SARAH PARSONS FREELANCE CARTOONIST 2008

about the cartoonist . . .
Raised on a diet of sunflower seeds, sitars and swamis visiting from India, Parsons grew up in a rare pocket of flower power among the prim gingham dresses, lacy ankle socks and fairy bread of 1970s suburban New Zealand. After graduating with honours in psychology and education, she started working in Aid & Development, where she was first exposed to international political cartooning - and was deeply impressed by the way simple black and white cartoons could express complex humanitarian themes.

She worked in adult literacy before natural medicine took her on a search to understand what the ancients had to say about human nature (and how best to rise above it!) After crossing the pond to Australia she spent the next 10 years dodging sheep jokes and running a reproductive health clinic.

And like many a flightless kiwi, she never made it home again!

All the way along, lurking in the background, was an unrequited love for the written word, a half-forgotten fling with drawing from childhood and an embarrassing fixation with the art and stationery sections of major department stores.

Since coming to her senses as a born-again cartoonist, Parsons has been studying the craft from the greats, gaining a Diploma of Journalism & Media (Freelance Cartooning & Illustration) from the Australian College of Journalism and a Cartooning Diploma from the London School of Journalism, UK.

She has had cartoons short listed and exhibited in 2005 for the National Rotary Cartoon Awards (Australia) and for The Lindsays (Norman Lindsay Gallery, NSW). In 2006 she exhibited as a featured artist in her show, Lie Back & Think of Australia, at the Bunker Cartoon Museum, Coffs Harbour, NSW. Silent cartoons from this exhibition appeared on Prime News (Prime TV Network). She has created cartoon characters to assist children to read, commissioned by Write to Read, Sydney and has also contributed artwork for the Blue Mountains Stop Laughing This Is Serious Cartoon Gallery's climate change awareness campaign and had her work hung in their gallery. More recently, in 2008, one of Parsons' cartoons 'Climate Cliché' won first place in the the inaugural New Matilida Political Cartoon Competition (which came with lots of cash & kudos, but, more importantly, a free arty satchel that finally makes her look like a real cartoonist!).

Parsons brings her life experience as rich fodder for the content of her artwork. She also brings a professionalism from her working background into her freelance service; understanding the need for quality, speed and excellent communication.

Now a bona fide "strayan", straddling the ditch with citizenship in both countries, she gets to have fun stirring herself up with sheep jokes . . . (although sometimes she gets a little bit offended by this). She joins the ranks of the funny, daring, "take-the-piss" cartoonists that are part of the long and respected tradition which is Australian and New Zealand cartooning.  She currently freelances from her studio in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Park, west of Sydney, with her long suffering (caricatured) family and their very unimpressed cat.

(Someone else to blow her trumpet...)

"Sarah Parsons was recommended to me to design a logo for my Literacy program and to create 39 individual cartoon characters for an Alphabet Book. Sarah was such an asset to this project, bringing insight and creativity beyond expectation.

Her interpretation of the brief was totally accurate and on occasion Sarah even enhanced my ideas with her thoughtful intelligence and natural artistic flair. She worked diligently to meet all deadlines and always produced art work of such high quality.

I was so impressed with the cute, loveable, comical characters Sarah created, which my students just adore. Sarah's efficiency, professionalism and reliability made the experience totally positive and rewarding for me.

I would highly recommend Sarah for any future work as she is an amazingly talented cartoonist".

Cath Jenetsky BEd, Grad Dip (Spec Ed).
Write to Read, Sydney. March, 2006.

WEBSITE & ARTWORK © SARAH PARSONS 2008
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