Debbie and Gary Parke

I immersed myself in art classes throughout high school, earning accolades for my paintings and weavings. I began at Northern Illinois University as an Art Education major, but schools were reducing art programs. Following my dad's advice, I switched to Computer Science for a career with financial stability. After working in technology, then a full-time mother of two, and finally teaching middle school math, I found my way back to art. In 2019, my dad retired from his woodworking hobby & passed his tools to me. I retired from teaching in 2023 and have since been focused on developing my art. My passion soon became wood as I started to turn pens on the lathe. Woods from around the world captivated me with rich colors and scents. I began expanding to larger turnings, like bowls and vases and incorporated resin in some pieces. Looking more to nature, I add cacti, flowers, pine cones and more to add interest. Now I work with saws & routers to create flatwork such as cutting boards & table.