Education
Basic and advanced degrees in construction engineering from the Moscow Civil Engineering Institute 1983 (Russia; now renamed as The Moscow State Construction University).
Professional Affiliations
After moving to the USA in May 1995, Ms. Parris has been working as a professional artist. She developed her own unique artistic style and is using her scientific and engineering experience to bring new ideas to reality in her work. Ms. Parris is a strong believer in contributing to the community by promoting art awareness and education. Ms. Parris has been a member of many art organizations and was a Vice President of Olney Art Association 2006 and 2007. She is member of the Girls Gotta Run Foundation, the Rockville Art League and the WCA/DC. Since 2005, Ms. Parris has been a member of Farquhar Gallery Committee of the Sandy Spring Museum, Sandy Spring, MD, and has been participating in the selection and management of the quarterly art exhibitions at the museum.
Ms. Parris has been working for the City of Gaithersburg, MD since November 2006 as a Gallery Coordinator, Gallery Director and Gallery Curator. She organized, designes and installed over 80 exhibitions. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 she teached art classes for young children at the Arts Barn, Gaithersburg, MD.
Recent Awards
2009 Ms. Parris acrylic on canvas art work "Daffodils For Mardi Gras" won First Place (professional category, oil and acrylic) and Viewers Choice Award at the Maryland State Fair 2009. Her mixed-media art work “Red Poppies” won First Place (professional category) at the Maryland State Fair 2009. Ms. Parris acrylic on paper art work "Creeping Phlox" won Second Place (professional category) at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair 2009 (Gaithersburg, MD). Her acrylic on canvas art work " For You My Valentine" won Second Place and Chairman’s Choice Award at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair 2009. Ms. Parris "Running In Circles", acrylic on canvas art work won Third Place at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair 2009 (Gaithersburg, MD). Her mixed-media art work “Clematis I” won First Place at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair 2009 (Gaithersburg, MD). Ms. Parris acrylic on canvas art work "Flower of Hearts" won Second Place (miniatures) at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair 2009 (Gaithersburg, MD)
2008 Ms. Parris acrylic on paper art work "Winter Evening" won First Place (fine arts, abstract category) at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, 60th Anniversary, August 8-16, 2008. Her acrylic on paper art work "Spring in the Middle of Winter" won First Place (fine arts, fantasy category) at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, 60th Anniversary, August 8-16, 2008. Ms. Parris mixed-media art work "First Snow" won First Place at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, 60th Anniversary, August 8-16, 2008.Her acrylic on paper art work "Gravitation" won Third Place (professional class) at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, 60th Anniversary, August 8-16, 2008. Ms. Parris acrylic on paper art work "Rare Gemstone", won Third Place (professional category) at Montgomery Village Foundation Arts, Crafts and Photography Show, March 2008. Her acrylic on canvas art work "Patterns in the Sky” won First place (professional category) at the Montgomery Village Foundation Arts, Crafts and Photography Show 2008.
2007 Ms. Parris mixed-media on paper art work "Leaves Landscape" won First Place (professional category) and a Special Award (Best in Show) at the Maryland State Fair 2007. This art work also won First Place (professional category, mixed-media) at Montgomery Village Foundation Arts, Crafts and Photography Show, March 2007. Ms. Parris acrylic on paper art work "Lapis Lazuli" won First Place (professional category, oil, acrylic) at Montgomery Village Foundation Arts, Crafts and Photography Show, March 2007.
Recent Museum and International Exhibitions
Ms. Parris exhibited her art works at the International Art Expo Las Vegas (Mandalay Bay Convention Center, September 19-21, 2008). Most recently Ms. Parris displayed her art works at the Museum of the Americas, Doral, Florida "7 Women From 7 Countries" exhibit, May 8 - May 30, 2009 and at the International Artists exhibit in Malmö, Sweden, June 6 - June 27, 2009 at Svenska Konstgalleriet (Gallery). Her art work was on display at the “International Artists In Florence” exhibit in FYR Gallery, Borgo Albizi 23 – Florence 50122, Italy, September 4 - 30, 2009 and Barcelona Award 2009 Mallorca, 284 - 08037 Barcelona, Spain December 23, 2009 – January 10, 2010.
Recent Publications
Image of her art work “Patterns in the Sky”, acrylic on canvas, was published in the International Art Expo Las Vegas catalog (September 19-21, 2008)
Ms. Parris is among featured artists at the “100 Contemporary International Artists”, “Contemporary Artists of the World 2008 – 2009”, and “Contemporary Women Artists 2010”, published by European Communities Artists Library, Barcelona, Spain.
Recent Donation of the
Art Works
Ms. Parris donated her art works, to benefit scholarship programs, for the Mobile Masterpieces fundraiser at Montgomery Collage, March 28, 2009 at Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center 930 King Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910.