by
Paige L. Liniger
Copyright © 1997 by Paige L. Liniger and Charles D. Parkhurst.
All rights reserved.
Charles D. Parkhurst is, what today's successful artists must be, among the most prolific multitaskers of our time. Bloomfield, Pennsylvania ROCKS as Parkhurst plays Santana or Alan Parsons Project on his phenomenal self-made sound system. Imbibing mass quantities of real black coffee - none of that cappuccino or espresso stuff for a real man who smokes Camels while wreaking havoc on the web, answering IM's (instant messages on America On Line) signaled by amusing vocal renderings of a man writhing in pain - the tortured artist's grin belies the child within as he waxes philosophic about photography, music, writing and movie-making.
Parkhurst came to Pittsburgh in 1978 after spending three and a half years at the University of Maine where he'd changed his major seven times. One of the few among us cursed with talent and ability in a myriad of fields, Parkhurst's struggle was to find and focus on something he'd love. He'd tried engineering, computer programming, philosophy, theater, journalism and creative writing and fared well in each. Finally he came to Point Park College and declared a dual major of film-making and photography. In 1980 he met and married a young theater major. When money ran out, he opted for a photography major and graduated with a minor in film-making. Parkhurst found free-lancing lucrative in the early 80's. Promoting virtually every theater, museum and festival in the Three Rivers area, the photographer was becoming recognizable in local circles. He shot some stills for a catalogue at the University of Pittsburgh and won stellar reviews for his solo shows at city galleries like "The Lion's Walk", "The Famous Rider" and "The Blatant Image".
He got involved in professional film-making about that same time. Months spent as a gaffer, grip and electrician on the sets of films like: "Creepshow", "Mrs. Soffel", "The Dark Half", and "Prince of Pennsylvania" taught Parkhurst the imaginative nuts and bolts side of the business. He's written several screen plays and confidently asserts that he could direct and produce his own film here in Pittsburgh for a below-the-line cost of about $1.5 million. Laughing, he says that if he were to use "big name" talent the above-the-line costs would, of course, be considerably more.
Parkhurst is happily engaged, and spends lots of quality time with his son. They play radical computer games like MechWarrior II and wreak HaVoK in the chat rooms on AOL. They design and build terrain for two separate electric train systems. They talk about school, how to handle life and mostly laugh a lot.
Parkhurst, a self-described 42-year-old guy in the midst of a mid-life crisis, says, "There's a lot of shit I'd like to do." His life-long love of music is evident when Parkhurst recalls playing lead and rhythm guitar on his old Gibson acoustic guitar in a couple of rock-n-roll bands and a jazz band in his youth. He's written lyrics and melodies and would, like most aspiring musicians, love to cut a record. Parkhurst says he wants to arrange some of his own songs as midi files for background music on his various websites.
He'd like to write a book. He'd like to sell some screenplays. He'd like to make a movie of one of his screenplays here in Pittsburgh- he'd direct, of course. And perhaps, like his contemporary Quentin Tarantino, you'll notice Parkhurst making a cameo appearance in a smoky bar, like Aussie's in Bloomfield, his lip sardonically curled 'round the edge of a cup of real coffee, a Camel smoldering somewhere nearby. . . .
In the meantime, look for Parkhurst careening about the city in his red Jeep Comanche pickup, a Canon AT1 strapped around his neck, searching out existential themes for his photography. His work is described by some as esoteric. He says he prefers to focus on beginnings and endings. Parkhurst, lives his life by the credo of a great Greek philosopher Heraclitus, "You cannot step twice into the same river for other waters and yet other waters are ever flowing on."
Keep him in mind for your website needs. He'll be drinking Coke--The Real Thing and eating pure milk chocolate while he works. Keep your eyes open for periodic updates to his many sites. The one thing certain about Parkhurst is constant change.
Graphics are designed with PaintShop Pro.
Optimal viewing is with Netscape Navigator.
If you have any comments or questions please E-Mail www.parkhurst.net.
Copyright © 1997 by Charles D. Parkhurst. All rights reserved.