Denis Alva Parsons

Denis Alva Parsons, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE, Royal British Society of Sculptors, ARBS (14 November 1934 – 4 April 2012) was an English sculptor and carver in wood and stone, working in the tradition of "direct carving" technique and figurative bronzes.

Career

Parsons was a sculptor, one of the last traditionally-schooled craftsmen in a long British carving tradition. He was accomplished in "Direct carving" – cutting figures out of a block of stone or wood. This was seen as a primary test of the artist's abilities in releasing the figures "hidden" in the inert materials.

Born near Polesworth, Warwickshire, Parsons spent his whole working career in the Midlands. In the 1950s, he served a seven-year apprenticeship with Robert Bridgeman and Sons, Lichfield, later to become Linford Group, Linford Bridgeman a company concentrating on architectural and ecclesiastical carving and sculpture. At the time, the company employed a substantial team of carvers, each with a specialist skill in figurative sculpture, foliage carving and letter cutting. From each craftsman, Parsons was fortunate to acquire traditional skills that had been developed and handed down over many generations. Later he became the company's head sculptor before setting up his own studio near Lichfield.

In a career lasting over fifty years, Denis Parsons established a reputation in the field of wood and stone carving, both figurative and architectural. A range of his figurative work can be found in locations worldwide. St Joseph's R.C. Church at Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Midlands, features four of his figures. The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum in Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK exhibits a figure of Dr Johnson in the round created by Parsons. St Ambrose R.C. Church, Kidderminster displays Parsons' interpretation of St Ambrose in lime wood. The crypt chapel at St Marylebone Parish Church, London, contains a crucifix by Parsons. His work is to be found in many of the great buildings across the UK – including St Paul's Cathedral, the Palace of Westminster, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey where Parsons was responsible for the restoration/replacement of eight large figures and decorative stonework on the North Transept. He worked on major conservation projects for the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, National Trust including Little Moreton Hall, which is featured in The Building Conservation Directory of 1994.

Parsons demonstrated carving on behalf of The Royal Fine Art Commission (now known as the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) at the Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Academy in July 1989 in the presence of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Princess Margaret and an exhibition titled "On the Side of the Angels" at the commission's head office in St James's Square, London, in March 1992 in the presence of Elizabeth II, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh representing Linford Group, Linford Bridgeman, Lichfield.

In 1992, he was elected an Associate of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, as member 161.

In 1993, he was awarded the MBE in recognition of his services to conservation. In 2013, The Denis Parsons Foundation was created under the auspices of The City of Lichfield Worshipful Company of Smiths to provide funds to assist local apprentices in practical skills. A tribute to Denis Parson was published in the Lichfield Gazette in June 2013 and again shortly afterwards when they featured the establishment of the Denis Parsons Foundation.

Parsons contributed an article to Practical Woordworking magazine in 1992. Parsons has been featured in many publications, including Public Sculpture of Staffordshire and the Black Country. Parsons talks to Marion Hancock about his career in ''The Architects' Journal''. Parsons is featured in ''Country Life (magazine), Country Life'' Magazine, where he was referred to as "one of the country's most expert architectural sculptors".

