2026

community groups as an Artist Specialist in So. California, and also was Executive Director of Bethune Ballet Dance Outreach, arts program for disabled children. Years before, as a film production Stylist, I selected fashions and wardrobe for over 100 TV commercials and ads. I danced through my 50’s and when my body said ‘stop now’, I turned to art.  Although I had an aesthetic eye and was involved with many visual art projects, I had little art training, so began taking classes.  

Q: What themes or messages do you explore most in your work, and why are they important to you?

Since music and dance have always been an interwoven part of my life, it became natural to convey these themes in my art and directed me to search for motion and energy as I work.

My art continues to be an exploration of movement made visual.  Sometimes using the figure, abstract gesture, or found objects, I search to reveal energy and a free spirit.

By dancing with the paint in my late abstract expression series, I search for motion and energy to show the beauty of movement, musicality and the connection of life force.

Q: Can you walk us through your creative process—from concept to finished piece?

Curiosity and a sense of adventure have led me to explore movement, energy and emotion through many mediums, even video. Planning ahead is not likely to happen, so, I have four tables set up in my studio. Each has its designated use; watercolor, acrylic, collage, monoprint. Since I work by instinct, I gravitate to one or the other until something inspires me. Often, I have more than one thing to work on. Watercolor and Monoprinting is start now and finish at the same time, but acrylic painting and collage or assemblage may take one or several days or months.  Sometimes I have a visual inspiration, sometimes music playing will inspire me, sometimes seeing objects laying on the collage table will trigger a new piece.

When I feel ‘stuck’ or have little inspiration, I turn to creating a mandala. For me, it requires using math (left brain) to begin. Drawing a circle and then measuring equal areas to create a design. By then, my mind turns to selecting a color palette and the creative juices flow. My mandalas usually incorporate many mediums; ink, drawing, acrylic, collage, fabric, watercolor, anything that is needed.

Q: Which piece are you most proud of and what’s the story behind it?

I had a challenge to do a black and white mandala. I rarely work in black and white and it was difficult for me not to include my wonderful colors! I was proud of the result, as it is intricate.

“Illuminant” has always been a favorite and other favorites were sold. I do have one huge canvas that I still own and speaks for me.

“Rhythm of Life; Journey.” It is a 60×60 Mandala and holds symbolizing images of my life in relation to the universe. Hah! It honors my favorite creatures as symbols for earth, water and sky. 

Q: What advice would you give to emerging artists looking to find their style or voice?

My own style seems to be eclectic, so my advice to emerging artists would be experiment until a project, style or medium resonates with you. Explore all the possibilities without judgement or explanation. Do not think of anything as a failure, it is an avenue to what works or doesn’t work. Take a workshop or class if you need. The important thing is to keep working. Do what feels good and makes you smile.

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Q: What themes or messages do you explore most in your work, and why are they important to you?

I started out creating whimsical and humorous images with the intent of spreading joy with my art. I am currently exploring expressing my emotions through abstract art on canvas rather than an iPad. 

Q: Can you walk us through your creative process—from concept to finished piece?

I usually get an idea in my head and then try to recreate it to the best of my ability – although not always successfully. For my abstract pieces I try to paint intuitively without a plan and just let the colors guide me. 

Q: Which piece are you most proud of and what’s the story behind it?

I am most proud of my Cat Detective series where I drew my favorite detectives as cats. Hercule Purroit was the first one I drew so it holds a special place in my heart. 

Q: How do you approach building visibility for your work as an artist?

Social media and Etsy have been great opportunities for me to share my art. Being consistent with posting will help get eyes on your art. 

Q: What advice would you give to emerging artists looking to find their style or voice?

Try, try, try and try some more. Being able to try different mediums and practices allows you to find what resonates with you best and allows your voice to shine through your work. 

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Q: What themes or messages do you explore most in your work, and why are they important to you?

I wouldn’t say I have a theme exactly, but I do a lot of realism, most nature paintings. I’ve also been expanding more into surrealism. For the most part I want people to feel joy or peace when they see my work, I sometimes do more complex or emotional stuff too, but not often. We have enough stress in life, why put it on our walls.

Q: Can you walk us through your creative process—from concept to finished piece?

Well, I think I start like a lot of artists. First, I get an idea, then I take days to weeks convincing myself to start it. Next, I start with a positive attitude which soon turns into me saying things like, “THIS IS HORRIBLE!”, “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!”, “YOU SCREWED IT UP JUST LIKE YOU SCREW UP EVERYTHING!”, you know, normal stuff. Then I take a break for a few minutes, or years, but eventually I hop back on the horse, get passed the everything sucks period, and start really getting into it until I’m happy with the outcome. 

