Corey Parker
(1976 - 2010)
We lost an enormously talented artist and friend last week. Corey was a bright + honest + genuine person with a priceless sense of humor. He fought a brave battle to a rare form of heart cancer. Corey grew up in rural farmlands of McBain, Michigan. As a Merchant Marine on the ships of the Great Lakes, he worked his way through college and went on to graduate from The Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Corey joined American Greetings as an illustrator and quickly developed his own unique style within the creative design studios. He was always drawn to "the classic landscape" and as you can see, it was his passion. His first one man show titled "sticks and stones" monoprints was in Cleveland in 2008. Corey left us too quickly, but our memories of him and his artwork will last forever. His strength, courage and talent were an inspiration to all who knew him. We will miss you Corey.
love,
All your friends
Corey+ nat +Dante
Corey was an amazing person, artist, and friend. With his profoundly positive outlook on life,
he instantly made anyone around him feel good. I was lucky enough to share many great laughs with him.
I consider him one of the most influential, and best friends I’ve ever known. He was truly one of a kind.
I know his memory will live on and continue to inspire me, and my family for the rest of our lives.
You will never be forgotten, Corey.
Dante
he instantly made anyone around him feel good. I was lucky enough to share many great laughs with him.
I consider him one of the most influential, and best friends I’ve ever known. He was truly one of a kind.
I know his memory will live on and continue to inspire me, and my family for the rest of our lives.
You will never be forgotten, Corey.
Dante
sinny giving cp the knuckle
clambake chowdown
Corey was an immensely talented artist, but more importantly a great person.
He will be dearly missed.
Beth B.
He will be dearly missed.
Beth B.
True Story:
Jamey, Michael, Randall and I turned Corey on to mid-century Abstract painter Richard Diebenkorn-he said Richard who?
Shortly after, Jamey first caught wind of an awesome Diebenkorn show at NYU in manhattan- Jamey jetted down to see it. Michael quickly flew down a few weeks later, comes back raving, you gotta go! Randall, Sinyard and I followed suit - jumped down to NYC to check it out, it was amazing! ( I think Randall may have fainted once or twice in the gallery, not sure.) We told Corey- Dude, you have to see this!! But, he was disappointed that the show ended shortly after our return. To our surprise, it traveled to Washington DC and opened at the Phillips Museum.
Corey was so excited he drove 6 hrs to Washington DC, grabbed some lunch, spent all day at the show, had dinner then drove back 6hrs to Cleveland that same day in a terrible rain storm. He shows up for work the next morning and says to us at Starbucks- "Hey guys, guess what I did yesterday?! " Now that's passion. We all saw a change in his work after that show.
I will miss you buddy + you were a good friend
rob roth
Corey being Corey!
Corey and Rocky on a secret assignment
diner run
corey, michael, rob
look everybody, free art supplies.
Thank you all for your memories of my brother! Besides being an amazing artist and friend, he was also a loving brother and patient uncle. I am so greatful for all the times he sat down with my daughter, starting around age 2, and painted with her. This last Thanksgiving, they did police sketch. She loved it and it was so neat to see how each of their drawings turned out and how encouraging he was to her! And with my son, he could always calm him when he was fussing. He was gentle, patient, and so loving with them! I will take this amazing tribute and show them when they are older. So they see how great their uncle was! Thank you!!
Hey, look at the light. Do it and think of Corey.
Martha E.
Martha E.
Corey...
Kind of heart...long on patience...with a wealth of talent and knowledge
that he was always willing to share...it was a privilege to know him.
Rocky gribner
Kind of heart...long on patience...with a wealth of talent and knowledge
that he was always willing to share...it was a privilege to know him.
Rocky gribner
Corey as Charlie Brown,
lookin good chuck-
This is something I made for Corey.
