INTERVIEW: Texas Collage Artist Parker Kaufman

      Parker Kaufman

Houston, TX

Good morning, Parker, and welcome back to Vision and Verse. 

At what age did you know you wanted to be an artist?

    From a very early age, say seven or eight.  There was something magical that happened when I put a pencil to paper and started creating a world as only I could see it.

What medium do you prefer to work in?

    I love the media I'm currently working in, card stock.  I like the fact that it's a less exacting material than say acrylics or pastels.

Favorite food.

    You promised me there would be no difficult questions here! LOL  I like a variety of foods; simple, flavorful, healthy.  If I had to pick one, I'd say edamame...I can eat it like candy.

Favorite color.

    Artists LOVE all colors.  I'd have to say blue is my favorite.

Where would you like to visit?

    Paris, France

Favorite musical artist.

    Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Linkin Park, Neil Young, Big Head Todd & the Monsters.

At what age did you started making art?

    I've made art since I was a child and throughout most of my life.  In the traditional sense, I began seriously in my early forties.

Where do you get your inspiration?

    Everything inspires me.  The world is full of things that give me ideas...music...poetry, books I've read, everyday scenery.  Most of it comes from an overactive mind.  There is no off-switch to my brain.  It's a constant traffic jam in there.

What do you do when you get artist's block?

    I simply walk away from whatever project I'm involved in and enjoy some of my favorite activities...window shopping, walking the dog, cooking, or harassing friends (wink, wink).

 Who is your favorite artist?

    So many...Dali, Matisse, Seurat, Picasso...I could go on forever.

What is your favorite piece of sculpture?

    All of Erte's stunning works.

What is your favorite painting?

    Renoir's "Place de La Trinite."

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

    Without a doubt, my maternal grandmother.  She taught me compassion, grace, and appreciation for what I was given.  She never held me to her expectations, but rather encouraged me to have high expectations for myself and use my talents to surpass them.  She always said that kindness was one of the keys to a successful life.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

    My first thought was so say Oprah, but in all honesty I'd have to say my great-uncle, Harold Staley.  Uncle "Bub" as we called him, was the greatest influence with regard to me and art.  He was a physically challenged artist who created the most amazing works, some of which hung in the Buttler Museum of American Art in Youngstown, OH and in the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  He gave me a John Gnagy art kit for Christmas when I was nine years old.  He opened up the world of art for me, passing on his love for the craft.  I cherished the times he would talk with me about his art, and to sit with him now, after all I've learned, would be awesome.

What advice would you yo give someone who aspired to be an artist?

    Chase your aspirations and don't give up until you've tackled them.  Pay no attention to the nay sayers and those who put requirements on what is and is not art.  Follow your instincts, jump in with both feet, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...create what YOU like, make art for YOURSELF, not for the masses.  The moment you try to create to please others is the moment the joy and passion all start to fade

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us this morning, Parker. Come back anytime. You are always welcome.

Hugs,

Carol

BOOK REVIEW: The Bookstore Sistersby Alice Hoffman

 

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ART: Transition by Parker Kaufman

 

TRANSITION  came about from my desire to create something that would express my feelings in light of the recent increase in hate and bigotry towards transgender people.  I wanted to depict what I was hearing from the trans community.  I wanted to present what I saw and heard from my personal experience and perspective as an aging gay man.  When I began examining the issue, it hit me that in some way we are all "transitioning".  We are all sifting through this chaotic mess we call life.  We all look to discover who we are, who we want to become, and try to decide how best to get there.  I do not suggest that this is a valid comparison nor in any way do I mean to take away from the significance of their struggle, one fraught with oppression and a blatant attempt to erase their existence.  From this old gay's perspective, folks trying to deal with their gender identity walk a path that is far more difficult and complex than the rest of us can ever imagine.  I cannot begin to fathom the questions, the fear, the loneliness, the intense uncertainty that my trans brothers and sisters are confronted with.

