About the Artist

Kitty Parakh ArtistARTIST STATEMENT

Growing up in the metropolitan city of Kolkata, India, I knew then as a child, that becoming an artist felt right. At home, art was appreciated but never encouraged and I picked up degrees in Education and English.
 
A move to America in 1988 opened new avenues and a Masters in Painting became a reality.
 
Many years into my art, now,  I recognize and realize that my inspirations still stem from my Indian heritage, from my adopted city of  New Orleans, my extensive travels, life experiences and Nature. 
 
An awareness for Eco-art then, whose present imperative dangers and vulnerabilities, do rule my mind. 
 
I find myself revisiting fauna and foliage that begin with simple realistic drawings en-plein air and  watch it’s growth in color and abstraction on canvas and paper in the studio. 
 
The energy of the shape of colors and expressive brush strokes aid me thru these  paintings. The abstract often merges with the representational. I admit that I anguish over them, always searching for balance when applying the tenets of design.
 
My art also extends on scratchboard substrates geared to adults and children, and  while the modernity of black and white lines etched in is appealing, I often find its surface filling up instead in color and gold leaf.  There is joy in creating a series of works.
 
My goal is for my art to find galleries, group shows and good homes showcasing my work. Making a visual connection with the viewer is important too. 
 
There is presently an urgency to understand and explain in an art form the beauty of our existing nature, it’s resilience and its vulnerability, which are threatened if we do not care.
 
I do invite you into my world. 
 

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Calcutta, India, in 1950, Kitty Parakh has always felt a special connection with the fine arts.  Her maternal grandfather was a sculptor in his own right and she grew up demonstrating an aptitude for artistic expression.

Despite this, family took precedence, and she took to art again after she moved to the United States in 1988. She received her M.A. in Fine Arts from Marshall University, Huntington, WV. Her advisor, Stanley Sporny is a well known landscapist and professor.

During her stay in Charleston, WV, she exhibited in several group and juried shows in the states of West Virginia and Kentucky including the Sunrise Museum at Charleston, WV, the Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center at Wheeling WV and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History at Charleston. In 1998, she had a solo exhibition in the Sunrise Museum’s Annex, Charleston, WV. In 2001, she moved to New Orleans and has since participated in many group showings with the New Orleans Arts Association, the New Orleans West Bank Art Guild and the BECA Gallery. Her work was represented by the Agora Gallery and Galerie Royale, New Orleans. Currently she focuses on direct sales from her studio and works on commissions.

She was Vice President of the Allied Artists of West Virginia (2000-2001) and Secretary of Main St. Studio in Hurricane, WV. Membership included the National League of American Women, Inc. (Washington, DC), the New Orleans Arts Association and the New Orleans West Bank Art Guild.

Her art visually depicts strong symbolical representations, abstractions with emphasis on color.

RESUME

Juried Exhibits of Recent Works

· Multi Media National Exhibit, Union Art Gallery, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 2005
· Art with a Southern Drawl, University of Alabama, Mobil, AL 2004
· St. Mary Arts & Humanities Council, LA  2004 1st Place Mixed Media
· Morgan City Art Show, Morgan City, LA 2003 1st Place Mixed Media (Juror Rene Ghirardi)
· Artists Guild Unlimited, Morgan City, LA 2003 2nd Place Mixed Media, 3rd Place Oils (Juror Sara Parker)
· Slidell Art League,  41st Regional Juried Exhibition (Juror Susan Brunner) Slidell, LA 2003
· Terrybone Fine Arts Guild, Houma, LA 2003 Creative Award & Merit Awards.
· West Bank Art Guild, New Orleans, LA 2003, 2002 First, Second places.
· Crescent City Brewhouse, West Bank Guild, New Orleans, LA 2003
· Cardinal Valley Show,  Ashland, KY  2000, 1999 and 1995 with Merit Awards
· Allied Artists Exhibit,  Sunrise Museum, Charleston, WV  1998
· The Town House Gallery Show,  Sistersville, WV  1998 & 1996
· The Juried Show at the Cultural Center,  Charleston, WV  1997
· Crosscurrents, Wheeling, WV  1997

Private Exhibitions

· Ochsner Art Foundation, New Orleans, LA – 2004, 2011
· House of Ruth, St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA – 2010
· BECA Gallery, Private Group Show, New Orleans, LA – 2009
· Chairish the Children, Louisiana Children’s Museum, New Orleans, LA – 2005
· Solo Exhibit, Galerie Royale, New Orleans, LA – 2004
· Private Group Show: La Petite XI, Alder Gallery – Coburg, OR – 2004
· Private Group Show: Abstractions – New Orleans, LA – 2003
· Neutral Grounds Coffee House, New Orleans, LA – 2002
· Tamarack, David L. Dickirson Gallery, Beckley, WV – 2001, 1999
· Main Street Studio,  Hurricane, WV – 2000, 1999
· University of Charleston,  Charleston, WV – 2000, 1998
· Sunrise Downtown at Bank One,  Charleston,  WV – 2000, 1998 (solo exhibitions)
· Carnegie Hall,  Lewisberg, WV – 2000, 1998
· Marshall University,  Huntington, WV – 1997
· Roger Lucas Gallery,  Charleston, WV – 1998, 1997
· One Valley Bank,  Charleston, WV – 1998

Featured solo on New Orleans R’Tist Revue TV, June 2013

Prior representation in New Orleans, LA by Galerie Royale and Agora Gallery, now focused on direct Studio sales and private commissions

Experience

· Workshop in Argenton Chateau, France with Timothy Stotz, 2011
· Workshops with Jack Beal, Shirley Campbell, Frank Webb, Alex Powers, Al Stine, Auseklis Ozols and Carol Peebles
· Encaustic workshop with Paula Roland, Santa Fe NM 2008
· Taught 5 day workshop Exploration of the Abstract for St. Charles Parish Art Guild – 2006
· Art Instructor at Holtz Elementary School

Professional Membership (Past and Present)

· Allied Artists of West Virginia. (Vice President 2000-1)
· Tri-State Art Society, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky
· Main Street Studio, Hurricane WV (Secretary 1998-2001)
· The National League of American Pen Women, Inc. Washington, DC
· Artina – Westbank, New Orleans
· West Bank Art Guild, New Orleans
· New Orleans Arts Association
· New Orleans Arts Council
· Cider Painters of America (miniature art)

Education

· 1997  MA Fine Arts (painting major) – Marshall University, Huntington, WV.
· 1994  BA Fine Arts – WV State College.
· 1984  MA English Literature – Bhopal University, Bhopal, India.
· 1970  BA (Honors) Education – Calcutta University, Calcutta, India.