Dinara
going to the Basquiat show
Corey loved to visit the Cleveland museum of Art just about every month. Each time we were with him, he needed to see this one particular pieceby George Inness called "Sunny Autumn Day"
We must have seen this painting at least 20 times - Every single time he would say, " Hold up a minute guys, I need to see the Innes. He was like a GPS in that place- like a mouse looking for cheese. "Look! Look at the light he gets! Its like...glowing see it?" I would say, "Ok... again with the Innes...How many times do we have to see this piece Cor?"
He would sharply reply, "As long as it takes."
If you ever visit the Cleveland Museum of Art, go see it.
rob r
Sunny Autumn Day
by George Inness called "Sunny Autumn Day"
We must have seen this painting at least 20 times - Every single time he would say, " Hold up a minute guys, I need to see the Innes. He was like a GPS in that place- like a mouse looking for cheese. "Look! Look at the light he gets! Its like...glowing see it?" I would say, "Ok... again with the Innes...How many times do we have to see this piece Cor?"
He would sharply reply, "As long as it takes."
If you ever visit the Cleveland Museum of Art, go see it.
rob r
Sunny Autumn Day
I am so fortunate to have met Corey and had the chance to work with him. How
talented he is, and by sitting next to him, how he always helped out with
others at any time. anyone ever needed help with anything he wouldn't
hesitate to help. People respected his work and him as a person and many
looked up to him. I was so inspired by his print making and the time a small
group of us went to an offsite workshop at Zygote. Corey blew me away with
the work he did there and I learned so much by watching him that still
carries with me today.
I miss him,
Jennifer Fitchwell
talented he is, and by sitting next to him, how he always helped out with
others at any time. anyone ever needed help with anything he wouldn't
hesitate to help. People respected his work and him as a person and many
looked up to him. I was so inspired by his print making and the time a small
group of us went to an offsite workshop at Zygote. Corey blew me away with
the work he did there and I learned so much by watching him that still
carries with me today.
I miss him,
Jennifer Fitchwell
He was a kind soul that will be greatly missed.
Julie Doll
@ the cleveland museum
cp riding solo
corey smackin a hit
I drew him some love.
Especially enjoyed working on our softball skills out in the
AG parking lot in preparation for the Great Design v. Graphics Softball Game
this past summer. A talented man with a great heart and deep soul. So
sorry about his passing.
Mike G.
AG parking lot in preparation for the Great Design v. Graphics Softball Game
this past summer. A talented man with a great heart and deep soul. So
sorry about his passing.
Mike G.
bingo!
sportin the tatts
COREY LOVED movies, art, reading, museums, history, baseball, good food,and
hanging out with friends. And everyone LOVED COREY.....We were so lucky to
have him.
hanging out with friends. And everyone LOVED COREY.....We were so lucky to
have him.
Donna B.
Corey was a great guy, we would always talk about movies. Corey got me to go
see movies I would not normally go to, I also got him to see movies he would
not have seen. I will miss him.
Jim B.
Although I didn't know Corey well I was aware of his health situation. He
continually amazed me by his continued positive outlook and passion for his
artwork. Just a few weeks ago I was especially struck by his contagious
enthusiasm after the Nate Williams workshop. He was and is a model for how
we should all seize the day.
Chris B.
CP sampling the appts. before the show.
at the Der Braumeister
What I will miss about and I will always love is Corey's generosity- he
helped me with Photoshop earlier on , gave of his personal resources and was
always willing to help to the end- he was and is a great example of
unselfishness and what people should be about- he was an amazing artist and
truly an inspiration in all respects
Lynn G.
I did not know Corey well - I loved his work, we'd spoken a few times & I
took the last workshop he taught in the media studio.
Of a piece with the quiet brilliance of his work, he was gentle, generous
and nothing but himself. He also had the friends such a heart deserves.