 

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2025

Q: Can you tell us about the journey that led you to become an artist?   

I’ve been doing art since I was a child, creating is always soothing for me as a neuro-divergent. When I was a teenager, I immersed myself in ceramics following my aunt steps. Her Name was Emilia Rayey Salim and she was also my godmother and a well-known ceramicist in Tucuman-Argentin, the city I grew up.

Q: What themes or messages do you explore most in your work, and why are they important to you?

Art is a language – a tool to express ourselves. No matter the medium we use, we can create to communicate our message and connect with others, sharing experiences that enrich our lives collectively.

In my early years as a ceramicist, I explored Mesoamerican cultures and was inspired to create paintings and ceramic sculptures based on my studies. Now, I create images related to ancient medicine, self-healing, and the awakening of consciousness, as well as sustainable conceptual art pieces using reclaimed glass.

Lately, many of us have been voicing our concerns in response to a political climate that affects our humanity, both locally and all around the world. I believe our art can also serve as a coping mechanism and as advocacy for multiple causes.

Q: What advice would you give to emerging artists looking to find their style or voice?

If you create from your own experiences, you will always be original. Try all the techniques you want to try and pick your favorites – the medium is just a tool for expressing yourself. Be true to yourself, and you will feel good about your work.

Meet other artists and share experiences and opportunities. Sometimes when you start, it can be hard to get the door open, so if you are able to find the door, help others access it.

It’s easier to find your strength in community than alone.

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I think I was born with this creative brain, but coloring books and crayons, arts and crafts, didn’t exist in the world of my youth, instead I would fabricate fantastic adventures for myself and my siblings: excursions through the woods were we lived, to the old saw mill where we fought-off imaginary bears and collected colorful bugs; treks to the rainbow’s end in hopes of catching a Leprechaun with his pot of gold.

I was seven the first time I slung a hobo pack over my shoulder as I lead my younger sisters down a dirt country road to seek our fortunes. My poor mother might have been charged with criminal neglect had this been the 20th century, but it was the mid 60’s and hardly any concern as long as we were present at the dinner table.

Yes, I was always looking for outlets for my creativity and over active imagination, and The Arts, in its many forms, came to provide that for me through school projects and school field trips to concert halls and museums,

…and a Saturday morning oil painting class.

With all the hard and soft emotions, I carry for my parents, I will forever be grateful for that flicker of maternal insight that prompted my mother to enroll me in a 10-week class taught by a Japanese artist whose name I no longer remember, where ignited a passion for brush work and color, and the act of creation within this 12-year-old girl. This gift has stayed with me always, offering the shelter of immersive oblivion in the darker moments of my life.

High School is where I truly blossomed, encouraged by a quirky, spunky art teacher, Mrs. Eleanor Hussy. She introduced me to pen and ink, water color and lithography. During my senior year, I sold my first art piece through a school art show—a pen and ink drawing of an elephant head in profile. I had also gotten very good at calligraphy and had even considered a career in sign painting until I was told by a sign painter at a job fair it was not something to make a career of. Go figure!

My kindly art teacher must have seen something special in me when she submitted my name for a grant award my senior year. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the money and that was to put it towards my tuition to OTIS Art Institute where I intended to study fashion design. I could make a career of that; after all, I had been making and designing clothes for my family and myself since I was 14.

If only my mother could have seen what Mrs. Hussy did. But my mother had other plans for me. Her reply to my request that I attend OTIS was a firm no.

I never claimed the grant award, my mother’s denial destroyed me thoroughly. The whole of my identity and self-worth was woven amongst the threads of my creative persona which she had deemed valueless. I had no ambition for anything outside the arts, yet, what else was I to do. So as my mother wished, I enrolled in community college and signed up for all the usual prerequisite classes that would lead to a minor psychology degree…and one art class, which became my only joy and reason for getting out of bed.

I must say, there is nothing like the experience of sketching the naked human form from a live model. It’s wild, raw and freeing. I continually imagined myself in an 1800’s Paris salon sketching amongst the great Impressionist.

Here, on this happy thought, I shall end this brief foray into my beginnings; there’s much too much sadness and disappointment that follows, interspersed with many adventures and creative endeavors; such is life.

