Michael Parkes

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Michael Parkes (1944 – ) is an American-born magic realism artist specializing in fantasy painting, stone lithography and sculpture. Parkes' work is widely available in the form of popular poster prints in many print shops, and nine books of his artwork have been published.^[1]

1 Biography
2 Further reading
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Biography

Parkes studied graphic art and painting at the University of Kansas. His unique style evolved in isolation, after a period in which he gave up the practice of art altogether and went to India in search of philosophical illumination.

Early on, he painted in the generally abstract expressionist style common among his teachers. However, 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.^{[citation needed]}

Parkes' style can be dscribed as principle realistic with magical subject matter, with later works being characterized by magic realism.

He studied the esoteric doctrines of the East and the West, and his imagery is drawn from a range of traditions 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, and in this weightless environment worlds are unmade and remade nearer to the heart's desire.^{[citation needed]}

Even as a student, Parkes was fascinated by various graphic processes, and in recent years he has become highly proficient in the difficult medium of the colour stone lithograph.

Michael Parkes draws inspiration from the work of Felicien Rops 1833-1898 (Belgian Artist)^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Further reading

John Russell Taylor (art critic for the London Times) Michael Parkes: Stone Lithographs - Bronze Sculptures Published by Steltman Galleries Amsterdam. www.michaelparkes.com

John Russell Taylor: "The Art of Michael Parkes" Published 2006

Salbru Publishing: "Dreamscape" Amsterdam 2007 - Michael Parkes featured as premier living imaginary realist artist on cover and on several pages inside.

Scorpius Dance Theater ballet inspired by art of Michael Parkes - http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/0314phx-scorpius0314Z3.html