My point is that all of this was clear even to someone at the edge of his
life here. The only comfort when a life ends so soon is knowing it had joy and loving
company. I am glad he had such a community here.
jude
jamey michael Corey
cp behind the lense
From The pups:Boy, am I going to miss Corey. He was a super dog sitter. He fed me cheesecake from his fork, scrubbed my belly and made me crazy. He let me smoosh up against him on the couch, sneeze in his face and pant during the movies. He even stayed with me sometimes and made sure I had all the food and love I needed. When I heard his car coming up the driveway, I would get really excited. I am going to miss him very very much
Step Son Stuart aka Super Stu
PS I'm the big chubby one.
And not too be outdone, we would also like to express our love for Corey. Even though we know Stuart was his favorite... I'm sure we were annoying, but he always came to help out by walking us, feeding us, letting us go outside when Mom couldn't get home in time. For me (Miro the husky) he played tug o war, chase the cookies and gave lots of walks even in the park. And with Tiny (who's deaf and blind so I have to write this for him) he kept him warm on the couch under the blankets and held him like a really relaxed baby... which no one else could do.
Corey, we miss and love you!
Tiny (Stan) and Miro
5 years of Corey and Erica:
Corey and I started at AG at the same time in 2005.
Then I gave hiim a label machine I found in the supply cabinet and he made
me this:
Sometimes we went to the movies to see really bad horror flicks no one else
would see.
Then he came over to share my pizza I ordered when I was tearing up my
kitchen floor.
We went to the county fair (see my Mom's story).
Soon after he started coming over to watch really bad movies like this one:
Then he came over to share my pizza I ordered when I was tea
We'd eat popcorn and hotdogs. And some kind of dessert.
For about a week we tried to be healthy and cooked healthy food to share.
The next week we ate more hotdogs.
Then he came to my parents for Christmas and was happy he got beer:
Once he pushed my car in big circles in the parking lot at AG because my
starter wouldn't work. He also pushed me down the side of the turnpike
heading to PA to see Glen Phillips. And he actually went to two of Glen's
shows in one weekend... something no one else would do!
Corey was the only person except my family who heard the recording of me
singing Patsy Cline.
On Labor Day we were stopped by the police in Rocky River on the way to pick
up some clam strips. I blamed it on his tattoos.
We went to Cinema Wasteland and Betsy Palmer (Mrs. Voorhees... Jason's Mom)
loved Corey:
Michael Berryman scared Corey at the bar at the same convention.
Sometimes we argued over really silly things, just for the sake of arguing.
Corey wrapped my birthday present in this Stuart themed paper he made:
- Erica
We ice skated twice a week at lunch for a few years.
When Corey 'shrunk' his shirts, we'd go to Kohls and look for bargains.
Sometimes we went to the Barking Spider to check out the bluegrass.
Once while walking in the park we saved (well, more me... he was sorta
forced into it) a baby bird. Corey would go at lunch with me to check and
make sure the baby was doing ok. He was, we saw his parents come back to
feed him.
Once we got slightly tipsy and I proved to him ghosts were real. Now that I
think about it, pointy and sharp objects and drunk people is a bad idea.
But I think he was one step closer in believing.
Once we had a huge fight, but then it was ok.
We saw some more bad movies (including Piranha 3D which cost us a small
fortune).
We ate some more food.
We spent some more time together.
I miss and love him more than anyone could imagine. And I'm sure he knows.
Here's my little Corey memory
Hey Corey, remember that one Indian's game we went to - snuck passed the ticket checkers to get better seats? We both drank too much beer, each having quite a stack of plastic cups. Afterward, we walked the Lorain-Carnegie bridge back to Ohio City before calling it a night. Who knew that evening, as fun as it was, would be only one of maybe a handful of times we'd get to spend together? If I had only known, I would have made sure to appreciate every nuance all the more, every play, every joke, every laugh.
I took it for granted that you'd always be around. I'll miss you dearly. Peace and Love.
Jamey C.
