Live Your Music – Margaux Joy and Guest Ben Parker 04/07/21

I am happy to have my inspiring, creative, talented, and fun friend, Ben Parker, back as my guest for Live Your Music!

100-year-young Ben Parker was raised in Seattle, Washington and moved to Mill Valley, California in 1955. As a student at the University of Hawaii, he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Ben is long retired from Fiberboard Corporation’s Creative Design Center in San Francisco. Among his many successful projects there he spearheaded the very first decorative tissue box (for Chiffon) that didn’t shout its brand name (like Kleenex). This concept was such a hit, the design of nearly every brand of tissue box was forever changed.

Throughout his many years he’s pursued numerous creative endeavors including painting, design work, film making, and play writing. 

Ben is also the published author of A Field Guide to the F Word. The book is a humorous look at the etiquette for using the “F” word. The most amazing thing about his book is he never actually uses the “F” word in his book!

Ben says he’s always been fascinated with light and shadow and transitions between them, abruptly at corners and gently at curves. Shadow and light, yin and yang. These are what led Ben to wall sculpture: painting with lighted contours instead of pigment and brush. He chose wood as his medium because he could replicate a virtually limitless palette of shapes and sizes. He also added in randomness – as anyone who has explored this concept knows, this is easier to talk about than to achieve. Ben says though it’s been satisfying creating this art there won’t be any more because that particular creative itch has been scratched.

For more about Ben Parker, and 1441 Toastmasters, visit the club’s website: www.1441.toastmastersclubs.org