Megan Parker Artist

About

“Going to the mountains is going home” - John Muir

My life as an artist stems from my love of the mountains. There is something so raw, humbling and deeply moving anytime I step into the forest and surround myself by the mountains in my backyard. My primary goal for painting is to capture the boldness and beauty of my home mountains and invoke in others those deep feelings of awe and wonder that constantly move me.

I’ve always been an artist. I started with making my own picture books as a young child, to tie-dyeing clothes, to selling handmade hemp necklaces at the farmer’s market when I was a teenager. I picked up a paintbrush in high school when I was asked to create a small replica of a famous work of art (“The Scream”) for a display at the Festival of Trees. The only instruction I was given was to add water to the paint if it doesn’t fully fill the canvas dimples... This small project sparked a lifelong journey of mastering painting with acrylics and developing my own voice and unique style.

I’m a proud self-taught artist that learned all of my base skills and techniques by playing around with my intro 6-tube set of acrylic paints. I relied solely on my painting instincts (no instructions, books or teachers) and creating works of art that hang all over my house. In 2021 I discovered a beautiful artist mentorship program that has enabled me to work with and learn from professional artists that I look up to. Through this program, I’ve been able to exponentially expand my knowledge and challenge myself to set bigger and more meaningful goals for my art career.

This past year I’ve worked hard to develop my unique voice and artistic style, a style that has been described as stained-glass-like, modern and whimsical.

When I’m not painting you’ll find me working as an Occupational Therapist in Outpatient Neurology Clinics, spending time with my family and advocating hard to improve the lives of those touched by Cystic Fibrosis. My husband, twin sons and dog thankfully love the mountains as much as I do.

Woman plein air painting with acrylic paint and a wood easel. She is wearing a blue and black tie-dye tshirt and is sitting looking into a valley.

Curriculum Vitae

Megan Parker is a Canadian landscape artist from Calgary, Alberta. Using acrylic paint and her unique style and voice, she creates modern, whimsical landscapes featuring the western Canadian Rockies. She uses bold and flowing lines to capture the beautiful essence of the mountains that inspire her.

Education

  • Member of the Mastrius Mentorship Community:

    • Monthly mentorship term with artist Cameron Schmitz (2023 – present)

    • Monthly mentorship term with artist Veronica Funk (2023 - present)

    • 15 month mentorship term with artist Sharon Lynn Williams (2022 – 2023)

    • 9 month mentorship term with artist David Langevin (2022)

    • 5 month mentorship term with artist Heather Pant (2021 – 2022)

  • Workshops:

    • Samantha Williams-Chapelsky - Abstracting the Natural Landscape workshop (2024)

    • David Langevin (2022)

    • Cam Forrester – plein air workshop (2022)

 Exhibits and Accomplishments

  • 2024     “Breath Taking” Group Exhibit, dnj Gallery, Santa Monica, California

  • 2024     The Naked Leaf – Tea Tin Label

  • 2023     Canmore Christmas Artisans Market vendor, Canmore, Alberta

  • 2023     Accepted to the “In Our Nature” exhibit at the Three Sisters Gallery, Canmore, Alberta

  • 2023     Selected Artist for beer can label artwork, Collective Arts Brewing, Series 26 at https://collectiveartsontario.com/pages/series-26

  • 2023     “Autumn Glory”, Square Foot Show, online exhibition at https://squarefootshow.com/

  • 2023     Selected Artist to create beer can label artwork, Alley Kat Brewing Company, Edmonton, Alberta

  • 2023     Created process, taught and coached over 100 Grade 4 students abstract mountain art with oil pastels and paint pens over the course of multiple sessions

  • 2023     Participant in Alberta Health Services’ Art for the Frontline campaign

  • 2023     “Landscapes”, Square Foot Show, online exhibition at https://squarefootshow.com/

  • 2023     The Naked Leaf – Tea Tin Label

  • 2022     Mastrius Christmas Art Show, online exhibition at https://www.mastrius.com/mastrius-art-shows/

  • 2022     Winner of the South Health Campus 10 Year Anniversary Logo Design Competition

Interviews and Publications

  • 2023     Canadian Beer News beer release

  • 2023     Interviewed on “The Drive with Ted Henley” about my art for their True Calgarian segment