biography
Wendy Cooper-Parkinson is a contemporary Canadian artist living with a spinal cord injury since 2021
She has maintained a studio art practice since 1994 and shown in local, regional, national and international exhibitions.
Her work is represented in private and corporate collections
She has a BA from University of Toronto and has taught art through Artist in the School programs, community and in-studio courses
Wendy co-founded, owned and operated the Lion and Rose Gallery for five years and has worked as juror, critique and curator for both the Lion and Rose, as well as other galleries, councils and businesses. A founding member of the Erin and District Arts Council, Wendy served on its Board for 6 years, as well as a term on the Board of the Manitoba Craft Council
She has donated time and artwork to organizations close to her heart; Alzheimer's, Big Sisters, Brain Tumor, Breast Cancer, Heart and Stroke, Rotary, Humane Society, Aids, Art Schools, Community Services and more
Wendy studied enamel (ground glass on copper) for several years with Arthur Brecken, an Erin, Ontario artist and educator. She was commissioned by The Wellington County Historical Society to write his biography, "The Life and Art of Arthur LeRoy Brecken", which was published in 2007
She was invited to design and craft a large scale enamel outdoor rock wall sculpture for each of the two years of Spirit Valley Festival in Rockwood, Ontario, 1997-8. "Voice", a 50 piece enamel on copper was purchased at the 1997 Festival and hung for a time at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Ottawa. The design and making of "Dancing on my Own" in 1998, a 67 piece high fired and granulated enamel dancing figure, was assisted by an Ontario Arts Council grant and has been shown in group and solo shows in galleries and museums across two provinces
Wendy organized and curated an international art exhibition, 32 Points - 32 Voices: A Compass of Peace, in 2019 at Cedar Ridge Creative Arts Centre, Toronto. It featured work by 32 artists from 6 different countries that addressed the question, "What does peace mean to you". The exhibition coincided with and celebrated the UN International Day of Peace, September 21. A similar exhibition, Compass of Perpetual Peace, was held at the Lion and Rose, September 21, 2005
Wendy works in a variety of media that include painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and combinations of both, including found materials and objects. Working with all varieties of paper, whether substrate, surface or medium, Wendy has had an enduring love and affinity for it throughout her art life
A spinal cord injury in 2021 altered daily living and the way Wendy makes art. Adaptive tools and a willingness to explore alternative ways to do what she loves, has allowed the continuation of Wendy's art practice, and ongoing desire for expression
Recent work explores themes of identity and belonging through monoprint collage on paper
Selected Exhibitions and Awards
2026 Viewpoint, International Women's Day Art Show, Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2025 Home, International Women's Day Art Show, Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2024 Inclusion, Juried Exhibition, Stack Gallery, City of Orillia Art in Public Places + Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2024 Beyond the Surface, International Women's Day Art Exhibition, Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2024 Melody in Blue -Spring Exhibition, Orillia Opera House
2024 Spring Exhibition, Orillia District Arts Council, CDC, Orillia
2023-24 Voices-Meet Wendy Cooper-Parkinson by Gabriela Ocampo, Spinal Cord Injury Ontario, SCIO Community Magazine, community.sciontario.org
2023 DRAWING 2023, Juried Exhibition/Art Book, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto
2023 Reimagine, International Women's Day Art Show, Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2023 Winter Exhibition, Orillia Opera House, Orillia
2023 Home, Members' Exhibition, Quest Art School + Gallery, Midland
2023 Rotary Auction - Invited Artist, Quest Art School + Gallery, Midland, Ontario
2023 Winter Salon Art Exhibition, The Gallery at L.E. Shore, Thornbury, Ontario
2022 Gift Gallery 2.0, Quest Art School + Gallery, Midland, Ontario
2022 The Mechanics of Life, Juried Exhibition, Stack Gallery, City of Orillia Art in Public Places + Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2022 I AM HERE: Home Movies and Everyday Masterpieces , AGO, Toronto
2022 The World Would Wake Into Itself Again, Members Exhibition, Quest Art School + Gallery, Midland, Ontario
2022 Life Lines, International Women's Day Art Show, Orillia Museum of Art and History, Orillia
2021 Art Through The Ages, Members' Exhibition, Quest Art School + Gallery, Midland, Ontario
2021 Portraits of Resilience, AGO, Toronto
2021 ASAP - Artists' Responses to Covid 19, Quest Art School + Gallery, Midland, Ontario
2019 Bridge, Revolve Art Cooperative, Yorkminster Park Art Gallery, Toronto
2019 32 Points-32 Voices: A Compass of Peace - Curator, International Exhibition, Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, Toronto
2018 Separate and Together, Revolve Art Cooperative, Toronto Public Library-Fairview Branch, Toronto
2017 Caroline Dalton Project, United Kingdom
2017 Animal Love , Canada 150th Exhibition, BMFA, Collingwood
2016 Home, International Juried Exhibition, Canadian Federation of Artists, Vancouver, B.C.
2016 Nine Artists Reunite 20 years of Art, Williams Mill Gallery, Glen Williams
2016 6 Word Photo, Juried Exhibition, BMFA Collingwood
2015 Access/Abilities, Juried Exhibition, Scarborough Arts
2014-15 Sketchbook Project, Travelling Library of visual art books, Brooklyn Art Library, New York
2014 Canadian Postcard Project, Initiative that brings young students together with artists through postcard art
2011 Bound by Nature, Group Exhibition, Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery, Winnipeg
2010 The Bookmark Project, Juried Exhibition, Koffler Center of the Arts, Toronto
2009 Global Peace Project, Juried Exhibition, Japan
2005 Compass of Perpetual Peace, Exhibition in Celebration of UN International Day of Peace - Curator, Lion and Rose Gallery, Winnipeg
2004/5 Uniquely Manitoba - Juror + Consultant, Winnipeg, Manitoba
2004 Aruhe - The Spiral, Lion and Rose Gallery - Curator Winnipeg
2000 Enamels for the Millennium - Featured Artist, Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo
2000 Above and Beyond - 2 Person Show, Halton Hills Cultural Centre
1999 Big Show of Little Things, Enamel Society Exhibition, Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo
1998 Prague Printmaking Collective - Invited Artist, Prague
1998 Choices - 2 Person Show, Wellington County Museum, Aboyne
1997-8 Spirit Valley Festival - Enamel Outdoor Installation, Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Award (1998), Spirit Valley Collective, Rockwood
1998 Annual Juried Exhibition, Society of Canadian Artists, Aird Gallery, Toronto
1998 Scorched Earth, Enamel Meets Raku - 2 Person Show, Williams Mill Gallery, Glen Williams
1997 Relief Printmaking Project, Juried Exhibition, Prague
1997 Spirit of Place - 7 Artists, Wellington County Museum, Aboyne
1997 The Print Show, Guelph
1996-7 Insights, Annual Juried Exhibition, Wellington County Museum - Sun Art Award (1996) - Elora Racquets Award (1997)
1996 Recovered - A Show of Found Materials, University of Guelph
1996 Painting Gorecki Symphony No. 3 - Solo Show, Wyndham Art, Guelph
1995 Annual Juried Exhibition, Mississauga Civic Centre Art Gallery
1995-6 Annual Juried Exhibition, Peel Art Gallery
1995 Works on Paper Annual Juried Exhibition, Latcham Art Gallery, Stoufville
1994 Annual Juried Exhibition - Juror's Award, Guelph Arts Society, Guelph
1993 Open Water, Juried Exhibition - Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, Dorothy J. Corson Award, Aird Gallery, Toronto