I did dabble early on in photography, as well, and although it was beyond my financial abilities to pursue it then, photography left its imprint on me. When I came back to it 45 years later, after the digital age had made it more affordable, I applied the lessons I had learned about composition and color. Yet I was not satisfied to simply capture a moment in time, I strived to imbue my images with a soul. Through the manipulation of dark and light values I created depth and sense of emotion as the Old Masters had in their oil paintings. I believe I demonstrated this well in my exhibition pieces, “Lilacs In Vase” and “Homage To Monet”. 

In my piece “Seagulls”, I pay particular attention to the story, leading the viewer’s eye through the scene—on the left, a small seagull flies into the picture, while two perch on the rocks. On the right, another gull flies away. To create this is where the photography gets tricky. Factoring in lighting and weather at the beach on any given day leaves only a small window of time for shooting. And it’s not like I can direct the birds when to fly in and out of my scene. In order for me to achieve my envisioned results I relied on the post-production technique of layering three almost identical images on top of each other. The only variances were the placement of the background birds. Some nice waves crashing against the rocks were a bonus. Combining these three images through the photoshop-type service, PicMonkey, I then use Photoshop Elements to manipulate and tweak values of dark and light. (I really do prefer the user-friendly, Pic Monkey to Photoshop the majority of the time.)  But the process doesn’t end with that. There are still up to a dozen or so test prints before I am certain my image reproduces exactly as I want it to appear.

What most people don’t realize, or discover too late, is that without calibrating your camera or computer screen to the printer, it is impossible to get an exact copy of your image. The colors and values will always be off. In order to correct this, you must adjust your screen’s brightness accordingly. I bought my own printer and now reduce my monitor’s brightness down to 1/3 before I even begin editing. I leave fine adjustments such as vibrance and sharpness for last.

Although I photograph and paint a variety of subject matter, Landscapes and Seascapes are my heart, and truly a part of my DNA. I find it distressingly uncomfortable when surrounded by concrete and tall buildings. I need to see the mountains and the trees, and have the sky visible above me. These images bring me comfort and a sense of safety.

But daily I am reminded of how easily these places can disappear, either by fire or through some other natural disaster; by the destruction of misuse, or as a result of misguided politics. And the dangers to our national, state and local parks and open spaces increase every day. But I can preserve them through my images, and share them with the hope that someone else will care about these places too. And if enough people care about them, then we are better able to preserve and protect them.

My journey of creative expression is ever evolving; so much left behind but not entirely lost. I do hope that through this small writing you have developed a greater understanding for my work and myself. Perhaps I have inspired you to a greater appreciation for the natural world and imparted the importance of supporting The Arts in our Public Schools.

Or maybe you’re just thinking you should buy your own printer. (Start off with the Epson XP 15000).

For those of you newly stretching those creative muscles, listen to your inner voice and not too much to those around you…
and sketch some naked people.

L. Parry

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My Journey to Art

Though I’ve known since childhood that I was destined for painting, it took me half a lifetime to reach the goal, through a long, circuitous journey.  Since neither parents nor teachers believed I had creative talent I was given no instruction – even while defacing schoolbooks with drawings and neglecting academics for art.  I was labelled a lazy, rebellious girl who had no prospects beyond eventual marriage and motherhood, a future I couldn’t envision.  At home I drew on walls and furniture while my confounded parents scrubbed them off, cursing me and docking my allowance.  Where I grew up the world of art was the domain of men – women were allowed to teach the basics in elementary school or indulge in it as a hobby, but serious female artists were considered dangerous Bohemians and subversives.  So, I was in college studying psychology and teaching nights at a commercial ‘charm school’ when I met photographers, who introduced me to modeling, which led to TV commercials and from there to acting, where I worked for a decade before leaving it for writing, something I still do today.  I didn’t pick up a paintbrush till I was almost thirty and then only in short creative bursts; I couldn’t imagine trying to make a living at it.  I isolated for a year and wrote screenplays on-spec till finally I received some options.  One of them brought me a contract with Aaron Spelling to write and story-edit the series “Hotel”.  Painting was still on the back burner.  Our show was cancelled about the time the digital press emerged, so I began writing books (I’ve published five) using my art skills to create their covers.  But there were big gaps between paychecks, not to mention the predictable hurdles and rejections that necessitated plenty of odd (and some really bizarre) jobs to make ends meet.  I supplemented my income over the years with work in production, drama coaching, as a dress designer, bartender, house painter, journalist, restaurant critic, nursery manager, vet’s assistant, photographer, and even stage hypnotism and numerology.  Then at fifty, I had the chance to study ceramics, and putting my hands in clay felt like a homecoming.  I worked as a ceramist for almost a decade and was successful at it, showing in the Laguna Art Festival at Art-a-Fair.  But it wasn’t till I had ‘retired’ from everything else that I finally was able to pursue painting full-time.  Covid Lockdown for me, was a cake-walk – an excuse to indulge my solitary nature, hide out in my studio and paint non-stop.  And now – finally – I’m that thing I informed everyone I was going to be when I was a prescient five-year-old:  I am a Painter.

