54: Patti Parsons
Patti Parsons used to paint abstract versions of houses and wonder about the people's lives behind her painted facades. After raising two children with her husband (who happened to wander into the painting studio in college more than 24 years ago), she says she no longer wonders.
When she's away from the canvas, she's behind a video camera lens. Video, to Parsons, is "more like a memory than a clear shot."
Read more about Parsons, check out a few of her projects after the jump ...
- music that sends a good chill, because it's so from the inside and just a half a beat behind
- the sky in its many forms
- the early video art of Bill Viola and Bruce Nauman
- watching a hand move a pencil across a surface
- listening to talk that is awkward or unusual or just brilliant in words or rhythm
2. What was your last big project?
Pulling together the installation of my latest drawings, paintings, and video work for the 2010 Street Party Exhibition which was part of a fundraiser for the Arizona State University Art Museum, curated by John Spiak. And/or a large commissioned painting on aluminum for the Aria Resort (which hangs on the wall across from a Julian Schnabel painting and near the Viva Elvis by Cirque Du Soleil theater, of course), which is part of CityCenter Las Vegas, a venture of MGM Mirage and Dubai World. Exciting to paint, but a bit of a nail biter.
3. What's your next big project?
A combination of two -- editing my abstract video recorded this summer of burned forest, flowering desert trees, water and sky, along with developing a series of paintings on drafting film which focus on the unfinished sense of things.
4. What do you think the Phoenix art scene needs more of?
In the last year, I've seen inspiring exhibitions at all three museums, ASU Art Museum, SMoCA, and PAM, and returned to my studio all abuzz, full of thought. Maybe Phoenix could use a few alternative spaces where seasoned curators could create programming on a more experimental level, then the boundaries they may run up against in their usual venue. Sort of a place to take the risk out of presenting artists who may not be as well known as the artists exhibiting in museums, but are making interesting work.
5. What's something you want Phoenix to know about you?
I summited Mt. Rainier in 1993 and that accomplishment, the training, the ice school, the climb, still affects me. The whole process was a precursor for motherhood and continuing to develop my art practice -- just be strong and put one foot in front of the other, slowly, and don't forget to breathe.
(And, if you're game, what's something you really don't want Phoenix to know about you?)
I like fried food with some sort of dipping sauce.
The Creatives, so far:
100. Fausto Fernandez
99. Brian Boner
98. Carol Panaro-Smith
97. Jane Reddin
96. Adam Dumper
95. Mayme Kratz
94. Daniel Tantalean
93. Yuri Artibise
92. Lisa Starry
91. Paul Hoeprich
90. Betsy Schneider
89. Mary Shindell
88: Gabriel Utasi
87: Tiffany Egbert
86. Angela Cazel Jahn
85. Dayvid LeMmon
84. Beatrice Moore
83. Michelle J. Martinez
82. Carrie Bloomston
81. Paul Porter
80. Rachel Bess
79. Karolina Sussland
78. Aaron Abbott
77. Mary Lucking
76. Erin Sotak
75. Greg Esser
74. Matthew Mosher
73. Mark Klett
72. Tony Carrillo
71. Paul Morris
70. Joe Pagac
69. Alison King
68. JJ Horner
67. Kim Porter
66. Marco Rosichelli
65. Heather Hales
64. Amy Lamp
63. Kevin Vaughan-Brubaker
62. Lindy Drew
61. Robbie Pfeffer
60. Neil Borowicz
59. Lynn Fisher
58. Tanner Woodford
57. David Tinapple
56. Casebeer
55. Tom Leveen
