Michael Parkes is the world’s leading magical realist painter, sculptor, and stone lithographer. His decades of success as a fine artist stand out in the art world where few artists ever achieve success in both the primary and secondary markets. Michael Parkes’ works are collected by celebrities, prominent private collectors, and galleries around the world, and his body of work stands for all ages. His first one-man show was in Amsterdam back in 1977. Additional one-man exhibitions of Michael Parkes have taken place at Basel Art in Switzerland, Art Chicago, Art Fair NY, Frankfurt Bookfair, Amsterdam Art Fair, Tefaf Art and Antiques Fair Maastricht and numerous exhibitions in their galleries in Amsterdam and New York from 1977 onwards.
Though he studied graphic art and painting at the University of Kansas, his unique style evolved very much in isolation, after a period in which he gave up the practice of art altogether and went off to India in search of philosophical illumination: born in 1944, Michael Parkes was very much of the hippie generation.
Earlier on, Michael Parkes had painted in the generally Abstract Expressionist style normal among his teachers, but after his pause for reflection he began to draw and paint in a meticulous style of detailed representation which would enable him to give full expression to his inner world of images.
The style was in principle realistic, the subject matter magical, and Magic Realism has characterised his work ever since.
Michael Parkes has studied deeply in esoteric doctrine of the East and the West, and his imagery is drawn from a range of wisdoms including the Cabalistic and the Tantric, but embodied in forms from his own imagination which are immediately accessible. Here strange beasts encounter mysterious winged women, good and evil fight out their immemorial conflict (though who can be perfectly sure which is which?), and in this weightless environment worlds are unmade and remade nearer to the heart’s desire.
Even as a student Michael Parkes was fascinated by various graphic processes, and in recent years Michael Parkes has become highly proficient in the difficult medium of the colour stone lithograph.
"Take the symbolism for what it is. It is not important to understand or even agree with the symbols I use. What I do want is to offer my art to people to enjoy and enhance their lives with the beauty of colour and light."
As cited by Michael Parkes.
A remarkable quote since what we see in his work is not just a simple figment of his imagination but even so a study of the metaphysical and spiritual principles materialized in his work. His work evokes a mysterious atmosphere, which can often only be deciphered with the help of ancient mythology and eastern philosophy. His work urges us to comprehend instead of just enjoy because part of the enjoyment comes from the understanding of his work.
Of course, his craftsmanship is undeniable; his meticulous style seems sheer drudgery; a monkey's fur coat, almost every hair distinct, a ribbon thrown carelessly in the air as if it were weightless. The paint so thinly applied layer after layer that if painted in one layer it would be translucent. Thus with every stroke of his brush Parkes creates a depth that makes you get drawn into his world.
But it is not immediately his craftsmanship that makes you want to look a second time and makes you wonder. For in a way his technique is subordinate to his imagery. It's a means to an end, a mere translation to capture that what has been formed in his mind. To make the doctrine come alive in such a way that it draws people all over the world in admiration.
His focal point the female form. Sometimes vulnerable and subordinate, mostly powerful and demanding, but always beautiful and mysterious. First you see her beauty then the mystery of her surroundings. Which makes you wonder, what world it is she lives in, why she is there and where she is going. And you realize that you can't answer those questions right away but that you do want to understand. You might think you'd know more by reading the title of the work you are trying to decipher, but it seems to puzzle you exceedingly. You look again at the painting and realize you are captured into the fantasy world of Michael Parkes in which his own laws apply, where past and future do not exist, in which a never ending circle of life, death, birth and rebirth appears.
Parkes felt he needed to travel the world in order to become a complete artist and so he did. He roamed the world and discovered ancient wisdoms, gaining the level of spiritual consciousness he felt he missed to give his work meaning. With the knowledge and skills acquired, Michael Parkes enables the viewer to behold the beauty of magic captivated in his work. Capturing the complete sense of the unexpected; that what is unknown to the viewer in order to make it known, even if it can be seen only for a second.