Themes I Explore

I don’t generally do conceptual work though sometimes when I’ve finished a piece I realize I’ve unconsciously made a pointed statement.  I do some representational work but I naturally gravitate to the abstract.  If there’s any way I’d describe my work I’d call it Chaos-to- Conformity (and sometimes the other way around!  My first works contained hard-edge geometrical shapes with kind of mathematical precision.  An interest in physics drove those themes but I found the discipline too confining and have worked hard to free myself from confines.  Abstract work is painting energy – like harnessing a whirlwind and turning it into beautiful dysregulation – filtering the unformed into something balanced and relatable, a conversation between two unconscious minds, the maker and the viewer.  Not unlike composing music, but visual instead of auditory. 

Process – Start-to-Finish

Yikes!  I don’t exactly know how to answer this because I don’t have a process.  I’m very woo-woo about creating.  For instance, I found as a writer, that a story would not really work till the characters took on a life of their own – began to speak to me, to tell me where they wanted to go.  I became a partner in the work, almost a spectator.  So I don’t come to the canvas with a precise direction.  Sometimes I have a color scheme in mind, but that’s all.  And I don’t put myself on a schedule.  I don’t paint every single day.  As with writing, if I’m ‘off’ I’m not going to create anything but junk so I leave the studio, clean house, cook, garden… get re-centered and come back fresh.  Then I present myself to the forces and see what happens.  I seldom finish a painting on the first go-round.  I have works I’ve taken out of storage after years (don’t throw stuff away!) only to re-work them with a new eye and they become one of my favorites.  I just finished one of those.  There was nothing wrong with the first effort but it had no energy or excitement.  So I began to collage the painting, sometimes using bits of photographs of earlier work, and turned it into something I just love, something with rhythm and movement.  It’s inspired a whole series I’m now working on with a musical theme.  I’m enchanted by layers and texture so these days I seldom use only paint.

Piece I’m Most Proud Of

It’s hard to pick one; I keep changing favorites as I grow.  But I really loved one I called “Choosing”.  It’s a conceptual piece I didn’t plan as such but when finished I realized it expressed a conflict – that of the many pretty distractions that can lure a woman from her creative trajectory.  The piece has lots of attached objects as well as collage papers. To protect all the elements, I covered it with a deep Lucite box frame (that made it very heavy to hang; I don’t recommend it).  Ironically, it was purchased by a man – who did not connect at all with the concept but liked the colors and composition.  You never know who your work is going to speak to, and I don’t think it matters.  Art speaks in lots of ways on lots of levels.  I’m happy when it connects with someone’s senses, no matter how.

Advice to Artists on Style or Voice

The general consensus is that an artist must find a single style that defines their work, the theory being that someone should be able to identify it without seeing a signature.  And – in theory – I agree.  If your aim is to become famous, I think that’s probably a necessity.  Especially if you’re trying to lure collectors.  But if you’re painting simply for the joy of making art then I believe you should paint whatever, and however, you want.  I’ve taken a lot of flak for this over the years because I’ve painted in so many styles.  I still do.  And for me, that’s fine.  I don’t need to be famous; I need to be happy doing what I love. I also find that, as I age and grow as a creator, my perspectives change and demand different ways to express.  I also love learning new techniques.  I love challenging myself.  For example, when I painted hard-edge I did it all free-hand, with no taping.  Most damning may be my belief that a creation is only truly creative the first time – the second time and thereafter, it’s commerce.  ,bet, there’s nothing wrong with commerce if you need to see what you’ve created released to the masses.  I allow Fine Art America to reproduce some of my work on products and it doesn’t bother me but, on the other hand, I don’t want to see everything I create on coffee mugs and t-shirts.  That’s a personal choice.  It takes some artists years to ‘find their voice’ and sometimes that voice is nebulous.  Some know it from scratch and stick to it for a lifetime.  I don’t judge either journey.  I would say that finding a middle-ground might work best.  Remain stimulated – and stimulating – by being open to explore, while forming parameters that keep your work somewhat recognizable.  Is that too ambiguous?  Well that’s just me.