Leslie Parke Studio 15 West Main Street, Cambridge, New York 12816
This summer I'm celebrating 45 years in my current studio. I was the first tenant in the 19th-century factory building that was once occupied by a seed packaging plant and is now known as VARAK Industrial Park. I was the only tenant in the building during my first year in 1977.
My space, which spans the top floor of the building is mostly raw, which means it's hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. But I have carved out a space for my studio and one for my office and the rest is used for display, storage, and shipping.
My studio is like an airport. I go to the same place every day, but it takes me to new destinations.
This summer, I don’t want to just celebrate being in this one location, I want to share the discoveries I have made as I pull out work from each decade; to share the journey, the investigation, and the throughlines.
THE STUDIO 45 EXHIBITIONS
I am celebrating my 45 years with three exhibitions, ALMOST BLACK AND WHITE, PAIRINGS and DRAWINGS AND SMALL WORKS, public open studio days and gatherings by invitation between now until August 31. More information on the exhibitions are here or sign up for our newsletter.
Public studio days are June 25th, July 16th and August 20th. Other new and old works can be seen throughout the space along with each exhibition. If you would like to visit the studio to see an exhibition outside of the Open Studio dates contact me to schedule a time by appointment.
THROUGH THE DECADES
After 45 years in the same studio, as I pull out work from each decade, I have been discovering the throughlines. Something that I think is new and unique turns out to have a similar manifestation 30 years earlier, that I have since forgotten.
Where I live, we like to say, “You can’t get there from here.” meaning there is no direct route. You may need to retrace your tracks to find a way through. That’s what it is like to work in this studio - I keep moving forward while retracing my steps.
JOURNEY THROUGH THE LAST 45 YEARS OF MY SERIES
View artwork from these series which are still available to purchase HERE
PORTRAITS OVER THE YEARS
STUDIO NOTES