For the week of February 12-18, 2003

‘Hand held art show’ painter Parks Reece will be at Iconoclast

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Iconoclast Books in Ketchum is opening its new doors on Main Street to one subtle and appealing artist. Parks Reece, who has lived in Livingston, Mont., for 22 years, is like the naughty boy in art class, who makes up wise acre remarks about everyone’s work. He does the same with his own art.

For the first time his unique art is shown in a coffee table book, "Call of the Wild: The Art of Parks Reece." Reece will be at Iconoclast, Saturday at 7 p.m. to promote the book, show some paintings, and sneak in a little foot-tapping banjo playing.

Reece’s paintings have differing elements. There’s his almost hyper sensitive feel for color. The pictures are mostly of mountains, fish and other wildlife. But be aware, there is something else lurking inside these small renditions: sardonic wit.

For instance, there’s one painting which depicts two sated looking trout swimming along with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. It’s entitled "After the Spawn."

So, how did this Southern son of a nationally known finger painting artist become Western nature artist as droll observer?

"In a way, the art you do is a reflection of your personality, if you’re doing it from the heart. I’m kind of wacko," Reece says. "I like the beauty of color and design and image. I also like words and ideas and concepts that I can’t really articulate in words, so I use the visual language."

He writes in the forward of "Call of the Wild," "What we can see of life is only at the surface, and there is always much more buried beneath."

His paintings are the beneath. And this laid back and introspective attitude extends to the art world in general. "I think it takes itself too seriously. My theory is that it’s the emperor’s new clothes new art. There’s just not much there."

Part of his research is accomplished by tramping about in the outdoors, often while hunting for his family’s meals. His son, Myers, says in an essay called "Bring up Daddy" that his father often brought home road kill to study.

"I’m always having a humorous angle; sometimes I have a phrase or title and then more or less illustrate it. Or it’s a juxtaposition, that’s what humor is, something where it’s not supposed to be," Reece said.

Sometimes that juxtaposition comments slyly on what man has wrought on nature.

Reece hopes viewers of his art will be amused as well as left thinking. The book includes essays by Reece’s good friend, the travel writer Tim Cahill, journalist Scott McMillion and sonnets by Greg Keeler.

Reece calls his book "the hand held art show."

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.