Artist Interview – Whitney Parker

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Who are you and what do you do?

Hi! My title is Whitney and I generate sewn summary artwork. I stay in the San Francisco Bay Space with my partner and our pretty much 4-year-old daughter.

My history is rooted in style style and design with a aim on bridal. After graduating from university, I moved to New York City to get the job done as a wedding ceremony robe designer. I was in the bridal sector for the greater part of my career, which is exactly where the sewing element of my work arrives from.

I try out to carry a special choose to my artwork many thanks to my non-traditional qualifications (i.e., I did not study to be a painter). I use an array of components commencing with acrylic paints and unstretched canvas. I normally include hand-painted and handmade papers as very well as gold and silver leaf and end off each and every piece on the stitching machine with my signature touch. I try to infuse depth, texture, and a feeling of fluidity into all of my items.

Why do you do what you do?

Effectively, when my husband and I acquired our 1st house, I promptly discovered myself seeking to fill the walls with artwork that brought me joy. I enjoy the plan of currently being surrounded by a person-of-a-sort, primary artwork, but curating a collection of artwork instantly is not possible. In the meantime, I made a decision what far better way than to start out decorating with my individual art?! So I pulled out my paint and brushes and began experimenting. I wanted to tie in distinct factors of my track record and skills to the art itself, which is what led me to ending off the pieces on the stitching device. I have come to make use of the stitches considerably as a painter utilizes their brushes, producing depth and motion with the thread.

In the end, I do this to hook up with persons and have my operate communicate in this sort of a way that reminds them of a particular instant or place. Developing art that sparks inner thoughts or recollections on a deep stage is so effective.

What inspires your art?

Getting in California, significantly of my inspiration arrives from nature. The environment and sustainability are quite significant to me, so it plays a significant purpose in my operate. I am surrounded by large mountain ranges, early morning fog rolling over the hills, and sunset shorelines – it is no speculate it serves as an inspiration for significantly of my art!

How and when did you get into art?

Artwork has always been encouraged because I was quite youthful. My mother is also an artist, so I was privileged to have mothers and fathers who fostered my really like for building. I was concentrated on unique factors of artwork and style above the a long time, but I have generally recognized with being a creator. I went to the Savannah School of Artwork and Structure and obtained my BFA in Vogue Design and style which is wherever the stitching device will come into engage in in my work. Although in university I took courses in bookmaking, printmaking, 3D sculpture – I wished to find out it all! To this working day, I however adore finding out new tactics and art types – it is so inspiring.

How has your exercise changed in excess of time?

Because I began, it seems elements are continually becoming extra to create much more texture, a lot more motion. From layering tissue paper, to including hot fix studs, to new stitches on the equipment – my function is continuously evolving and I am energized to see where it usually takes me in the several years to occur.

What is your preferred piece of artwork that you’ve created? Why?

How do you check with an artist that query?! I sense like it changes from week to 7 days! As an alternative, I will tell you about my most own piece. These are the initially parts I genuinely produced for myself with absolutely nothing else in intellect except conveying my journey all through the most difficult time of my existence. I initially experienced no intention of sharing the approach or emotion guiding them, but is not that what art is meant to do? To connect with others when we simply cannot uncover the words? A way to heal and categorical our innermost anxieties and fears?

When I was 9, my more youthful brother, Bo, passed away in a tragic accident, shaping my complete lifestyle. In this piece, I abstractly explored that dark place I knowledgeable in the wake of tragedy. Right after decades of grieving and expanding, I have realized to are living in the gentle although also embracing the occasional suffering that inevitably creeps in. This diptych is titled “Darkness Will come Right before the Light”

What’s the greatest piece of artwork advice you’ve been offered?

“Don’t enable ambition rob you of your recent joy.” This is all-encompassing daily life information, but I found it exceptionally impactful when starting off out on the journey of not only producing artwork but working a tiny company from it. In the planet of social media and the remarkable benefits it can have for creators, modest firms and the like to be found, it also brings with it a great deal of tension. It is so easy for me to get wrapped up in how matters could be greater, growing more rapidly, revenue could be bigger, and so on. – that it usually takes away from the satisfaction I have in what I have built and the unique voice I am impacting other people with. It is essential to keep perspective on what really issues.

What’s a person artwork idea/method you can share with us that you come across truly helpful?

For any artist who has multiple methods in their approach, my greatest guidance is to obtain a way to batch your function. For occasion, I check out to system out my week by allocating precise times to the levels of my process. 1 day it is all portray, the next working day is performing on the structure for several parts, then an additional day for securing people layouts, and then ending up the week on the stitching equipment. Do you see my sort-A business coming via here?

Do you have any secret tips or tactics you use to salvage a piece when you make a blunder?

Really don’t be scared to repurpose! I have experienced completed pieces I was not happy with and instead of tossing them, I located components/locations in the piece that I cherished. From there, I slash out what then turned the base for a new, lesser piece. It is amusing how persons sometimes react when I put up a video of me slicing up some thing I have made – but I have uncovered that I have to be proud of each and every piece I put out there.

What is your favored Strathmore paper? Why?

I like the 400 Series Blended Media paper. It retains up so effectively to the acrylic paint and the deckled edge I get when tearing the paper is just the most effective.

What art materials could you not dwell without having?

Besides my paint and paper, I would have to say my stitching device and silibrush. The brush is a popular woodworker device I use it to distribute glue to adhere the papers to the canvas right before stitching. I really like it mainly because it is silicone and consequently will not destroy conventional brushes trying to spread glue. I won’t get into the months I spent just making use of my finger…

What forms of hues are you drawn to for your artwork and why?

Gentle, calming colors are genuinely what anchor most of my artwork. There is a sense of peace when functioning with them and I like that translation in what I do. With that explained, I do appreciate stretching myself and bringing in far more saturated colours from time to time to distinction people more neutral tones.

Who are your most significant influences (or who were being when you commenced undertaking art)?

This may possibly be an atypical solution – but my qualifications stems in fashion design and style, so my largest influences when I began were being Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, and Amsale. They may possibly not be painters, but they are creators. Their timeless and sophisticated points of look at are what nonetheless inspire and steer my types.

What is the most frequent art-related problem you get from your followers?

-How does your stitching device hold up to stitching through paper and canvas?

-How do you generate the texture on your hand-painted papers?

-What type of glue do you use?