Essay on the paintings of Patricia Zinsmeister Parker by Dr. Lou Zona, Director of the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio
I first saw Patricia Zinsmeister Parker’s work twenty years ago. I remarked back then that the paintings were the finest examples of American expressionism since the New York School works of the 1950’s. That was, of course, saying a lot, but Parker’s paintings carried a raw energy, a dynamic quality that was certainly missing from the pristine surfaced canvases of the New Realist painters of the era. To me, her only peer was Philip Guston who had turned away from pure abstraction and toward the so called ‘’New Image’’ painting which caused such a stir and would set in motion events which led to the Neo Expressionism of the eighties. Yes, Parker’s neo expressionism works did indeed pre-date the art of those who are strongly associated with recent painterly painting in America. But the history of art is certainly filled with similar stories of innovative artists--overlooked because of geographic, political or other reasons. As an Ohioan I feel privileged to have been able to enjoy Patricia Zinsmeister Parker’s paintings for two decades. And while national recognition of her accomplishments, has, I feel, been a major historical oversight, it does not in any way diminish the importance of the work. What continues to draw me to these paintings is what John Canaday once referred to as an artists ability to ‘’clarify, intensify or otherwise enlarge our experience of life’’. Parker has a knack fro creating playful but elegant works which rely as much on pictorial puzzles and zaniness as upon formalist knowledge and technical handling. Her sense of color is as remarkable as any colorist since Milton Avery. She rewards faithful followers with an unpredictability in both formulas and subtle conformity.
Patricia Zinsmeister Parker was born and raised in Cleveland, (Brooklyn), Ohio. She attended Ohio University on an academic scholarship. She worked as a fashion illustrator while living in Akron Ohio. Returning to academia, she enrolled at Kent State University, earning B.F.A., M.A, and M.F.A. degrees. Parker was also an adjunct professor at the University of Akron for twenty two years, teaching color theory and 2 D design. She was recognized by the Senate of the State of Ohio for induction into the Hall of Fame for achievements and contributions to art. Her work is in private and corporate collections around the country.
I first saw Patricia Zinsmeister Parker’s work twenty years ago. I remarked back then that the paintings were the finest examples of American expressionism since the New York School works of the 1950’s. That was, of course, saying a lot, but Parker’s paintings carried a raw energy, a dynamic quality that was certainly missing from the pristine surfaced canvases of the New Realist painters of the era. To me, her only peer was Philip Guston who had turned away from pure abstraction and toward the so called ‘’New Image’’ painting which caused such a stir and would set in motion events which led to the Neo Expressionism of the eighties. Yes, Parker’s neo expressionism works did indeed pre-date the art of those who are strongly associated with recent painterly painting in America. But the history of art is certainly filled with similar stories of innovative artists--overlooked because of geographic, political or other reasons. As an Ohioan I feel privileged to have been able to enjoy Patricia Zinsmeister Parker’s paintings for two decades. And while national recognition of her accomplishments, has, I feel, been a major historical oversight, it does not in any way diminish the importance of the work. What continues to draw me to these paintings is what John Canaday once referred to as an artists ability to ‘’clarify, intensify or otherwise enlarge our experience of life’’. Parker has a knack fro creating playful but elegant works which rely as much on pictorial puzzles and zaniness as upon formalist knowledge and technical handling. Her sense of color is as remarkable as any colorist since Milton Avery. She rewards faithful followers with an unpredictability in both formulas and subtle conformity.
Patricia Zinsmeister Parker was born and raised in Cleveland, (Brooklyn), Ohio. She attended Ohio University on an academic scholarship. She worked as a fashion illustrator while living in Akron Ohio. Returning to academia, she enrolled at Kent State University, earning B.F.A., M.A, and M.F.A. degrees. Parker was also an adjunct professor at the University of Akron for twenty two years, teaching color theory and 2 D design. She was recognized by the Senate of the State of Ohio for induction into the Hall of Fame for achievements and contributions to art. Her work is in private and corporate collections around the country.
Patricia Zinsmeister Parker
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