Doménique van de Kimmenade
Michael Parkes was born in 1944 in Sikeston Missouri (USA) After studying graphic art and painting at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, he taught briefly at Kent State University in Ohio and at the University of Florida. His ultimate goal was to turn his attention to creating art. A child of the hippie generation, he realized, at the age of 24, he needed to see the world in order to be a complete artist.
When he met his wife, Maria, they left the United States. After travelling through Europe, they went to India, Nepal and Pakistan, but it were the experiences he had in India, where he studied philosophy and the esoteric doctrines of the East and the West that were of great influence to his artwork. His imagery is drawn from a range of wisdoms including the cabalistic and the tantric, but embodied in forms from his own imagination which are immediately accessible.
In 1975 Michael Parkes settled definitively in Spain where he engaged in the development of his artwork and where he still lives today. Early on, he painted in the generally abstract expressionist style common among his teachers, but after his pause for reflection he began to draw and paint in a meticulous style of detailed representation which enabled him to give full expression to his inner world of images. Here strange beasts encounter mysterious winged women, good and evil fight out their immemorial conflict and in this weightless environment worlds are unmade and remade nearer to the heart's desire. Even as a student Parkes was fascinated by various graphic processes, and until 2002 he was highly proficient in the difficult medium of the colour stone lithograph.
The American-born artist, Michael Parkes, living in Spain is renowned for quality work in the fields of magic realism and fantasy art. He focuses on painting, sculpture and stone lithography. He was born in the year 1944 in the Sikeston Missouri. The artist joined the University of Kansas in Lawrence and studied painting and graphic art. Afterwards, he taught for a short time at Kent State University, Ohio as well as at the University of Florida. Michael’s critical aim was to turn his devotion to making art. At the age of 24, he recognized the need to travel around the world in order to be a far-reaching artist.
Michael Parkes and his wife, Maria, left the United States and first traveled through Europe. Later, they toured India, Pakistan and Nepal, but the artist’s main inspiration originated from the experiences he had in India. This is because he studied philosophy that the obscure dogmas of the East and the West turned out to be of great inspiration to his artwork. Michael Parkes artwork appeals from a variety of insights together with the tantric and the cabalistic, but exemplified in forms from his own thoughts. Michael Parkes art for sale are easily available.
Michael Parkes lithograph are mostly designed and printed in Switzerland. Even though several artists have inclined to the informal plates of zinc or aluminum, the famous artist favored the use of stones. He considered the Solnhofen stones, which are approximately 160 million years old and effortlessly uses them for his lithographs as an essential part of the innovative process. The process begins with sketching an image on the stone by the use of a lubricious lithographic pencil. This regularly takes about three to twelve days, with reference to the size and complexity of the image. The key issue is that errors cannot be rubbed out. However, small amendments can be done using a sharp blade, but if major amendments are compulsory, it is advisable to start all over again on a new stone.
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Certainly, his artistry is undeniable; his thorough style gives the impression of absolute hard work. The paint is so lightly smeared, layer after layer, that if done in one layer it would be translucent. As a result, with every brush stroke, Parkes creates a depth that draws an individual into his realm. It is not his artistry that directly influences an individual to have a second look and marvel, but the manner in which his skill is subordinate to his imagery. His technique is a means to an end, a simple interpretation to display an already formed image in his mind. This makes the principle come alive in a manner that it lures folks all over the world in awe.
Michael Parkes central point is the female form. Occasionally susceptible and inferior, mostly influential and demanding, but always attractive and mysterious. First, one needs to see her gorgeousness then the mystery of her surroundings. The artist is the persistent innovative element in the process, adjusting, altering the image, responding to difficulties as they arise, and making imaginative judgments every step of the way. Printing a lithograph is an openly creative process, concerning numerous artistic decisions that in a number of stages can considerably alter the image on the paper. Michael Parkes lithographs sale attracts individuals who can interpret that his paintings have theoretical and spiritual components, which perfectly join into reality.