Near and Far
Paintings by Geoff Parker
It has been ten years since our last Geoff Parker show, a decade full of change, growth, learning and discovery. Geoff became a grandfather, lived in New Mexico, travelled the globe and came back home to Cody. His paintings in this exhibition speak to the happenings in his life. It is a bit of a travelogue, a journal of what he has seen, what has caught his attention and what he has decided is worth documenting.
His sensitive rendering of lilacs in a blue vase, a long view of the coast from a rocky shore, an awe-inspiring mountain vista and a peaceful road through an Italian vineyard give credence to Geoff’s belief that life is a journey to experience fully. He is fearless in his approach to travel. He is the same with his painting. The lushness of his paint strokes and depth of perspective make his paintings a joy to live with and to grow into over time.
If you are fortunate there are a few people in your life that stick around through thick and thin. They know your history, your stories and your family and friends. Geoff Parker is one of those people for me. We have been friends for over 30 years. I know and love his daughters. He helped me choose the paint color of the gallery walls. He spent numerous hours pulling tacks and nails out of the floor of the “new” gallery on Sheridan Avenue. He has been there for me and I for him.
With Near and Far: Paintings by Geoff Parker we celebrate friendship with Geoff and honor his creative gifts.
- Sue Simpson Gallagher
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About Geoff Parker
Born in Cody, Wyoming, in 1951, Geoff Parker spent his formative years in a rural setting nurturing a deep love of the land. After attending California's Academy of Art in San Francisco, he returned to Wyoming and spent the next fifteen years cowboying and working for commercial fishing outfits in Alaska.
For the past twenty years, Parker has devoted himself exclusively to painting. He prefers painting on location for the purity of color and atmosphere. A student of the world around him, Parker has a rich knowledge of his subjects which range from high mountain landscapes to seascapes to cowboys and chickens. His bold yet sensitive paintings reflect his interests which are eclectic.
Parker has been honored with several solo exhibitions in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, California, and Cody, Wyoming. An exhibition of works painted along the route taken by Lewis and Clark was shown in St, Louis, Missouri on the bicentennial of the expedition in 2003.