July 9, 2014

‘Watercolors in the Garden’ paintings by Kay Parsons is the July show at the Rob Schouten Gallery. The special artist reception is 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 13.

Climb into Kay Parsons’ rabbit hole of flowers, a watercolored wonderland of botanical delights in which Alice herself would feel at home. “Painting is a conversation with my garden,” Parsons said.

“My garden stands as a chapel to my belief in everything: Life, death, dying back, renewal, exuberance, sadness, acceptance and beauty. I am tied to the land.”

Indeed, Parsons paints closeups of flowers and garden life that smack of a hot aromatic exuberance. A painting of a moth sporting velvety brown and white Appaloosa wings is drenched in a satisfying pool of saturated color. For the flowers, she brushes on light and color in a way that reveals the heady lusciousness of the plants, filled as they are with her evident passion for all that her garden grows.

As for process, Parsons says she doesn’t dwell too long on that white sheet of paper, but instead lunges at that creative moment that transforms what she sees into potential for a new painting.

“Tiger Moth I” by Kay Parsons is one of the paintings featured in “Watercolors in the Garden” at Rob Schouten Gallery in July. / Photo courtesy of the artist.

“A moment of a petal moving in light; a moth lightly holding its wings at rest waiting for night; or a fish gliding in quiet serenity,” she said, describing scenes from the garden that inspire her. “There is a moment that moves like visual poetry across the horizon, percolates insistently and I paint.”

“Watercolors in the Garden” runs through Thursday, July 30. Please join us for light refreshments and a chance to meet the artist from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 13 during Greenbank Farm’s “Second Sunday at the Farm” event, when the Farm’s  galleries, shops, cafe and market welcome visitors to enjoy a relaxed afternoon of fine art, good food, natural beauty and lively conversation.

Rob Schouten Gallery, a premier showcase for Whidbey Island and Northwest artists, is located at 765 Wonn Road, #C-103 at the historic Greenbank Farm. Gallery Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  For further information, call 360.222.3070 or email info@robschoutengallery.com.

Pictured at top, “Glad Tidings,” a watercolor by Kay Parsons./Photo courtesy of the artist.