Joey Parlett
Foregrounds and Horizon Lines

I grew up in Northern Ohio, where my parents worked long hours in physically demanding jobs. This Midwestern industriousness, prevalent in my upbringing, is reflected in my drawings, where careful dedication and commitment are evident in each piece.

My parents’ limited vacation time meant we never traveled far. When I first saw the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains of California and Colorado in my twenties I was amazed and overwhelmed. I’ve continually returned to landscapes as a way to formalize thoughts and feelings about mental shifts and transformation. A deep-seated curiosity about the processes and vast scales of the natural world anchors my interest in geology.

A visit to see the collection of minerals and artifacts in Thomas Cole’s studio was the catalyst for this series; it stirred me to rethink how I could synthesize my own mix of ideas and references. I use a map-making quill and ink to weave together elements from 1970’s geology textbooks, American West survey photography, graphic design, and minimalism. Charles Burchfield, Hercules Seghers, and Dawn Clements are a few artists that left a big imprint on how I think about drawing. I explore traditional techniques of creating 2D space as a subject. Each visual element, from foregrounds to flat shapes are rearranged—not just as a way to create an illusion but as focal points of their own.