Gallery

St_Dunstan.jpg, St Dunston
Lime wood
'' St Dunstans RC Church, Kings Heath, Birmingham''
Crucifix_-_Ash.jpg, Crucifix
Ash
''Crypt Chapel, St Marylebone Parish Church, London''
Sir_Edwin_Lutyens_1.jpg, Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens
Bleached Brazilian mahogany
''Private collection''
Wheatsheaf_-_NFU_Logo_-_Clipsham_Stone.jpg, NFU Logo
Clipsham Stone
''Entrance foyer of the new head office, Tiddington, Stratford-upon-Avon''
St_Kenelm_in_situ.jpg, St Kenelm
Lime Wood
''Our Lady and St Kenelm RC Church, Halesowen, West Midlands''
St_Kenelm_completed,_in_situ.jpg, St Kenelm
Lime Wood
''Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School, Halesowen, West Midlands''
St_Ambrose_-_rear_view.jpg, St Ambrose – rear view
Lime wood
''St Ambrose RC Church, Kidderminster''
St_Mary_and_Child_Christ_in_situ.jpg, St Mary and Child Christ
Lime wood
''St Mary's Hospital Chapel, London''
Denis_Parsons_Decorative_Carving_1.jpg, Decorative carving
Oak
''Location unknown''
Denis_Parsons_Decorative_Carving_2.jpg, Decorative carving
Oak
''Location unknown''
Salacia_Queen_of_the_Ocean.jpg, Salacia, Queen of the Ocean
Lime Wood
''Private Commission''
Archangel_Gabriel,_Walsall.jpg, Archangel Gabriel
Clipsham stone
''St Gabriel's RC Church, Walsall''
Sir_William_Dugdale_Portrait_Bronze.jpg, Sir William Dugdale, Bt
Bronze bust
''Merevale Hall, Atherstone, Warwickshire''
Sir_William_Dugdale_portrait_bronze.jpg, Sir William Dugdale, Bt
Bronze bust
''Merevale Hall, Atherstone, Warwickshire''
St_Nicholas_Owen,_1550_-_1606_01.jpg, St Nicholas Owen
Lime wood
''St Joseph's RC Church, Darlaston, Wednesbury''
Wall_Sconce_by_Denis_Parsons.jpg, Wall Sconce
Lime wood, gilded
''Private collection''
Augustus_Welby_Northmore_Pugin_bust_01.jpg, Augustus Pugin
Japanese Oak
''Private collection''
Augustus_Welby_Northmore_Pugin_bust_02.jpg, Augustus Pugin
Japanese Oak
''Private collection''
Portrait_image_of_Erasmus_Darwin_outside_entrance_to_Erasmus_Darwin_House.jpg, Erasmus Darwin
Stone
''Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield''
Blessed Virgin Mary and Child Christ 4.jpg, Blessed Virgin Mary and Child Christ
Bronze
''Church of Our Lady, Merevale, Warwickshire''
Memorial_Tablet_in_situ_Commemorating_the_centenery_of_Bishop_Colliers_death.jpg, Memorial Tablet
Welsh blue slate
''St Osburg's RC Church, Coventry''
Dr_Samuel_Johnson_3.jpg, Dr Samuel Johnson
Burmese teak
''Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, Lichfield''
Dr_Samuel_Johnson_4.jpg, Dr Samuel Johnson
Burmese teak
''Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, Lichfield''
Heraldic_Symbols_for_Palace_of_Westminster_02.jpg, Heraldic Symbols
Stone
''Palace of Westminster''
Catherine_of_Valois.jpg, Catherine of Valois
Portland Stone
''Westminster Abbey, North Transept''
Archangel_Raphael_%26_Uriel_-_Westminster_Abbey.jpg, Archangel Raphael & Uriel
Portland Stone
''Westminster Abbey – Upper part of North Transept''
Heraldic_Symbols_for_Palace_of_Westminster_01.jpg, Heraldic Symbols
Guiting Stone
''Palace of Westminster''
Trophy_boxes,_St_Pauls_Cathedral_06.jpg, Trophy Box
Oak
''Order of the British Empire Chapel, St Paul's Cathedral, London''
St Joseph and Child Christ.jpg, St Joseph and Child Christ
York Stone
''St Joseph's RC Church, Darlaston''
White_Lions_Banbury_5.jpg, White Lions
Cedar
''White Lion Hotel, Banbury''
St_Ambrose_Barlow_by_Denis_Parsons.jpg, St Ambrose Barlow
Lime wood
''St Ambrose Barlow RC Church, Birmingham, UK''
Rondel,_Our_Lady_%26_St_Peter.jpg, Rondel, Our Lady & St Peter
Cotswold Stone
''Prinknash Abbey, Cranham, Gloucester''
Yoga_figure.jpg, Yoga figure
Resin
''Sculptors collection''
Jean-Baptiste-Marie_Chapaghat_1786_-1859_(St_John_Vianney).jpg, St John Vianney
Mahogany
''Location believed to be Ontario, Canada''
Medusa_by_Denis_Parsons.jpg, Medusa
American Cherry
''Sculptors collection''
Shell_Fountain_1.jpg, Triple Shell Fountain
Portland Stone
''Abbots Ripton Hall, Huntingdonshire''
Amphitrite_1.jpg, Amphitrite
Lime wood
''Sculptors collection''
Amphitrite_2.jpg, Amphitrite rear view
Lime wood
''Sculptors collection''
Denis_Parsons_self_portrait_01.jpg, Denis Parsons self-portrait
Lime wood
''Sculptors collection''
Denis_Parsons_self_portrait_02.jpg, Denis Parsons self-portrait
Lime wood
''Sculptors collection''

Selected works

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parsons, Denis Alva
English woodcarvers
English sculptors
English male sculptors
1934 births
2012 deaths
20th-century English artists
20th-century British sculptors
20th-century English male artists