Odd Couple, 2019

 

by Artina Dozier-Gage

 

As I looked at the artwork of Whitney Parrish, a 17 year old senior at Arts Academy in the Woods high school I was taken by the expressiveness of the choices she made with her palette. The colors in her paintings are an interesting weave or dance between an idyllic, childlike interpretation that is vivid and spirited with that of a more muted, somewhat serene tone that one can only begin to grasp and express more fully with age. This all made sense to me considering not long ago Whitney would be considered a child, yet at once she is on the cusp of full womanhood—a very young woman, but still a woman nontheless.

Whitney’s striking paintings (that range from acrylic to watercolor), along with this idea of age and generation aroused a certain curiosity in me. I wondered what role or impact does ones’ age and/or generation have on the nuances of their artistic expression?

To dig deeper I went about asking a few questions. 

Lying on the Beach, 2019     

How does your work reflect the community that you live in?
We lived downtown that’s like an art scene in of itself with the graffitti and they have the Baltimore Gallery down there and I just always liked the art I would see when my mom would take me down there.

That makes sense because, how many years did you live right in the cultural center?
7 years.

7 years. And, you’re only…?
17.

You’re 17. So, almost half of your life.
Yeah, pretty much.

You were living right in the epicenter of what we have to offer in terms of culture in the entire state.
Yeah, as far as music is concerned, as far as art is concerned, fashion. Pretty much in the heart.  Yeah, right there. And, it really inspired me a lot. Just by walking down the street or going to my school. Because, I did go to an art integrated middle school as well. I went to Henry Ford Academy and they had CCS [College for Creative Studies]. They had a gallery upstairs.

Oh, because CCS was located in the same building?
Yes. So, they had galleries upstairs and they’d make us go up there. And, we’d look at all of the college students art and their portfolios. And, it just always stuck with me because you never knew what you were going to see up there. I really liked it a lot. I actually want to see if I can go back up there. That always inspired me as an artist—seeing those galleries, and just seeing what these people could do. At that time they weren’t that much older than what I am now. So, like the fact that they could do that really inspired me; and just living downtown with all of the culture. I really liked it a lot.

So, that and the school that I’ve been going to for the last 3 years, Arts Academy. My art reflects in the fact that they just allow you to do as you please. You don’t have [to adhere to] a certain type of art style. There is a lot of hyperrealism at my school, but, you know, you can have more cartoony art, digital art, 3D art—anything that you want to do they’ll support you. My two art teachers are very helpful with whatever you want to do; they’ll aid you. I’m in a studio class right now, which is where you can take what you’ve learned in the past and integrate it into what you do now. So, I’d say that’s how my community is reflected in my work.

Awesome. I would imagine, yeah…with the close proximity of the school you went to prior; actual college students who are majoring in all different types of art, how that would inspire you. How fortunate! And, with your current school, that lack conformity not having to be anything other than who you are; express yourself in it’s most organic—

That’s what I like about my school. There is no certain binary that you have to follow. You can kind of just do your own thing.

So, you said you are 17. So, you were born in…?
2001.

So, that would make you a part of Gen z.
Yes, contrary to popular belief I am not a millinial.

So, most of Generation Z have used the internet, and social media, and technology at least since you were…what 7 or 8?
Yeah, I’d say.

So, most of your lives. Uhm…how do you think that early exposure to those resources and that way of living—how do you think that has impacted your artwork?
I would say that since I was exposed to that at such an early age that it just showed that you can use—like a lot of people like to downgrade people who use their “mill ticket” in social media.

What do yo mean by that? I’m learning.
Like, Instagram models or people who make businesses off of Instagram are like, “that’s not real talent”, but you can use social media to elevate your platform. And, that’s what we’re doing nowadays. And, we have to get with the program, you know. Like, everything you have is in your hand. And, at the click of a button you can upload all of your pictures to Instagram. Some of the other students made Instagram pages for their art pages or you can a make a website, you know. It just shows that social media can help so much, you know and just [help] you in that exploitation of your art. And, it really helps a lot. Like, someone in a different country can see your art!

So, in terms of your artwork do you think it made you more “uberaware” that, as you said, so many people can see it at any given time? Does that make you skeptical at all about putting yourself out there?
No, well there is a bit of an intimidation factor just in the fact that, you know everyone’s going to be a critic, and not everyone is going to like your art; some people may love it; some people may hate it. But, at the end of the day you can’t let that hinder you from putting yourself out there because everyone is going to have their opinion no matter what you do or the lack there of. Everyone is going to have an opinion. So, I do get nervous showing people because my art no matter whether it be music, fashion, painting, or drawing it’s all very personal to me; so when I share it there is a little bit of vulnerability there, you know. But, I feel like I’m breaking out of that. Even now, this little session that we’re having right now—it’s like even this. It’s super cool.

Wondering…you were sharing some art work with us; really beautiful pieces by the way. What is your process when it comes to creating a piece? Does it take long for ideas to flower, to come together in terms of composition, color palette, mediums—that sort of thing?

Well, usually when I’m thinking of an art piece I always start off with the medium I’m going to use. So, I think about am I going to do this in acrylic or—my main mediums are usually acrylic and water color on just basic acrylic paper or card stock material. So, yeah I think about that and I think about what theme do I want to do. Like, some of my pieces have line art and other ones are like the anatomy, you know the body; some of them like you said, the exterior and the interior. So, yeah I usually don’t try to over complicate things. I am a huge fan of spontinuity. I just like to let it flow, you know. I know it takes a lot for people to just of think of one thing, but my mind just goes in so many different directions. I can think of like ten things at once and I have to let myself know that I have to do this now, and I have to translate this from here [her mind] on to paper; and it’s not going to look exactly like I envisioned it, but I can get it to as close to what I want as possible. So, I usually just grab a brush, get some paint and start working.

I like that process. Okay. Very nice! I happen to know that you’re also very passionate about music. Can you talk to us about that? What aspect of music?
So, music is something that has always been very important to me. The way the something resonates with me; the way a song makes me feel; how it can brighten up a gloomy day. I’ve always wanted to be a producer. I’ve always to be the person who was making the beats and composing the songs, and just doing my own things as a solo artist. And, since I was about, like, twelve or so I would just find different genres of music, whether it be pop, or hiphop, or electronic, or pretty much anything. Recently I’ve been experimenting with Garage Band and just making little beats here and there and little dimos. I have averted a bit from art; I mean, art is always going to be a part of me because my mom is an art collector and my dad does color pencil drawings, and I just have a very artistic family. So, that’s something that’s always going to be a part of me, but I notice that I love music; I love how it makes me feel. And, I just want to create that on my own. So, hopefully in the future I’ll be a solo artist and have my own music.

Producing work?
Yeah, producing.

Does your work and the music ever intertwine? Can I look at some of your pieces and maybe see some notes or something, if that makes sense [abstractly speaking]?

Landscape, 2019

No, I understand. Yeah, my art usually doesn’t interfere. I pretty much keep all of my hobbies separate. I mean, if I were to have, like an EP cover, or like an album cover, or something like that I could, you know I could draw something, or paint something, and like make it my own, but they usually don’t interfere, ever. Like, when I’m thinking about music I’m not thinking about painting. When I’m thinking about painting I’m not thinking about music. So, they don’t diverge at all. I like to keep them separate. And, Maybe one day they will intertwine with one another. Like, if I make a song, and then a piece inspired by it; or, if I make a piece, and make a song to go with it; then, yeah. But, as of now, I keep them separate because I want to give both of them my undivided attention. I want to put my all into what I’m doing.

Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you for having me.