DKG Arts Gallery Blog: Artist’s Spotlight: Barbara Parks-Lee – District of Columbia State Organization - Alpha Chapter

An Open Artists’ Discussion on Creation, Technique, Embracing Change,  and an International Conference Experience

Briefly, tell me a little bit about yourself as an educator and artist? 

As a retired educator of English and Humanities and a presenter of professional development sessions with fellow educators, incorporating an interdisciplinary approach made it possible to reach most of my students’ who had multiple ways of learning.  The National Board Certification enabled me to examine and to validate why teaching was my calling. Writing my own multi-and interdisciplinary textbook, CONNECTIONS, also allowed me to be honored as a Carnegie Scholar and Fellow.  For the last sixty years, I have lived in Washington, DC, and my hobbies are reading, writing, photography, and traveling to writing workshops and enjoying street rods/classic cars.  As a recent widow, I am learning a “new normal” way of living.

It was a pleasure meeting you and other Gallery artists at the International Conference in Phoenix, AZ this summer. Tell us a little about your experience. Were you a newbie? Why did you travel so far to be a part of this gathering of exceptional DKG members?

The Delta Kappa Gamma International Conference in Phoenix, Arizona

Dr. Barbara D. Parks-Lee, Alpha Chapter

The experiences I have gained by attending conferences are valuable ways to learn and to share.  This past July, the conference in Phoenix, Arizona, offered me the opportunity to meet with DKG sisters in a setting very different from the lushness of the East Coast, for Phoenix was desert, hot 119–120-degree, desert!  The flora and fauna were different, and the colors reflected sand, and cactus greens, and breathtakingly beautiful skies and sunsets. 

The Sheridan Hotel at Wild Horse Pass is located on a Native American reservation.  Its split-level construction is such that the land is respected.  The hand-decorated, dome-shaped main lobby entrance that reflects scenes of Native American life is on the third level, and conference rooms and hotel rooms are located on second and first levels that best reflect the land configurations.  A little stream runs through the first level, and petroglyphs grace rocks in the lobby.  Outside, cacti bloom, native trees beckon, and birds offer concerts for those who wake early and listen. Soft flute music by Nakai was a calming, yet unobtrusive, mediation throughout the hotel. Everywhere I went, I was advised to drink water, to stay hydrated, and I drank more water there than I would normally drink in a month.

I did not try to attend every presentation as I had in the past, but the ones I did attend were informative and valuable.  Phoenix was a place for me to rest, to grieve—as well as a place to heal, after the death of my husband, Willie, in April. 

The presentations I appreciated dealt with self-care, making connections, combining art and science, and the session with the Delta Kappa Gamma editors, Dr. Charlotte Lindgren, Dr, Dorria J. Powell, Dr. Kammie Richter, and Dr. Judith R. Merz. The keynote session’s theme was Moving Forward with Vitality, Relevance, and Sustainability, and the keynote speaker, Alona Kladieva, reminded us to “never forget where you’ve been.” 

The field trip to the Native American Museum was informative, beautiful architecturally with its emphasis on the strength of the triangle in its ceiling, and an artistic experience emphasizing the talents and contributions of Native Americans.

Everyone seemed excited about the upcoming conference that will meet at National Harbor next year, and I am excited about reconnecting with many I met in Phoenix.  Phoenix was a conference unlike others I have attended, and I am grateful to have experienced new people, a different culture, different foods, and a contrasting climate’s beauty.

Your recent entry to the Gallery is titled ‘My Hero'.  This written piece touched my heart and made me think back in time as my grandfather was also a WWI veteran…gentleman of a certain time when a man, “never wore his hat in a building” and would “sneak a kiss from their beloved wife”. What made you create such an inspiring memory?

My grandfather, James Isham Evans, believed I was smart and that I could be and do anything, and I believed him.  I wanted never to disappoint him by not doing my best, and his believing in me has been a lifelong encouragement, even long after his death when I was in the first grade so many years ago.

Your second entry, "'Technobabe’s' Tears" also resonated within me, as again, teaching in a certain age in education, when we were expected to master a computer in a world of chalk and mimeographs. What made you think of this at this point in your journey? 

My fountain pen has always been what I felt most comfortable using, but when I was confronted with computer technology as a Carnegie Scholar, I was terrified!  I did not even know how to turn the computer on and off, and I cried out of frustration when my learning curve morphed from my comfortable use of a fountain pen, dittoed lessons, and mimeographed corrections to learning new “tekkie” skills in a new environment with others who were technologically advanced.  I was given the ironic nickname of “Technobabe” by Ted Nellen, whose New York English classroom was entirely paperless—something I could not even imagine, coming from a school where the only computer was in the main office.  I had the choice of whether my chalk would be white, yellow, or whatever color I purchased for my classroom.

Do you create only in the written word, or do you venture into the visual arts?

I not only write poetry, short stories, a children’s book, a textbook, and a novel but also, I paint, enjoy photography, and am trying to learn to use mixed media with calligraphy.

What does the value of Creative Arts in Education mean to you?

There is no way creative arts can—or should be—separated from education!  Everything from connections to how we exist has been touched in some way by creative arts.  Design, color, nature, innovations, and anything that can be perceived by the five senses connects to the creative arts.  Creative Arts in Education make education meaningful, endurable, and provide the road to better for all of us.

What is the best piece of artistic advice you’ve been given?

The best piece of advice was to compete only with myself and to be ever ready to learn something different.

Have you entered your work in other venues?

I have shared my work with The Green Mountain Writers in Vermont, the National Council Teachers of English Journal, and worked with two anthologies published by my church.

Any parting thoughts/Insights?

Being able to experience new people, new ideas, new cultures, and to be able to share with women educators is a life-affirming adventure.  I only wish more people could reach out without fear of change.

Let’s keep the conversation going with the Arts & Humanities blog. 

The Jury Committee is looking forward to our upcoming Fall Gallery Submissions.  We want to hear from you and welcome your ideas and suggestions.