Hey Corey, remember that one Indian's game we went to - snuck passed the ticket checkers to get better seats? We both drank too much beer, each having quite a stack of plastic cups. Afterward, we walked the Lorain-Carnegie bridge back to Ohio City before calling it a night. Who knew that evening, as fun as it was, would be only one of maybe a handful of times we'd get to spend together? If I had only known, I would have made sure to appreciate every nuance all the more, every play, every joke, every laugh.
I took it for granted that you'd always be around. I'll miss you dearly. Peace and Love.
Jamey C.
Celebrating a tad early at the fine arts show
corey and cassidy dodging the paparazzi
Corey and Ali
Corey was a talented artist and an amazing person. It has been an honor to have known him and to be his friend. He was always there to offer an impromptu art critique, share a laugh, or provide a friendly word of encouragement. I'll never forget the time when we went snowboarding and he convinced me to ride the chair lift for the very first time. I was terrified, but somehow Corey had me laughing the whole ride up and managed to help me off the lift without falling. I will always remember Corey. His optimism, quick wit, and contagious smile will be dearly missed.
Ali Kurzeja
go tribe!
Corey and Randall : at the Vineyard Clambake
Our tribute to CP -
My husband and I had the honor of meeting Corey only a handful of delightful
times, but the type of person CP was emanated powerfully from him and we
liked him immediately. He was intelligent, funny, an extremely talented
artist and a genuine human being. My sister (Erica Shott), who was not only
a good friend of CP¹s but a coworker as well, constantly spoke highly of
him, sharing a variety of stories about the endeavors of a strong, bonded
friendship between the two of them which only made us more fond of CP. He
cared for my ³fur-nephews² as if they were his own and connected further
with my sister over unique similar interests. Corey was accepted into our
family as one of us and accepted us as part of him. Here, far from Ohio,
tears of sadness have been shed while trying to accept the passing of CP
into eternal life. It seems only appropriate that as we move forward, we
never forget the impact Corey made on us, my sister and my parents. We feel
lucky not only to have known Corey personally, but we cherish the piece of
his artwork he created and gave to us for Christmas 2008 - which we have
proudly hanging on our wall at home. We¹ll never forget CP, and I wish we
were able to thank him for being a part of our lives and a wonderful friend
to my sister over the years.
~Hans & Becky Muller from Salem, MA
Heaven is made more special because Corey is there. It was a privilege to know him.
Cindy P.
C ourageous
O pen-minded
R espectful
E asy-going
Y outhful
P ositive
A mazing artist
R eliable
K ind
E xtraordinary
R espected
With love,
Belinda
Corey’s artwork makes this world a brighter, more beautiful place. I’m lucky enough to have one of his pieces in my home, and it’s one of those things that doesn’t fade into the background over time. It catches my eye each day and reminds me of how warm and sincere Corey was. Every time I see it, I’ll think of Corey with fondness.
Claire m.
Our daughter, Erica Shott, introduced Corey Parker to us several years ago.
We became quite fond of him and invited him to our home for several holiday
dinners when he was unable to make it home to Michigan. My husband and I
found Corey to be an exceptional artist but an even more exceptional
friend. Corey seemed like he was one of us and we enjoyed many of the same
things. We will always remember the laughter and his presence.
One very enjoyable visit was to the Lorain County Fair where Corey was
taking photos of the animals. I kept pointing out different animals and
Corey being Corey photographed everything I pointed out to him. Don't know
if he ever used the photos but he made me feel so good to "help" him. We
had such fun that day and we will always remember it fondly.
Corey left us way too soon. Our hearts are broken and we shed many tears
this holiday season. I certainly hope he knows we loved him and enjoyed our
special but too short time with him. I feel bad he felt he had to cover his
tattoos cause I was a mom. I would have accepted Corey tattoos or not
because he was Corey.
Sincerely,
Al and Barb Shott
It's not hard to find nice things to say about corey.
The memories people have shared about him this week start with the fun and
silly corey stories, mentioning his little quirky laugh and his gentle
nature, and recalling past fun times, but then the tone changes and there's
a pause, and the respect and awe everyone has for his talent is hard to even
describe, until you see his artwork, and then you understand.
