BJ Parker’s artwork has presence. His large, striking canvases filled the walls of Messing Gallery during a show that ended in December. While the oil paintings and pencil sketches were still on display MICDS upper school students studying with Patrick Huber, Upper School Fine & Performing Arts Teacher and Dr. Kevin Slivka, Upper School Fine Arts Teacher had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Parker, discuss his technique, his artistic approach, and what artists influence his work.
Denise Douglas, Upper School Fine Arts Teacher & Gallery Director selects the artists who will have their work displayed in Messing Gallery and was thrilled that Mr. Parker could meet with our students. “As with all the artists that show in Messing, I look for ones that our art students can learn from and be inspired by, and that can be beneficial for the community at large to experience” she says. That initiative certainly benefited Mr. Huber and his students. “Tracking influences through different artists’ works is an important part of the art history curriculum, so this was very helpful” Mr. Huber says. Mr. Parker’s visit “was particularly timely, as we finished the semester studying Renaissance and Baroque art, the two most important influences on Mr. Parker’s work” he says.
Seeing the influences of Renaissance and Baroque styles on contemporary art is incredibly valuable for students. Before Mr. Parkers visit Mr. Huber had already sent his art history students to the gallery to examine Mr. Parker’s interpretation of Ecce Homo, by Titian. “Most of the students had seen the original at the St. Louis Art Museum, so it was valuable to see another artist’s interpretation of the same work” he says. Seeing the similarities and differences in two different artists interpretations of the same scene is rewarding as an artist and as a consumer of art. “An important aspect in understanding art, and in being an artist, is understanding what drives the work and different paths artists take to get to a finished piece” says Mrs. Douglas.
The Messing Art Gallery and the conscience efforts to make it an extension of the classroom provide a wonderful opportunity for MICDS students to experience and learn about art and its place in history and society. “The creative minds in our cultures are the innovators, storytellers, and challengers to our understanding of the society in which we live” Mrs. Douglas notes. “Artists and creative minds are the ones that weave the beautiful and diverse fabric of our existence. It is for this reason that I am passionate about bringing amazing and sometimes challenging artwork to our community.”
