Biography of Mary Parslow

Mary Parslow declared as an eight-year-old that her ambition was to be ‘an artist’ and she has finally started to be one. The mother of four grown daughters, and grandmother of seven lives with her husband in Dawson Creek, BC.

She surrounds herself with things she loves – family, nature, and art.

Mary attended elementary and grammar school in Letchworth, Hertfordshire England. She went on to study art education for three years in London, England and later finished her degree summa cum laude, in art education at the University of Victoria, BC.

She has contributed to the public sector as a primary teacher, special education teacher-consultant, a graphic facilitator, and an Anglican priest. Mary currently teaches art classes and works part- time as a graphic facilitator with a visioning and planning company.

In the past three years, she has returned to serious artistic expression, after dreaming about it for years - all the while dabbling in drawing, journaling, art quilting and graphic facilitation. She has participated in the regional juried art show, summer and Christmas shows at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery, and was part of a trio of artists in May 2008 to exhibit in the “Visual Voices” art show in Dawson Creek.

Mary had a printmaking show in October 2008 with Peace Printmakers at the Fort St. John Art Gallery. In May 2009 she gained an honourable mention in the Peace Liard juried art show. In June 2009 she gained an honourable mention in The Art of the Peace juried art show; a National standards competition, and is currently helping to facilitate the launch of Peace Printmakers’ Co-op in the Peace region.

Mary thoroughly enjoys taking art classes. Having taken classes in water colours from Joyce Kamikura SFCA as well as through Mareth Warren, oils, drawing, acrylics, design and printmaking from Laine Dahlen at Northern Lights College, mixed media from Teressa Beranard SFCA, acrylics through Elizabeth Harris-Nichols and Don Tiller, she's also taken instruction for printmaking from Jenn Bowes and Victoria Edgarr. And she's not finished! Mary continues to take art classes in a variety of mediums whenever the opportunity arises.