10/17/2026
South Sound Studio Tour Featured Artist, Parker MacCready
“I have been drawing my whole life, enchanted by the magic that turns simple lines and marks into images. The accumulated drawings are an illustrated diary of my past. They are different from photos because each represents a pause where I let myself fall into that calm place of gazing for a long time.
I love many types of drawing. The precise graphics of Durer, the permission Van Gogh gave us to make fields of marks, the thrill of brush and black ink, the magic of making light by erasing.
After a long career studying ocean physics, I have taken up oil painting. At this point I have no consistent style. Each painting is its own unique struggle. I'm influenced by whatever artist I'm studying at the time: Sergeant, Bonnard, Van Gogh, Cassat, Diebenkorn, Munch, Caravaggio.
What I choose to paint is much like my drawings. Family, the woods, my wife's farm animals. Lately I have been doing urban plein air around downtown Olympia, setting up for a few days at a time at places I would usually drive past without noticing. I hope my paintings help you stop and see your world in a new way.”
Instagram
_
Throughout the year we feature artists that participate in the South Sound Studio Tour. Our goal is to promote local artists, educate the public about the artistic process, and grow awareness for the Tour. To self-nominate or nominate another artist who is associated with the South Sound Studio Tour, email [email protected].
_
