Divisions III

Keeping art a key focus in her life has been a priority for Nadia Parsons. Making art is a resource for her when she faces hard times. Turning to her art has kept her going, and has propelled her painting. She has found that traumatic events in her life have impacted her in a positive way when she uses the energy expressively in her art.
From the time she was a small girl, when she was having difficulty in learning to read and write, she found that she had a natural ability when painting and drawing. This brought her validation and encouragement, even as doing other schoolwork was often impossible for her. When she was diagnosed with dyslexia, she was able to get needed support. Growing up on Capital Hill, she was fortunate to be a short walk from the Smithsonian art museums, which exposed her to many masters.
At Clark University, she studied drawing, printmaking and graphic design. After suffering a bad concussion in her junior year, her art took a turn and became bolder. Large figurative drawing became a focus. It soon became apparent to her that painting was the medium she loved.
She moved to Boston, and after the death of her father, Nadia took classes at Mass College of Art to help her navigate the loss. She also became pregnant, and chose to paint in acrylics while raising her children. At that time she switched her focus to painting still life, often painting with direct sunlight that highlighted dramatic shifts in color and value.
Nadia then found a new interest in painting the sky. She wanted to return to oil paint, and took classes with Elaine Spatz-Rabinowitz at the SMFA. This gave her new confidence and direction. Clarity came into her life. Her expressive paintings of the sky provoke intense feelings and dynamically engage her audience.