New Wave Art Gallery

New Birth

Just take a moment and let the beauty of Henry Parsinia’s art settle over you. I pass by a lot of paintings on Etsy, but few of them have the depth and tug of Henry’s pieces.

When most people think of birth, their idea might be of a child passing from darkness into light. But when I look at "New Birth" I see the opposite, which is really often the reality of being born. You are separated from your warm, protected cove and thrust forward into the world, which can be a dark and cold place, if you allow it. I’m not saying that was what Henry was thinking. Just my own thoughts.

Here are some thoughts from Henry about his work: 

My name is Henry Parsinia, a self taught abstract artist in Los Angles California and I have been painting since 1975. I started painting as a hobby when I was just a teenager on a self-made canvas and I just related to the art so much and kept on painting whenever I had free time. In my work I realize artistic conceptions in the field of abstract expressionism. This form of art hasn't got limits or boundaries on languages. The feelings and emotions are more important than the regimentation and reason. I try to create an art so it is comprehensible and reachable for all.

After reading his responses to my interview questions, I wanted to ask more! But I didn’t. Instead, I just inserted them in with the rest of the interview, unasked, therefore unanswered, except for the imaginary dialogue in my mind.

One thing I’ve learned about Los Angeles is that nobody is really from there. Where did you spend your childhood?

I come from a city called Shiraz which is south west of Tehran in Iran and have been here since 1977.

What was it like growing up in Iran? Do you miss it, in spite of the ever-present turmoil? Not just do you miss your relatives, but do you miss the heart of your native country?

I absolutely love your creation "Hope". Works like these are always inspired. What was the inspiration behind this beautiful piece?

The inspiration behind the piece Hope is exactly as its name states. I think as an artist I can not lose hope and can not get disappointed for any hardship we face.

Hope

Was life difficult for you after September 11? I heard so many stories about unfair treatment. Did the sale of your work suffer?

From start to finish, what is the average time it takes you to complete one painting?

The time to complete a painting is all depended on your mood and size of it ,but for a normal piece is about 3 to 4 days.

How many unfinished works do you have that you lost the inspiration to finish?

What is your favorite creation?

All my paintings are somehow special to me but some more than the others and Hope is one of them and I hope it would inspire as many as possible.

For those of you who may be a little wary of pricing the works of your heart, please take notice that Henry is not lacking in the sales department.

Let your love shine!  If you love your work, so will others.

Check out Henry's shop, and experience falling in love all over again.

Jessica's Little Shop of Illustrations

I am so thankful that no one is here to see me right now!  "Glamour" is not the word that would be used to describe me as I type this up in my ratty pajama bottoms and non-mix-and-match bra.  (Read this to understand! lol)

But when I first saw Jessica's work, it made me feel glamourous again.  I had to shake my head to clear the reverie of dancing early into the morning with my husband, having the onlookers sigh and wish they were as in tune as we were with each other.  Now it's my turn to sigh.  But being a mom has taught me patience, even though there were some who said it couldn't be done. :)  One day, I shall rise up out of this rocking chair, and don my high heels and chiffon once again!  Surely I can find another old black woman to croon out forgotten jazz music on her antique piano at Mario's Italian Restaurant and have her be astounded at us two white folk with a love and a rhythm for the soulful songs of her childhood.

And when that day comes, I hope to be wearing one of Jessica's creations!  But I'll have to find someone to make it for me, because these are just illustrations!

After reviewing her work, her shop, and exchanging some convos with her, here are the questions that came to my mind about her and her work.  Her responses are in blue.

The first question that comes to my mind is do you actually have dresses like the ones you create on paper?

I actually love to dress up, and I worked at Anthropologie for a while and got some killer dresses and skirts with my employee discount. There is something special about how a well cut dress design can make a woman feel when she slips it on. However, I don’t own anything haute couture, which a lot of my illustrations are heavily inspired by. I think haute couture is an art form, and I like to create illustrations that reflect my love for that type of design.

You’ve got to be a classic movie fan, back when women weren’t afraid to embrace their beauty with dresses and elegance. What’s one of your favorites?

Oh, yes! I love the way Grace Kelly is dressed in Rear Window, and it’s an exceptional movie. Other movie favorites include Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Dolce Vita. I have an admiration for the way European woman dress and so I love European films from the 50’s and 60’s. I think that we as woman have such a tool to create confidence in our lives by putting time into looking attractive. Why not? We only have one body, one life and why not embrace your own beauty and put on a pair of heels and red lipstick every now and then?

I’m always looking for great new Indie artists. I stumbled across Kristy Kruger a few years ago and I absolutely love her music. What really spurred my love for her music was getting to hear her interview about her album "Songs from a Dead Man’s Couch". Do you have a favorite music artist that closely resembles your own outlooks on life?

I discovered Cat Power a few years ago on Austin City Limits, and I really loved her music from the second I heard it. Lived in Bars is my favorite song of hers. And although I can’t relate to her years of alcoholism, I can relate to her struggle to share her work, her tendency to feel discouraged and not as confident as she wants to be. Don’t we all have bouts of self-doubt? She is a true gem, and her music is so subtle and beautiful.

What is your favorite piece from your shop?  I personally covet the butterfly dress! After being in my "mom" clothes so much of the day (um, like all of it!), I long for those long, romantic nights that my husband and I used to have. We were always the best looking couple in the room, even if it was just a low-rent pool hall, lol. Just looking at your art makes me feel beautiful again! We used to dance the night away (not no hip-hop bump-and-grind but to real music –Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Etta James, Ray Charles.) We even installed hardwood floors throughout our home, so we would always have a good place to dance. Do you know where this is going? Now we don’t have any time to dance, lol! Sometimes we get a short song in while I’m cooking supper, but mostly the hardwood floor gets its love from Gigi’s tricycle, lol.

I think Peacock Couture is my favorite. Partly because I think it is my personal best so far. To me, it reminds me of how far I’ve come with my artwork. I love the fusion of nature and fashion in my illustrations, and Peacock perfectly showcases that. (shown at top)  I'm so happy my illustrations make you feel beautiful!

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Jessica and lust over her work as much as I have!

To find out more about the inspiration behind her work and her in general, check out Jessica's profile. 

Click here to see one of her pieces in the treasury "Nighttime is My Time".

Now go dig out those pumps and get to cleaning house!