Corey, we will all miss you so much,
but it will never be goodbye, with your art and memories you leave behind.
Peace to corey :(
Dalia
The memories people have shared about him this week start with the fun and
silly corey stories, mentioning his little quirky laugh and his gentle
nature, and recalling past fun times, but then the tone changes and there's
a pause, and the respect and awe everyone has for his talent is hard to even
describe, until you see his artwork, and then you understand.
Corey, we will all miss you so much,
but it will never be goodbye, with your art and memories you leave behind.
Peace to corey :(
Dalia
I remember the very first time I met Corey. It was several years ago when I was working on the Walmart planning team and Corey was designing a Mother's day card that I planned. He had some questions so I came up to the studio to meet with him. I remember I was wearing green (sea foam, if you will) cargo pants. We introduced ourselves and he smiled and said, "Nice pants." To which I replied, "Thanks, they're O.R. scrubs." "O, R they," he said. (Quoted from the movie, Rushmore). He had me laughing instantly and from that day on I never minded making the long walk up to the studio to meet with him. It's with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face that I think of Corey today. Enjoy the afterlife. We shall meet again one day and certainly share another laugh.
Lindsay H.
Lindsay H.
I am a friend of Corey, i met Corey at Kendall College of Art & Design in Michigan, we always kept in touch after i moved to NYC after graduation. It's impossible not to stay friend with someone like Corey as everyone know him as a GENUINE & KIND person, and that's who he really is. He's a good friend and always has a great sense of humor, and look at the world with positive view.. I am extremely sad that he is no longer with us, but he will be in my heart. This post is such a beautiful thing to honor COREY! Thank you EYE-LIKEY for spending time and putting all these images and quotes to share with us.
Paridee K
Corey was my homeboy. He liked food. No, wait, he LOVED food. I used to ask him when he was going to do a series on cheeseburgers. Corey would finish a series of paintings and then immediately dislike them, despite the fact that they were brilliant. His process worked like that. Always progressing, no time to wait around and bask in past achievements. He set the bar high as far as human greatness goes, I don't think I will ever be able to touch even a fraction of Corey's genuine character, but because I was blessed enough to know him, I am blessed enough to have that bar to reach for. And for that I am thankful. White Corey, as we called him, you will be missed daily. I was very happy to have stumbled upon this tribute. Thanks to all who contributed.
Corey was one of the most genuinely kind, funny, smart, and talented people I've ever met. I'm honored to have been his friend.
I first met him at Kendall College of Art and Design and we immediately hit it off. We'd often hang out at his apartment and paint together, bouncing suggestions and ideas off of each other as we worked. Practically all of my fond memories of college involve Corey; taking a couple classes together, being in a student show together, grabbing lunch from time to time, talking about our favorite artists, movies, music... and so on.
One time we decided to do an art trade with each other. We picked a theme (Fairy Tales) and each of us had to create a painting for the other based on anything related to that theme. His painting of the wide-eyed frog prince sitting at a dinner table was the first thing I hung up when I bought my first home. It was my way of christening the house.
Corey became such a great friend that he was a groomsman at my wedding, and I was honored to have him next to me on such a big day.
Even though Corey lived a few hours away, we talked on the phone every once in awhile, for hours each time. He was so easy to talk to, and no matter how much time had passed between each conversation we could always pick up right where we left off.
I'll always cherish the laughter, insight, and joy Corey brought into my life.
He will be forever missed.
COREY
He was a genuine person I had ever met. I loved all his works and proud owner of one of his art pieces.
When I returned from my cancer treatments in Spring of 2008, he greeted me and hanged me and wished me the best of luck.
I did the same thing to him when he returned from his treatments. We joked about our "baldy" heads.
He was an amazing artist and truly an inspiration to all of us. It was a privilege to know him.
Polly
peace.