William Samuel PARKYN
The son of an Army Commander, he was born at Blackheath, London. Principally a marine painter he worked in watercolours and oils. He was educated privately before studying art at Blackheath and Rochester.
He first came to Cornwall and exhibited with RCPS in 1896, living at St Ives, exhibiting again the following year at Falmouth. He studied further under Louis GRIER at St Ives. In 1905 he advertised that he would hold a watercolour and oil painting class during July, August and September at the East Kent School of Landscape Painting, Sandwich.
Later (c1907) he returned to live in St Ives, his first show being in 1908. His home was at Richboro', Barnoon, St Ives and he worked from the St Eia Studio until after WWI. In later years he moved to the Lizard, opting for more tranquil scenes, being particularly renowned for his ability to depict sand.
media
Painter of marine and landscape subjects
works and access
Works include: The Lone Patrol and Hun Hunters, (1914-18); Figures on the sand dunes with a distant glimpse of the sea (s) - watercolour -24x 36cm
Access to Work: Royal Collection, Sandringham; picture of a hospital ship QMDH, two works Oldham Art Gallery; Through Yellow Gorse to Yellow Sand, watercolour St Ives Town Council; HMS Albion Queens Hotel, Penzance
exhibitions
RCPS 1896 and 1897 RA (4) 1905, his first SMA (16) RI RCA RWA RHA Market Hall, Penzance 1917, 28 April - 5 March; Great Exhibition and Sale of Work; painting of Battleships. Plymouth Art Gallery 1917, November St Ives 1909, March 1911, March, St. Eia Studio; 'The Flagship Ships a Sea'; 'A Lowestoft Trawler';'The Church in the Sands', watercolours 1912, March, Trevose Studio, 'Off Dungeness'; 'The South Foreland' and one other, all w/c 1913, March, 'H.M.S. Duncan in Heavy Weather'; 'The Reserve Squadron at Sea'; 'The lonely Church' 1913, November, Lanhams, #5 stormy sea at Kynance 1914, March, Show Day, 'Etaples'; 'Warships leaving Spithead, 1912' (both watercolours); 'Big waves at The Lizard' (oils) 1915, March, 'North Sea Patrol'; 'The Return from Helegoland' 1917, June, Lanhams 1919, March 1919, December (2) 1920, March, Show Day; 'St Ives Head from Hayle Bar'; 'Phillack Sand Dunes' watercolour 1920, April, Spring Exhibition; 'The Estuary, Lelant' 1920, May, 'The Church in the Sand' 1928, Lanham's STISA 1934, 36, 37 and 45, Touring Shows NAG 1920, September, Revival Exhibition and in provinces.
memberships
ARCA; ARWA; SMA; PS; London Sketch Club; STISA: 1933-1949
references
Buckman (2006) Artists/Britain since 1945
Hardie (2009) Artists/Newlyn & West Cornwall 1880-1940 p339
Johnson & Greutzner
RCPS Annual Reports 1896
Tovey (2000) George Fagan Bradshaw - Submariner & Marine Artist, etc. STISA Principal members list p228; (2003) Creating a Splash; (2010) Sea Change;