I used straight edges and sharp angles as a background to denote societal thinking regarding gender; how we tend to look at one's gender in black and white terms.  In other words, if you're born with male genitalia you are automatically labelled a boy and we can't see how one could be a female in a male body.  The sharp angles also serve as a metaphor for how that very narrow-minded way of thinking "cuts" and harms those with identity issues.  I used common anatomical details to signify "humaness", allowing the viewer to make their own conclusions. The single tear below the right eye reflects the immense sadness that I feel for the treatment of the trans community, for the inhumanity they  experience as they simply try to be who they are and live a happy life as their true selves.  There is much more packed into this work and my hope is that those who see it, will take time to explore it with their own knowledge and experience and find more meaning in it.

The one final point that was most important to me to  make was in the wording that I added.  It says, "I say who I am, it's not up for debate".  The message should be crystal clear.  It is not up to government, the clergy, the local school board, one's employer, neighbors, or some bigoted snark on social media, to determine who one is, what gender they are supposed to identify as, or how they choose to live their life.  That right, that HUMAN RIGHT, belongs to the individual alone.  My greatest wish is that more people come to that realization, that they come to embrace the wondrous diversity of the human species and the richness that that diversity brings to one's life.

The composition measures 16" x 20".  It is comprised of hand cut poster board and 60lb cardstock, mixed with computer generated lettering.  The design is mounted on foam board.  

 Artist:  Parker Kaufman,  05/31/2026.  Image may not be copied, reprinted, or used in any other way without express written permission.

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SCHEDULE: July 6-10, 2026

 Monday, July 6 - ART:

Transition by 

Texas Collage Artist Parker Kaufman

Tuesday, July 7 - BOOK REVIEW:

The Bookstore Sisters

by Alice Hoffman

Wednesday, July 8 - INTERVIEW:

 Texas Collage Artist

Parker Kaufman

Thursday,  July 9 - TV TIME:

Bugonia

(Netflix)

Friday, July 10 - BOOK:

Harper Ross

by Carol Ann Kauffman

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BOOK: The Captain and the Ambassador by Carol Ann Kauffman

 

Ambassador Tull Redmond is seeking a quick ride home to Earth after concluding her twenty-year mission as a peace negotiator. All she wants is peace, quiet, and to be left alone. She boards the Earth Starship Giuseppe Verdi with its questionable leader, Captain Ben Jacobs, anyway. It's the fastest way home. 

Her quarters has a full bath, a space view window, and a large, real bed! How bad could this rule-breaking, authority-defying Captain Casanova be? High Council hates him, true, but his crew loves him. 

Surely, she's too old and tired to be drawn into this bad boy of the quadrant's personal circus.

 
Will Ambassador Redmond get the quiet, uneventful ride home she craves?

Amazon Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074569BDY

Available in Kindle format, paperback, and audiobook.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

A New Passenger

 

 

Captain Jacobs? Sir, big news. Ambassador Tull Redmond is meeting us at Bridgeport Seven tomorrow and will join us as our passenger all the way to Earth,” said second-in-command Commander Zack Mankewitz of the Earth Starship Giuseppe Verdi.

“Ambassador Redmond,” repeated the captain. “Oh, I’ve heard of him, Commander. He’s that peace, love, and hope guy. He’s the most successful intergalactic mediator in this quadrant. Wow, my very first five-star passenger. Yes, that is big news. I’m glad I didn’t miss him. High Council’s never trusted me with a bigwig before.”

“Yes, sir. I know.”

“So, the ambassador and I will be going home to Earth at the same time. Well, I’m not sure the Ambassador is Earthite, I just assumed. Is he retiring, too, I wonder?

“Well, sort of. From what I heard, the ambassador refused to sign another ten-year contract, so resigning from intergalactic mediation is the only other option. You two are lucky ducks.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it, Commander. It’s plain, old-fashioned endurance. Any special dietary requests? I heard the ambassador was a vegan.”

“No. No special food requests, but a full bathroom in quarters, and the ambassador is a woman. She’s also requested a room with a space view.”

“You’re kidding me? I’ve seen him, eh, her, from a distance. Short, pale, plump, light-colored hair slicked back or something. Hair was hardly noticeable. Wears a big, long, hooded, monk-like robe. Kind of like a round beige ball. A non-sexual being.”

“Does that matter?”

