classical musician. What I was not aware of during all of those years of serious devotion to my instrument was the rich musical foundation that would become a springboard for my work in design. Colors vibrate at different frequencies and have different effects on me. I have never been able to say I had a single favorite color although I adore all greens, am drawn to sweet pinks, deep violet, exuberant yellow, sensual orange or cool blue. When I begin a painting, I have no idea where the colors, forms or composition are going to take me. Freedom is a very important aspect of my work. I never preplan what I paint. I cannot imagine sketching my ideas down first. What keeps the process fresh for me is the mystery, the organic journey. I once attempted to paint a canvas by sketching my garden out first. Within moments of having dipped my brush into the pigment, I found I could not follow a single line of what had been established. I simply could not abide by even my own rules! Painting gardens is a very personal process. Recently I finished a painting and a friend asked, "Is it finished?” I wondered why she asked this. I replied, "Yes, it is finished. If you are wondering why that little red flower in the upper left corner has no stem or leaves connected to it and is swimming around in space, and looks a little out of place in terms of the rest of the composition, I can see why you might think it is unfinished. The funny red flower moving off the canvas is my way of suggesting continuation, unpredictability, imperfection, a story in progress, the way gardens really are." I think the desire to create untraditional looking flowers and wild gardens stems from a desire to further celebrate having left the conservative world of classical music for a career in painting and design. In the classical world, the expectation of staying poised and note perfect were always present. I don't regret those years I devoted to my early musical career. They were passion-filled too. But I suppose I wanted to run more freely and wildly, make my own rules, and leave perfection behind. And I am certain that all of the years I dedicated to my music found their way into my gardens, through tonalities and rhythms, and a sheer appreciation for creative freedom.