Nena Parkes 

Having completed a degree in Modern Languages I then was allowed to study art!  I did my foundation year at Maidstone College of Art and transferred to Chelsea School of Art for my first degree in painting.  On graduating I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to be spent on postgraduate studies which I combined with a teaching fellowship at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Primarily a painter, I incorporated film and performance into my work at that time. When I finally completed my studies I returned to England and taught part-time at Swansea College of Art with the odd day now and then at Chelsea. This allowed me to pursue my own work.  Believing I didn't know much more than my students, I abandoned teaching after two years and was lucky enough to be taken on as a scenic painter at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester which led to a long and happy career as a scenic painter, designer and production manager which culminated in establishing my own scenic production company in partnership with two colleagues.  We worked on many large contracts both nationally and abroad. 

Unexpectedly and rather late in the day I became a mother and moved to Greece where I taught groups of visiting artists in the summer and at the local High School in the winter and also received government funding to establish an art course for local adults. I also did some film work, collaborating on films which were jointly produced between Greek and foreign production companies.

For the last three years I have concentrated on re-developing my own painting.  When I started out I was a young, closed-minded, minimalist/constructivist but many years later with a patchwork of experiences and locations behind me my work is much changed and more open and flexible. I work in varied styles but have one goal - the exploration of the boundaries between the figurative and the abstract. I can be inspired by the natural environment, political themes or philosophical concepts. Given my background as a scenic artist, I like to experiment with a range of materials and will allow a painting to divert from my original concept and be led by the media. The resulting journey can be a roller coaster but I try to let it take its course, however tortuous.

 

I don't generally work directly from reality but will draw and photograph my observations for recording purposes and then continue from memory and imagination incorporating elements of my recorded material and always influenced and excited by the materials i have chosen to use. I try to produce something which represents an experience rather than a photographic image and ideally it will teeter on the border between abstract and figurative.  

Education:

University of  Hull - BA Jt.Hons French/Swedish

Maidstone College of Art - Foundation Studies

Chelsea School of Art - Dip.A.D.Hons Fine Art

University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, USA - Fulbright Scholarship/Teaching Fellowship

Professional Experience (condensed):

Part-time lecturer Foundation Studies - Swansea College of Art.

Visiting tutor - Chelsea School of Art.

Worked free-lance in theatre as scenic artist, designer and production manager.

Set up own company in partnership with two others - Compleat Works - working nationally and internationally on scenic design and production.

Moved to Greece and worked variously teaching art to visiting groups of artists and in the local high school, design and production on films and private commissions for murals and interior design.

Returned to UK in 2009 and worked as self-employed artist.

 

Exhibitions:

2011

Bury Knowle Art Society.

"Coast" - juried open art exhibition at Cornerstone Arts Centre,Didcot.

West Oxford Arts Society Open Exhibition.

Folly Bridge Art Studios Christmas Exhibition.

2012

Shortlisted for Art Erotica, Cork Street Gallery.

Shortlisted for The Pastel Society at the Mall Galleries.

Black Swan Arts Bi-ennial juried Open Exhibition.

East Oxford Drawing Collective, Oxford Art Weeks.

Shortlisted for Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Royal Birmingham Arts Society juried Open Exhibition - Summer of Sport.

Outside the White Cube - Celebration of Sport - juried Open Exhibition.

Selected for juried open exhibition at Cornerstone Arts - Faster, higher, stronger.

Solo exhibition - Nuffield Hospital

 Shortlisted for Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries.

 Shortlisted for the Royal Society of Oil Painters at the Mall Galleries.

West Oxford Art Society Open Exhibition.

Folly Bridge Art Studios Christmas Exhibition. 

 2013

East Oxford Drawing Collective Open Exhibition.

The Jam Factory juried open exhibition - Oxford Art Weeks.

Solo exhibition of large paintings - Nuffield Hospital.

Shortlisted for Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries.

Oxford Art Fair.

Pegasus Art Fair.

Oxford Art Society juried Open Exhibition.

Woodstock Art Fair.

Phoenix Cinema, Oxford - Group Exhibition