“No, I guess not. The ambassador gets the job done. A full bath and a view, huh? Well, there is only one accommodation like that aboard this ship, and that’s mine. Damn. My first five-star passenger and she boots me out of my quarters. Oh, well. Go ahead and assign her to Captain’s Quarters, Commander."

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TV TIME: Final Days of Planet Earth (You Tube)

 This series on You Tube was a giant mash-up of a ton of older sci-fi movies, from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, V, to Aliens. The critics hated it. Absurd. Ridiculous. Bizzarre. But me? I liked it!

Darrell Hannah plays astronaut/city official in the mayor’s office who is chilling in her performance, which pulls together this series about “giant six-foot insect aliens who want to take over The Earth”. 

Gil Bellows is a cranky archaeologist who uncovers the alien plot and sets out to save humanity.

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INTERVIEW: Multi-Genre Author Chris Underwood

 

Chris Underwood

Galena, Ohio 

USA

Good morning, Chris, and welcome to Vision and Verse.

 What have you written?

I have a humorous murder mystery, which I have converted to a screenplay and won some awards:  The Creatures of Holden Beach…And the murder they did NOT Commit!

 

I also have a 4-book Disaster Fiction Series about a cyber attack on the Niagara Falls power grid in the wintertime called The Cold Winter. My heroes eventually join a minuteman militia to fight back with vintage military equipment because modern machinery cannot be trusted. The series straddles the genres of Dystopian Future and Historical Fiction. 

 

What is your favorite genre to write?  

I bounce around a little, as you can see above, but humor is my fallback. I try to toss some in there every now and then. 

 

Favorite food.  

Pizza!

 

Tea or coffee?  

Coffee!

 

Pizza or ice cream?  

What's wrong with both?  

 

Wine or beer or soda or what?  

I do NA beer now. 

 

Where would you like to visit?  

Caribbean Islands. Extended stay.

 

Favorite musical artist.  

Meatloaf!

 

Do you listen to music when you write? Exclusively. 

What?  

Instrumental Jazz and hip hop. It's got to have a beat and minimal words

 

What makes you laugh?  

The world.

 

Favorite work of art or sculpture.  

Historical buildings and structures.

 

How old were you when you started writing? 

3rd grade. 

 

Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards?

Or just write?  

I do a general outline and I stray often but the outline still gives me structure. I update the outline midway through and it helps a lot at that point, after the bugs are worked out. 

 

Describe your perfect evening. 

Writing with some music and a nice view. A chapter started ahead of time and needing finished. 

 

Where do you get your inspiration? 

I find it in everyday things. But also, I volunteer with vintage military groups, so conversations and sights can really get the wheels turning.

 

What do you do when you get writer's block?  

Actually, I haven’t had that. I’ve had wasted junk writing, but no blank page issues.

 

Who is your favorite author? 

Clive Cussler, Ian Fleming, Hemingway.

 

Best book you ever read. 

Not sure I can put a finger on that one. 

 

Last book you read. 

The Last Hitman by Robin Yocum.

 

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?

Program computers, woodworking. 

 

Who is the one person who has influenced 

your personal life the most, and why? 

My dad did a lot for me. He's still watching, 

I’m sure.

 

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?  

Jesus.

 

What advice would you give someone who aspires to be a writer? 

Write. Don’t just talk about it. Join a writers club and submit some chapters for critique. 

Put it out there. 

 

Do you have some links for us to follow you?

 

My Books – Chris Underwood

 

The Cold Winter Grid-Down Series (4 book series) Kindle Edition

 

The Creatures of Holden Beach.....And the Murder they did NOT Commit! eBook : Underwood, Chris: Amazon.com.au: Books

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BOOK REVIEW: Murder on the SS Rosa by Lee Strauss

 

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ART: Norwegian-Iranian Artist Violet Polsangi

 

I found Violet Polsangi while researching up and coming artists of 2023 for the Art section of this blog and was immediately drawn to her work. Yes, her paintings combine both abstract and concrete elements. But they also combine strong architectural elements with the softest of color. I think they are beautiful! 

I left the links at the top of the posts for your further exploration. 

I 

Follow Violet on Instagram. 

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