Arlington Sun Gazette, February 17, 2011
PARENT LIFE
Young Athletes Immortalized
In Portraits by a Local Artist
Sandi Parker (above) uses the
achievements of local students
as the inspiration for her works,
some of which are shown at right
and below
by DAVE FACINOLI
Staff Writer
For many years, Sandi Parker dabbled in art in some way or another. Whether it was doodling or taking art classes in high school, she always had an interest in drawing. However, it wasn't until 2002 when Parker took an oil-painting class that she became much more serious and her hidden talent began to emerge with the seascapes and Provence and Tuscan landscapes she created.
Now, her skills have evolved further into the world of sports, where the Arlington resident has become an accomplished oil painter. As far as famous sports artists, at least in the abstract style, LeRoy Neiman stands alone in popularity. But when it comes to the area of North Arlington, Parker is on a level of her own.
Her 20-some oil paintings of real-life high school athletes in action, as well as some youth sports, on display until Feb. 27 at Cassatt's Cafe and Gallery on Lee Highway, are the proof.
The show is titled "inMOTION, celebrating Arlington high school athletics."
Her collection, which took about a year to complete, includes a variety of sports featuring high school teams and athletes from Washington-Lee and Yorktown high schools. Parker picked those two schools because she has a son (Devon) who attends Yorktown and a daughter (Holly) at Washington-Lee. Both are involved in athletics.
She plans to donate a portion of any proceeds from her display to the athletic departments at both schools.
The native of Saddle River, N.J., has a studio in Falls Church and is a member of the Arlington Artists Alliance. She became interested in sports painting around 2006 when her son was playing Babe Ruth baseball in Arlington. That interest expanded when Parker's daughter began playing field hockey at W-L as a freshman.
Parker said she became inspired to paint youth sports after observing not only her own kids play, but concluding that one thing unchanged about kids today is they continue to push away from the screens of video games, tweeting and texting and get off the couch to play sports.
"That never changes over the years," Parker said.
One of her most popular works at the Cassatt's Cafe display is an action painting of former W-L cross country runner Cynthia Carson as she splashes through a creek of shin-deep water during a 2009 fall race at Oatlands Plantation.
The Little League oils also are eye-catchers.
The display also includes a painting of a Yorktown/H.B. Woodlawn Ultimate Frisbee team, one of skateboarding and others of high school field hockey, football, swimming, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, basketball, softball, golf, wrestling, rowing and cheerleading.
Parker hopes to have her most recent work of girls volleyball eventually posted in the display.
An Arlington resident since 1989, Parker in 1979 graduated from Lynchburg College, where she was an English major.
In addition to the Arlington Artists Alliance, Parker is a member of the Art League of Alexandria, Falls Church Arts in Falls Church, and the Rehoboth Art League in Delaware.
For a sneak Web-site preview of her sports gallery and other works, see slideshows at www.sandiparker.com
Arlington Sun Gazette, January 25, 2011
Commentary: Artist Shows Sports in Different Type of Motion
By DAVE FACINOLI, Teeing Off Column
Want to see something new and neat regarding the world of local high school sports?
If so, check out Sandi Parker's collection of some 20 oil paintings of real-life high school athletes that currently is on display at Cassatt's Cafe and Gallery in North Arlington. They will hang until Feb. 27. The show is titled "inMOTION, celebrating arlington high school athletics."
No, these aren't LeRoy Neiman- type abstract sports paintings. The Arlington artist's work is the more traditional and straightforward brand.
Her collection, which took about a year to complete, includes a variety of sports featuring high school teams and athletes from Washington-Lee and Yorktown high schools, in addition to a few other youth sports, and even one of skateboarding. Many are action paintings, but others are various stills.
One of her most popular works is an action painting of former W-L cross country runner Cynthia Carson as she splashes through a creek with shin-deep water during the 2009 fall race at Oatlands Plantation. The Little League oils also are eye-catchers.
Parker collection includes originals from the majority of high school sports, including a team shot of a Yorktown-H-B Woodlawn Ultimate Frisbee team. Parker hopes to have her most recent work of girls volleyball eventually posted in the display.
She chose to paint primarily athletes from W-L and Yorktown because Parker has kids at both schools who compete in athletics.
Parker plans to donate a portion of any proceeds from her display at Cassatt's Cafe to the athletic departments at both schools.
Good-quality sports art, like the kind Parker has produced, is not seen very often. So it's worth taking the time to take a look.
For a sneak Web-site preview of some of her sports gallery, see slideshows at www.sandiparker.com.
It's very good stuff.