Jenny Parsons is an urban landscape painter
working mostly in oil on canvas and chalk pastel.
For Parsons a landscape painting is a place for the eye and mind to play
– where the experience of the landscape and the act of painting
hold equal importance.
Her work shows a fascination with vertical objects on the landscape –
trees, buildings, lampposts and other structures; as well as the “drawings”
on the land created by roads, paths and other demarcations. These elements
suggest and in fact replace a human presence. The visual conversation
between horizontal and vertical, mass and detail, solidity and fragility
further explore the human relationship to the land.
Parsons' latest paintings are made from bird's eye view drawings of Sea
Point and Greenpoint in Cape Town. The very substance of the paint and
the act of painting, with its markmakings, layerings and oblitorations,
speaks of the history of the land.
EDUCATION
Born (1967) and schooled in Durban, Jenny graduated from the Natal Technikon
with a Higher National Diploma in Fine Arts in 1988.
EXPERIENCE
After graduating, she held two solo exhibitions in Durban as well as participating
in numerous group exhibitions. She worked as a lecturer for the Natal
Technikon Short Courses Unit and for the Natal Society of Arts until moving
to Cape Town in 1991.
Jenny has since worked with a number of art and educational institutions
including Community Arts Project, the Durbanville Cultural Society and
the Ruth Prowse College of Art and Design where she was head of the Fine
Art department in 1998 and 1999.
In 1996, together with artists Mary Visser and Diana Page, she started
the Boudoir Biscuits, a collective of women artists. The group have collaborated
on numerous projects and exhibitions. In 2002 the Biscuits were one of
three finalists in the Cape Town Convention Centre National art competition.
This project was redeveloped and in 2003 they were awarded the design
contract for the carpets in the Judges Chambers in the New Constitutional
Court Building in Johannesburg.
Jenny works as a professional artist from her studio in Woodstock.
EXHIBITIONS
2012
Group exhibition with Margot Hattingh, Derek Jacobs and Yvette Polovin at The Cape Gallery
2007
The Cape Gallery, Cape Town
2006
AVA Gallery (solo), Cape Town
2005
3rd i Gallery (solo), Cape Town
2004
Irma Stern Museum (solo), Cape Town
2001
Studio Exhibition, Observatory
1999
"Postcards from South Africa", Axis Gallery, New York
1998
Irma Stern Gallery (Boudoir Biscuits group show), Cape Town
1997
Ibis Gallery (Boudoir Biscuits group show), Nieu Bethesda
Boudoir Biscuits Installation at MCQP Shopping Trolley Project
1993
"Mustardseed & Moonshine", Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town
1990
"Durban Scene", Elizabeth Gordon Gallery, Durban
Grassroots Gallery (solo), Durban
1989
NSA Gallery (with Robin Moodley), Durban
1988
Elizabeth Gordon Gallery (solo for Higher Dip.FA), Durban
COLLECTIONS
Natal Technikon Permanent Collection
First National Bank
South African Brewerys
Grindrod Shipping
General Cologne Reinsurance
de Grendel Winery
Collection of Lady Graaff
Collection of Beryl Brink
Collection of James and Brenda Gourley
Collection of Pieter-Dirk Uys
Collection of Neville Tricket
Collection of Kate Carlyle
Carpets in the Judges' Chambers, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg (Boudoir
Biscuits collaboration with the women of St Anne's Home, Cape Town) |
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Artist: JENNY PARSONS
Title: Bantry Bay Pool
Size: 55 x 62 cm
Media: Oil
Price: R 8 700 Unframed |