Dark Sphinx

The painting above is called "Dark Sphinx," which was created by the talented artist Michael Parkes. He is one of my favorite artists; his work is of unearthly beauty, the images seem to jump of the canvas. Many of his pieces reflect the magical realism and fantasy genres. Parkes breaths life into his artwork, molding stories for each creature with a stroke of his brush.




Parkes not only paints but makes sculptures and Stone Lithograph pieces, which are drawings sketched on a metal plates or smooth limestone. He inspires me in my writing; I have created poems and short stories based on some of his images: Swans, Gargoyle, and the Sphinx. I wonder if his dreams play a role in his work? Parkes had created a whole world, with its own rulers, animals, and a race of fantastical people.




Michael Parkes has his own unique style that no artist can duplicate. I can spot a Parkes painting from miles away by abstract shapes of his people: curvy like the waves of the ocean, birdlike shoulders, or round as a peach. The humans he draws don't represent our society's idea of beauty: Thin, blond hair, White. Some are are fat, skin a bluish or brown coloring, and others have voluptuous bodies. People come in all shapes, sizes, and facial structures, Parkes empathises them with his mixture of surreal colors, making his creatures beautiful.







To see more of Michael Parkes work check out: www.worldofmichaelparkes.com

and www.michaelparkesgallery.com