![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.postdiluvianphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/lo_Parish.jpg\" "\\"lo_Parish\\"")
Susan Parish’s sentry watches over the treasures within Autobody Fine Art’s gallery. Like the guards at Buckingham Palace there is no chance of getting a smile out of him. He is constructed of wood, part of her solo exhibit \u201cChaos or Order.\u201d But at six feet tall, spiked hair parted like Kokopelli, \u201cThe Sentry\u201d is nonetheless quite imposing.<\/p>\n
Parish, who resides in the artsy Jingletown neighborhood of Oakland, assembles her abstract wooden sculptures from \u201cthis and that I have laying around.\u201d In \u201cMy Best Friend in Grade School,\u201d clothespins are affixed to twin pieces of wood, like pigtails, and \u201cThe Dancer\u201d is comprised of barrel staves.<\/p>\n
Along with her sculptures, Parish exhibits her two-dimensional work, resembling a collection of airbrushed paintings, woodblock prints, and graphite sketches. In fact, they are all \u201cdigital drawings\u201d created entirely using Photoshop. Monochromatic and sparse or packed with opaque blocks of color, they are abstract, but reminiscent of Picasso\u2019s \u201cLes Demoiselles d\u2019Avignon\u201d to 80s New Wave album art.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.postdiluvianphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/Parish_Drawings.jpg\" "\\"Parish_Drawings\\"")
A trio of drawings<\/p><\/div>\n
She is often told that her drawings reflect her sculptures, but insists this is not something she sets out to do. \u201cI just sit down and go, hmmm…. what color do I want today, and what brush shall I use? Or do I want to do lines? And I’ll just pick one, and I’ll start with something. And the end product won’t necessarily look like that because I don’t have a destination in mind other than to make whatever I’m doing look good to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parish prints her drawings herself on 13″x19″ paper, and they are taped together somewhat conspicuously. She admits that she is not good with \u201cfussy little details\u201d\u2014gesturing to a particularly boisterous drawing, she declares \u201cI’m more explosive\u201d\u2014but would be the first to agree that this presentation is less than ideal. \u201cI would love to be printing big,\u201d she said. She is hoping for a residency at the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, which provides access to state-of-the-art printers.<\/p>\n
Parish said that it was a lot of work putting \u201cChaos or Order\u201d together but, rather than resting on her laurels, \u201cI’m already starting to work on some other stuff,\u201d she said. \u201cBecause I’m happy working.\u201d<\/p>\n
The show runs through March 11. Autobody Fine Art is located at 1517 Park Street in Alameda. They are open Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 6 p.m., and by appointment. Their phone number is (510) 881-6974.<\/p>\n