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Sara Parker: Outstanding artist and champion for
animals
By Gail Paparian
For the Record Gazette
I had seen and appreciated Sara Parker, a famous Banning
artist, before I had a chance to meet her. She is a gifted and talented fine
artist and an accomplished muralist. When we were introduced at a party, it
didn't take her long to tell me I needed color in my life.
I took her advice and went and had my hair colored. The next time we met, she
acknowledged she liked me as a blonde but she was referring to the color in my
house! I became the beneficiary of another of Sara's talents Š the ability to
transform ordinary into a wonderful world of vivid, bold and subtle colors
blended into an exciting mix that complimented by artwork, my furniture and my
personality.
I must have looked a bit uncertain when we purchased the paint, as Sara said to
me, “If you really don't like it when we're done, you can always buy 18 gallons
of Navajo white and make it all go away.” I love it now as much as I loved it
several years ago.
My house was best described by one of my grandsons. The first time he saw the
house, he did walk around to count all nine colors. “It's a wow, Gail. Granddad
Bill would have loved it once he got used to it!”
If I've learned anything about Sara Parker, she has 3 “A's” in her life: Allen
(her husband), Art and Animals. Parker has been known to come to a screeching
halt on one of the hairier curves driving up to the Banning Bench when she sees
an animal in distress.
Miraculously, she has managed to stay alive and so have some of her foundlings.
Recently, she found a dog on Ramsey Street and was able to reunite it with its
owners in Utah because it was wearing its rabies tag. Parker is a big fan of
having animals with adequate identification; including micro chipping.
When I first met Parker, she
invited me to her studio. There I was to marvel as she took a blank canvas and
created wonderful art. I am deeply appreciative of people with Parker's kind of
talent and the ability to take brushes and palette and create wonderful images
that transcend place and time.
She has created many whimsical animals including two of my favorites; “Peony”
the pig and “Chevalier” the audacious chicken with an attitude. Then there's
that precious puppy she created in her painting called “Waiting.”
It was a day or so after Hurricane Katrina struck in New Orleans and surrounding
states that Sara, her husband Allen, artist David Fairrington and I were having
lunch and trying to talk Sara out of rushing to New Orleans to volunteer.
We thought we would all be better off if we stayed home and tried to raise money
to send to Katrina relieve to help the humans and the animals who had been
displaced. In practically no time, we contacted the right people and used
Banning city hall chambers as our television/telethon headquarters. We were able
to tap into the generosity of vendors and the community to find enough talent to
perform and prizes to auction off.
As I noted, Sara created “Waiting” - a golden dog with a red bandana sitting in
front of an open door and . . . waiting. I'm looking at my copy or “giclee” as I
write. Sara Parker donated all of the proceeds of the painting to Katrina animal
relief. The monies she helped raise went to the reuniting of animals with their
owners.
With the naïveté reserved for kids and people who try to accomplish the
impossible, our small band of do-gooders succeeded in raising $18,000. - all of
which went to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina Š that is the humans and the
animals.
“Waiting” is still available for purchase through
www.saraparkerstudio.com. Parker
donates all proceeds to the Riverside Humane Society.
While Parker continues her successful career as a fine arts painter and
muralist, she continues to donate her time and talent to make sure animals are
taken care of, protected and have a voice. I caught up with her on a recent
Sunday where she has volunteered to paint a mural at the Banning Animal Shelter.
Parker was so impressed with how well Riverside County was tending to the
animals, that she wanted to make the experience of entering the shelter on
Charles Street a better place to visit and, hopefully, adopt an animal in need.
Parker does some of the painting of the individual animals in her studio and
transfers the individual art to the park setting she is creating on the walls of
the shelter. The animals are in a garden; not chained up in a yard. They are
wearing their collars, but they are not shackled. I cannot wait to see her
finished product.
Like many of us who care about animals, Parker has seen her share of animals
being dumped (without identification) when they are old or ill and they are no
longer convenient for their human caretakers. Would these same humans abandon
another human in this time of need? I shudder when I think of the potential
answer.
I watched Parker work for awhile as she transformed old, blank walls into a
magical garden with its variety of happy animal occupants. Parker said, “It is
my belief system that all creatures on the planet are together Š all the same
and we need to treat each other with kindness.”
Parker shows no sign of giving up her penchant for rescuing animals in distress.
She has a new disciple. Her niece who has recently come to live with them
volunteers her time at the animal shelter.
I continue to admire Sara Parker's artistic talents and her ability and desire
to reach out to save a dog in distress. I may just have to purchase another
painting of “Waiting” and give it to the next special person who will appreciate
the art and the meaning.
All proceeds from Sara Parker's “Waiting” are donated to the Riverside Humane
Society.
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Gail and her husband Bill Paparian created a service called Writing Solutions in
1996. Gail has also written for a number of local and national magazines and
newspapers over the years.
Currently, she provides public relations consulting services for the Banning
Unified School District. She can be reached at
info@WritingSolutions.com.
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