Zoe Akroyd Parker

I am originally from Halifax, Yorkshire but have been living in Croydon since 2003.  I completed an HND in Textile Design at the University of Derby in 1989 and an Honours Degree in Textile Design at the University of East London in 2003.

I moved to London in 1989, with the intention of becoming a fashion illustrator for various publications, but real-life got in the way and I worked in a variety of “odd-jobs” before training to become an art teacher.  I have been the Head of Art and Design at Centre Academy in Battersea since 2000.

In the summer of 2015, I visited Ethiopia, which had a massive influence on the way that I work and my outlook on the world.  I was very much inspired by the power and beauty of the tribeswomen that I met. I was overwhelmed by their strength and confidence in spite of the adverse conditions in which they live.

When I returned to the UK I began to work on a series of drawings of the tribeswomen and their surroundings.  I use charcoal and newsprint because I want to use the kind of simple materials that would be available to me if I lived in a tribal village.  Similarly, with the paintings that I have begun to create, I paint onto reclaimed surfaces.

My aim now is to exhibit my work as much as possible.

Exhibitions

The Croydon Art Society, Croydon Clocktower: April 19th- May 7th 2016

The Goldsmith Pub and Dining Room, London Bridge: June 1st 2016

The Africa Centre, Great Suffolk Street, London SE1: 2016 (date tbc)

For further information, please visit my website at:
www.zoeakroydparker.com
www.facebook.com/zoeakroydparker