Parker L.
“As an artist, I've found myself fascinated by death quite often. I had an experience when I was a kid that made me confront my mortality and that has always stuck with me. Nature is the most tangible parallel or metaphor to use for this topic, I've found. Plants, animals, landscapes and the human body alike.”
Parker, I’m so excited to reconnect and dive into your creative practice! To begin our conversation, I’d love to hear about what has been inspiring you creatively lately.
“What drives me creatively as a photographer is light, and as an artist, nature. I think photographers have a different kind of relationship to light compared to other artists. As someone who is often creating images outside, I am always looking at where the sun is and aware of the way it is shifting throughout the day and year—and I could say the same for the moon, though that is more for my spiritual practice. In these ways, I am always chasing the light—literally and metaphorically. The other side of the coin is—well, the dark, which I am equally inspired by. Lately, I have been taking pictures at night, utilizing street lights and phone flashlights as my light source, playing with creating otherworldly images on dark and cold New York nights.”
.・゜゜・ ・゜゜・．
Untitled, 2024. Digital photography.
Your relationship to light and dark is fascinating, and it makes me curious about other sources of inspiration for your work. How has cinema, particularly Black Swan, influenced your creative work, especially in exploring themes of duality, death, and the cyclical nature of life? How do these ideas weave into your artistic vision?
“In Black Swan, we witness the cycle from innocence to the loss of innocence to the disposability of an aging woman. But Nina breaks the cycle! When she kills herself, she immortalizes her youthful beauty and “goodness” in art—a notion that perfectly aligns with the symbolism we associate with white swans, and certainly a harmful one that gets projected onto all women. This movie is so tragic and poetic, with a touch of body horror that could be interpreted as commentary on the way women’s bodies are harshly critiqued.
.・゜゜・ ・゜゜・．
I think we are all always experiencing some sort of internal conflict of good vs. bad, and it is my goal in my life and in my art to break free of that conflict and live in a way that reflects my own balance between the two—as I tend to lean more toward darkness. I also document myself and my own body, trying to represent the female form as a vessel of wild, earthly power.”
Untitled, 2024. Digital photography.
“I sought an other-worldly connection that would make me feel free and sensual, connected to death, my magic, and feminine power.”
— Parker L.
It’s so compelling to see how you draw connections between your artistic vision and these broader existential themes. I’m curious—how did your early experience of confronting mortality as a child shape your spiritual practice and influence your creative expression?
“My spiritual journey began even before I was born! The day my grandma (mom’s mom) died was the same day my mom found out she was pregnant with me. My middle name is the letter L because her name was Laura Linda. Then, when I was 3 years old, my dad’s mom died, and I remember holding her dead hand after she passed away at home and going to her open-casket funeral at church, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Since then, I have always felt a connection to what lies beyond the veil.
Skip ahead, and I was getting deeper into photography at UNLV, learning about positives and negatives in the darkroom and simultaneously unpacking my relationship with Christianity, discovering that I had been taught to fear the Devil—or, quite frankly, to fear anything “bad” within myself. Thus, I became even more curious about the darker parts of life.
At the same time, I was just connecting my art practice to nature and nature to my spirituality, leading me to paganism and, well, witchcraft. Then, all the pieces fell together. Now, I’m beginning to define my beliefs about magic and ritual for myself. Right now, in my practices, I am intentionally addressing the shadow parts of myself and working on ways I can step into my power, hopefully in an enlightening way.”
.・゜゜・ ・゜゜・．
Untitled, 2024. Digital photography.
About the Artist
｡𖦹°‧
Parker is a photographer and artist based in upstate New York, specializing in cyanotype printing and digital photography. Her work explores themes of death, duality, and the cyclical nature of life, often drawing inspiration from nature, mythology, and cinema. With a deep connection to light and the human form, Parker seeks to capture the wild, earthy power of the female body while challenging societal expectations.
She also works as an art director for a film distribution company and is passionate about documenting abandoned spaces alongside her partner, fellow artist Jared Dominique.
Explore more of Parker’s work on her website: parkerlstudios.com, or stay connected on Instagram: @parks.pictures.
Untitled, 2024. Digital photography.