Life and Work with Talia Swartz Parsell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Talia Swartz Parsell.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Talia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I really have been an artist for as long as I can remember. I started drawing in sketchbooks in elementary school and had a teacher in 5th grade who encouraged my artistic skills. My parents were divorced and both struggled for money but I remember my dad scrounged up the cash so I could take an art class at The Toledo Museum of Art. I knew back then that art was the thing that made me feel special amongst a family of four other sisters. Art made me feel good about myself. Ultimately, this recognition from the adults in my life gave me the confidence and self-esteem to continue to pursue art for the rest of my life. After high school, I started teaching at a non-profit art space in Toledo, Ohio and realized that teaching art was a pretty fun and meaningful way to earn a living. I swore to myself though that I would always make sure I was still creating art in addition to teaching art since that was my first passion. Three years after my first full-time art teaching job, I was making very little art. Turns out full-time teaching is A LOT and it doesn’t leave much room for personal creative time. I quit my full-time teaching job and left everyone I knew in Ohio to move out to Colorado to pursue a Masters Degree in Art. If I’m being honest, I was really in love with the idea of spending a few years by myself just painting.

Upon graduation, I moved to Denver and met a fantastic mentor and friend, C.C. Opiela (formerly of C.C. Opiela Gallery, Santa Fe Arts District) who allowed me to show my work in her gallery for a few years and really showed me the ropes of the gallery scene. I also continued to teach art in some really amazing schools in Denver and Douglas County until I had my own kids. I think my personal journey of being a kid whose identity was really connected to being an artist stayed with me into my teaching career. I was determined to give each one of my art students, young or old (I’ve taught preschoolers all the way up to students in their 70’s and 80’s), the confidence and self-esteem to feel like they were truly an artist. I maybe over-praised my students but I just had this strong desire to make each student I met feel like they were important and capable of wild creativity. In teaching art, I learned so much about artistic communication and the walls we all put up to protect ourselves. Making art can be so scary because it makes you vulnerable and encourages you to learn things about yourself. I absolutely loved seeing my students and myself grow as an artist when I was teaching. Now that I’m painting almost full-time, I’ve taken all of these lessons I’ve learned along the way from my students into my own artistic life. My paintings are really a reflection of my lifelong evolution as a person and an artist to get to exactly where I am today.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road to pursuing your art just isn’t easy. There is a lot of pushback from society about a career in the arts. I’ve even had to overcome my own personal stereotypes with it. Growing up in a very poor household, we all started working and earning money at a very young age. So, I’ve had to battle my innate insistence of being practical over pursuing my passion. Being an artist and working for yourself means you have to be diligent and make sure you are utilizing your time appropriately because you are really only accountable to yourself. Self-motivation is truly the key to success in this industry.

In the past few years, I’ve gone through an artistic transformation and returned to my original love of hard-edged, geometric painting. I had a professor who told me to abandon this style years ago even though it was what I loved. A few years ago, after facing a really hard year personally, I realized that I needed to just embrace who I am and what I love. I am very much a “Type A” personality who loves structure and order which is why I’ve always been drawn to a clean, concise composition. I am now embracing this part of my personality instead of being ashamed of it. That being said, I have also taken some amazing Abstract Expressionist classes at the Art Students League of Denver that have encouraged me to take a break from results and let go and just play. Ultimately, I need both of these artistic styles in my life. It’s all about balance.

Since having my kids a few years ago, I have come to realize just how precious time is (because it is so limited with little ones!) and every minute I get to paint in my home studio feels amazing. I think having kids has changed my passion for painting and made me appreciate it so much more. I feel like I have the best of all worlds right now as I balance painting, parenting, and occasionally teaching.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
My paintings are mostly geometric landscapes that are often places I’ve been to or imagined… or a little bit of both. Perhaps living in a very dense urban environment like Denver has propelled me to really focus on landscape. My body craves these natural places and I will often put on nature sounds in my studio and get lost in these environments. What I paint on each piece is directly influenced by my life and the seasons and even what’s happening in the world. For instance, my big piece “Under Review” was inspired by the Trump administration’s order to arbitrarily “review” all of our national monuments that encompass more than 100,000 acres. Our wilderness and public lands are under attack and it has inspired me to paint some of these beautiful spaces in hopes of bringing awareness to these issues. “Only This Night” is a piece that was inspired by this really beautiful cereus cactus (Selenicereus grandiflorus) that only blooms one night a year. This plant grabbed ahold of me because of the representation of the fragility of time and seizing the moment. It’s also really romantic and nostalgic for significant nights in my life. I’m currently working on a painting that was inspired by a hike I recently took and the realization that I had no idea what many of the plants I was photographing were. Of course, I’ve come to discover that many of the plants I was swooning over were invasive species. So I’m researching native Colorado plants and sort of collaging them into a landscape. I take each subject matter and begin the process of simplifying it down to the very basic or most crucial elements. This process of simplification is really at the heart of what I’m striving for in my life and in my art. Getting rid of all of the unnecessary details and only focusing on the bare essentials, the most important parts. I think in general, people are drawn to things that feel familiar, safe, and happy. I paint landscapes that are somewhat specific to me but perhaps ubiquitous to the viewer. Hopefully, the viewer finds a similar sense of nostalgia, peace, or solace in these spaces that I create.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I think what has worked for me is just reaching out and talking to other artists and gallery owners. The gallery world can be a little scary and intimidating but my experience has mostly been positive, with a few exceptions. It’s really important to find the right place to sell your work; gallery owners who understand and appreciate your work and process. It has to feel right. Trust your gut!

Which women have inspired you in your life? Why?
My mom! This superwoman was dealt a pretty rough hand. She raised my four sisters and I while trying to juggle 2-3 jobs at a time. She worked so hard to give us what she could with her extremely limited means. She put her entire self on hold for all the years it took to raise five daughters. I’ve never seen such perseverance, devotion to family, and selflessness. And now, even in her retirement, she spends her days volunteering her time to multiple organizations and charities and still helps her kids (and grandkids) as often as she can. She is my superhero and my definition of a strong woman. She managed to raise five very strong-willed women who can only hope to be like her. She has been the definition of unconditional love and I strive to pass that onto my two little boys.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.taliasart.com
• Phone: +1 (720) 483-1046
• Email: taliasart@gmail.com
• Instagram: @talia_swartz_parsell

Image Credit:
Personal Photo was taken at Westward Gallery on Tennyson. It may be worth noting that some of my artwork is currently on display at Westward Gallery.

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.