Olivia Parker is a painter who creates surreal scenes using oil paint, acrylic paint, and ink. After studying at Pierce College and Laguna College of Art and Design, her work formulated towards strange creatures and distorted characters that exist somewhere between humor and unease. This is represented in her piece “In My Sink” which was featured in the “No Margins” show at the Laguna College of Art and Design Gallery. Bright colors, playful imagery, and exaggerated forms often draw viewers in at first, while darker undertones slowly emerge beneath the surface.

Parker’s paintings explore the contradictions of modern life, where absurdity and anxiety often coexist. Through surreal compositions and ambiguous environments, she builds imagined worlds that reflect emotional states such as dread, curiosity, and vulnerability. This is seen in her piece “Free Range”, commenting on the horrors of the meat and dairy industry. Many of the creatures and figures in her work function as stand-ins for human emotion in moments where comedy masks fear.

Alongside her studio practice, Parker has a growing passion for creating murals and public artwork. After completing a mural at the Boys & Girls Club in Laguna Beach, she became inspired by the way large-scale paintings can transform shared spaces and connect directly with communities. She is especially interested in bringing her surreal characters and visual storytelling into public environments where people of all ages can encounter them.

Parker’s mission as an artist is to use humor, surrealism, and imaginative imagery to help people reflect on the strange emotional landscape of modern life. Through both paintings and murals, she aims to create work that invites viewers to laugh, pause, and recognize pieces of their own experiences within surreal and imperfect worlds.