About the Artist
Jay Parks Paintings
My painting interest started at ten years of age. During high school and college years I began exhibiting gallery work in Ruidoso, NM and selling through local shows. I was always torn between interests in architecture and art and soon began a 30 year building career. I designed and built many custom adobe homes in northern New Mexico. In 1998, I built a paint studio for a local southwestern still life painter, who saw my old paintings and encouraged me to paint again after a 20 year departure from my brushes. I soon joined in workshops with painters Michael Lynch and Kevin Macpherson who introduced me to a way of outdoor quick painting that seemed to fit. A couple of years later my adobe homebuilding career had me cross paths with Wilson Hurley, the masterful Albuquerque landscape painter. He was generous enough to critique my paintings on a couple occasions. I have since painted in workshops and critiques with numerous landscape and figurative painters rekindling my passion to paint.
Professional Affiliations:
Oil Painters of America
American Impressionist Society
New Mexico Plein Air Painters
Selected Shows and Awards:
2004- Master Works of New Mexico-"Soft Light of the Grand Canyon"- Best of Show
2019-OPA National Western Regional Show-"Williams Lake"
Scottsdale Art School Best and Brightest Show-"TUGS"-Purchase Award
Corrales Old Church Show- "Taos Canyon"- Best of Show (Paintings)
2021- American Impressionist Society National Show- "Sandia Winter"- Award of Distinction
2022-AIS National Small Work -Paint Out Competition-"Artist's Pond"- Third Place
OPA National Fall Online Show- "Meditation"- Honerable Mention
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico National Show "Yosemite"-
2023-American Impressionist Society, National Show-"Sandia Wash"
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico National Show- "Truchas. Shadows"
2024-Master Works of New Mexico-"Rio Grande Sunrise"-Painting 2nd Place
American Impression Society, Online Associates Show- "Rio Grand Overlook" Award of Merit
2025-American Impressionist Society, National Small Works Show, "Grandfathers House", Honerable Mention
2025-Oil Painters of America, Western Regional Show, " Taos Winter Melt"
2026-American Impressionist Society. National Show- " Marina Day"
