VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY DEDO MARANVILLE FINE ARTS GALLERY VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS
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    • Valdosta National 2021
    • 20/20 Vision Exhibition
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    • BFA & BA in Studio Art, SP 20
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Marissa Parks
​Artist Statement

I use the functions of the brain as the catalyst for my work. From mental illnesses to neurological conditions, I explore all physical and psychological aspects of the brain and ultimately draw awareness to different conditions that can affect the brain. I associate the brain with control and power. To me, the amount of influence it has over us is both beautiful and terrifying.

My paintings vary from expressionistic and abstract, to more recognizable imagery such as Rorschach test to the human hand. I use my sculptures to physically represent the sense of anxiety often associated with dealing with mental illness. By over exaggerating and abstracting physical features, such as the neck, I’m able to visually communicate symptoms one may experience when having an anxiety attack.
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 I made this connection between a person's hands and their assumed mental states. Calluses share hard work, bitten nails suggest anxious habits, and through the hands I am portraying in my work, I can communicate a variety of other interpretations. I use my own hands when I speak to better illustrate my words and feelings. My paintings and photography of my and other people's hands share feelings of lingering, creeping, and other unsettling and overwhelming  sensations. “Creep,” is painted large to further emphasize these feelings and to illustrate the profound impact of a possible anxiety attack, manic episode or seizure has on the one effected by these states of mental health. 

Artist Bio
Marissa Parks currently lives in Lake City, Florida and is a full-time art student at Valdosta State University where she is receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Art. Painting and photography are her media of choice but she has also worked with metals and jewelry making as well. Her work considers disorders of the brain, more specifically mental illness and epilepsy. Her painting style is influenced by her interest in the works of Vincent Van Gogh, Jackson Pollack and Edvard Munch, while her photographs are mainly black and white and tend to illustrate many interpretations of human hands engaging in various emotional states. 
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Her work has been part of several exhibitions including From The Ground Up: Art and Design Foundations, Valdosta State University Student Competition and Florida Gateway College Student Art Exhibit, where she was awarded the Fall 2016 Purchase Award. 

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Marissa Parks
Email:
mariparks@valdosta.edu
Social Media:
Instagram: @mars_parks
Scroll and click through the students artwork to view larger scale.
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"Trash," Oil on canvas, 42" x 24", 2019
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"Caged," 35mm film, 8" x 11.5", 2019
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"Owl," Copper enamel, 3" X 2.5", 2019
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"Grip," 35mm film, 8" x 11.5", 2019
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"Handle with Care," Copper enamel, 2.5" x 1.75", 2019
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"Perception vs. Reality," 35mm film, 8" x 11.5", 2019
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"Fight or Flight," Digital photography, 8.5" x 12", 2019
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"Creep," Oil on canvas, 48" x 36", 2020
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"Nostalgia," Digital photography, 8.5" x 12", 2019
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"Biomorphic Sensuality," Plaster, 11" x 7.5", 2018

Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery​

The Valdosta State University Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery is committed to providing a teaching and learning environment serving a diverse student body and local audience. The Gallery fills a unique niche in the region as a venue for exhibitions showcasing student artwork as well as art from outside the region. Diverse exhibitions serve both the state and regional community by providing cultural enrichment and expanded educational opportunities to everyone. 

Contact Us

Valdosta State University
1500 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, Georgia 31698
229.333.5835​
  • Home
  • Current Exhibition
    • VSU Student Art Competition
  • Past Exhibitions
    • Valdosta National 2021
    • 20/20 Vision Exhibition
    • Foundations From The Ground
    • Faculty
    • BFA in Interior Design SP 20
    • BFA & BA in Studio Art, SP 20
  • Contact