Sobre el Artista
The works of internationally renowned artist, Bradley J. Parrish, are synonymous with beauty, feeling, innovation, and perfection. As a young boy, born and raised in Wisconsin, this self-taught artist showed exemplary talent selling his first paintings publicly at the age of six. His work was reproduced and sold as early as elementary school. He was one of the youngest art students ever to be accepted and attend an accredited college at the age of 14 years old. While in high school Parrish continued to excel, receiving many awards for his work, both locally and on a national level. It is estimated that over the years Parrish has produced thousands of works of art. The countless hours of hard work, perfecting his art, have led to many awards and achievements that have been unsurpassed and evident of his never ending dedication to his art.
Diversity in subject matter has been both his strength and a necessary source of inspiration. With a multitude of interests and loves, he works in pastel, oil, watercolor, and acrylic, always striving to stimulate and evoke freshness in his work. In addition to his acclaimed works on canvas, he is also a gifted sculptor.
Parrish, who is also an award winning architectural and interior designer, writer, illustrator and inventor feels these interests have been, throughout the years, instrumental in shaping his life, his career and most of all his art. He attributes his love of life and all that it encompasses as being an art form itself. His passion and diversity in creating great works of art are drawn from the well of inspiration found in all facets of life.
With many sold out limited editions, Parrish's works are collected the world over. His piece entitled The Creation of Adam, done in pastel when the artist was 15 years old, is part of the permanent collection of the Vatican Museum in Rome, Italy. His works reside in other major collections across the United States including such award winning works as his piece titled Another Day of Freedom which hangs in the base of the Statue of Liberty and is a part of the museums permanent collection of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York. His work has toured the United States most prestigious museums, including the Smithsonian and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum. His pieces have sold for as much as $200,000.00 each. His works have appeared in numerous hard cover books and publications; everything from college textbooks to coffee table books. The artist and his work has been showcased in trade publications, magazines and newspapers nationwide. Parrish and his art have also appeared on television stations such as the A&E and the Discovery Channel.
Over the years Parrish has been asked to lecture around the country. While he has done so on a limited basis, Parrish feels more comfortable behind an easel than in front of it. He makes every attempt at accepting and receiving awards for his accomplishments and contributions for his art and has taken his own innovative initiatives in promoting and bringing fine art to the forefront of today’s society.
He has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars of his art throughout his career to many charitable organizations he truly believes in. He has raised significant amounts of money through his art to help those he believes have had and will continue to have the greatest impact on all of our lives. He has helped the sick, the underprivileged and contributed a great deal over the years to conservation and wildlife organizations. Parrish over the years has also been asked to be the featured Master Artist for the local annual on air Public Broadcasting Station or (PBS) art auction, which he accepted. He wanted to give back to what he states was instrumental programming that was a vast knowledge base for him in both the arts and in education during his mid to late childhood years. This before cable television was born. He was presented an on air award for breaking all records for the sales of his work and having singularly raising more money than any other featured artist before him. The Milwaukee PBS channel is one of the largest and most successful on air auctions in the country rising over a million dollars in a ten day period. Parrish has been acknowledged by PBS as the sole reason they have achieved and exceeded the million dollar goal each year he has been the featured artist. Parrish was asked back again twice since his last record breaking appearance and on both occasions broke his own records by major proportion each time, raising almost a quarter of a million dollars on his work alone after his last appearance.
Parrish's popularity is a tribute to his endless pursuit to produce works that inspire and bring more than an image to viewers. He seeks to reach for and touch not only the eye, but the very heart of the viewer. Parrish exhibits a sensitivity and love for all aspects of life. In his words;
"I believe I was given this gift in life to develop, nurture, and produce works of art that give a true meaning to the words fine art. I seek to give to those who view my work more than just an understanding of my subject, but rather a feeling and closeness that reaches beyond the surface and touches that which is inside us all."
The works of Bradley J. Parrish extend beyond all boundaries, giving us a new appreciation of ourselves and of art. He has and will continue to show us power, tenderness, happiness, and sorrow through his art. Most of all, he reveals his commitment to excellence in his pursuit to convey his love of life and all that is in it.