Molly Parkin
Encyclopedia
Molly Parkin is a Welsh
painter, novelist and journalist, who became most famous for exploits in the 1960s.
Parkin was the second of two daughters, born and raised in Pontycymer
in the Garw Valley
, Wales. In 1949 she gained a scholarship to study fine art
at Goldsmiths College
, London, and then a scholarship to Brighton College of Art. After marriage, she became a teacher who painted throughout her first marriage. After a series of affairs, including a long term association with actor James Robertson Justice
, when Parkin separated from her husband at the start of the 1960s, her desire, inspiration and passion to paint left too.
To support her two daughters, Parkin turned to fashion. After making hats and bags for Barbara Hulanicki
at Biba
, and working alongside Mary Quant
, Parkin opened her own Chelsea boutique, which later formed a feature in Newsweek
about Swinging London
. After selling the shop to business partner Terence Donovan
, she founded the innovative Nova
magazine in 1964. She then became fashion editor of Harpers & Queen in 1967, and The Sunday Times
in 1969, before becoming Fashion Editor of the Year in 1971. After becoming a television personality in the 1970s, Parkin was banned from the BBC for too much swearing.
In the early 1970s, Parkin wrote a 750 word outline for a novel entitled Love All. Disliked by publishers Blond & Briggs, the office secretary commented that she liked it, and it was picked up for publication. Her second more sexually oriented novel Up Tight published in 1975 was highly publicised, thanks to fashion photographer Harry Peccinotti
’s cover shot of a French model wearing see-through knickers, resulting in book sellers Hatchards
keeping it under the counter. After returning from living in New York city in 1980, she split from her second husband Patrick Hughes
, and was again in need of funds to pay for her daughters' education. By the time of publishing her novel Breast Stroke in 1983, her alcoholism had taken over. The three publications, plus various articles for men's magazines, earned her the position of 24th in Timeout magazines review of London's best erotic writers.
After publication of her autobiography "Moll" in 1993, Parkin started painting again in the 1990s, with her first exhibition in more than a decade at the Washington Gallery in Penarth
. Much of her new work is inspired by Celtic landscapes- in particular, Pontycymer - although she also found her travels in India
moved her to brighten her palette to produce more vibrant coloured works.
In October 2010, her memoirs Welcome to Mollywood were published.
In May 2011 she was a 'castaway' on the BBC Radio 4
programme Desert Island Discs
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
painter, novelist and journalist, who became most famous for exploits in the 1960s.
Parkin was the second of two daughters, born and raised in Pontycymer
Pontycymer
Pontycymer is a former mining village in Britain. It is situated in the Garw Valley, in Bridgend County Borough in south Wales. The name, sometimes spelled "Pontycymmer", is Welsh: pont signifies "bridge", while cymer signifies "confluence" of watercourses.Original signs for the village use the...
in the Garw Valley
River Garw
The River Garw runs for about 12 miles from its source in the hills north of Blaengarw to the confluence with the River Ogmore and the River Llynfi at Aberkenfig...
, Wales. In 1949 she gained a scholarship to study fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
at Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
, London, and then a scholarship to Brighton College of Art. After marriage, she became a teacher who painted throughout her first marriage. After a series of affairs, including a long term association with actor James Robertson Justice
James Robertson Justice
James Robertson Justice was a popular British character actor in British films of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.-Biography:...
, when Parkin separated from her husband at the start of the 1960s, her desire, inspiration and passion to paint left too.
To support her two daughters, Parkin turned to fashion. After making hats and bags for Barbara Hulanicki
Barbara Hulanicki
Barbara Hulanicki is a Warsaw-born fashion designer, known for being the founder of the iconic clothes store Biba. Born in Warsaw, to Polish parents, after studying at Brighton School of Art, now the University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, Hulanicki won a London Evening Standard competition for...
at Biba
Biba
Biba was an iconic and popular London fashion store of the 1960s and 1970s. It was started and primarily run by the Polish-born Barbara Hulanicki with help of her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon.-Early years:...
, and working alongside Mary Quant
Mary Quant
Mary Quant OBE FCSD is a British] fashion designer and British fashion icon, who was instrumental in the mod fashion movement. She was one of the designers who took credit for inventing the miniskirt and hot pants. Born in Blackheath, London, to Welsh parents, Quant brought fun and fantasy to...
, Parkin opened her own Chelsea boutique, which later formed a feature in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
about Swinging London
Swinging London
Swinging London is a catch-all term applied to the fashion and cultural scene that flourished in London, in the 1960s.It was a youth-oriented phenomenon that emphasised the new and modern. It was a period of optimism and hedonism, and a cultural revolution. One catalyst was the recovery of the...
. After selling the shop to business partner Terence Donovan
Terence Donovan (photographer)
Terence Daniel Donovan was a British photographer and film director, best remembered for his fashion photography of the 1960s. He oversaw the music video to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible".Donovan was born in Stepney in the East End of London to Lilian Constance V...
, she founded the innovative Nova
Nova (UK magazine)
Nova, published from March 1965 to October 1975, was a British magazine. It has been described as "a politically radical, beautifully designed, intellectual women's magazine"....
magazine in 1964. She then became fashion editor of Harpers & Queen in 1967, and The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
in 1969, before becoming Fashion Editor of the Year in 1971. After becoming a television personality in the 1970s, Parkin was banned from the BBC for too much swearing.
In the early 1970s, Parkin wrote a 750 word outline for a novel entitled Love All. Disliked by publishers Blond & Briggs, the office secretary commented that she liked it, and it was picked up for publication. Her second more sexually oriented novel Up Tight published in 1975 was highly publicised, thanks to fashion photographer Harry Peccinotti
Harry Peccinotti
Harry Peccinotti is a photographer, known for his erotic work, most famously the Pirelli Calendar in 1968 and 1969...
’s cover shot of a French model wearing see-through knickers, resulting in book sellers Hatchards
Hatchards
Hatchards is the oldest bookshop in London, and the second oldest bookshop in the United Kingdom. It was founded by John Hatchard in 1797 on Piccadilly in London, from where it still trades today...
keeping it under the counter. After returning from living in New York city in 1980, she split from her second husband Patrick Hughes
Patrick Hughes (artist)
Patrick Hughes is a British artist working in London. He is the creator of "reverspective", an optical illusion on a 3-dimensional surface where the parts of the picture which seem farthest away are actually physically the nearest....
, and was again in need of funds to pay for her daughters' education. By the time of publishing her novel Breast Stroke in 1983, her alcoholism had taken over. The three publications, plus various articles for men's magazines, earned her the position of 24th in Timeout magazines review of London's best erotic writers.
After publication of her autobiography "Moll" in 1993, Parkin started painting again in the 1990s, with her first exhibition in more than a decade at the Washington Gallery in Penarth
Penarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
. Much of her new work is inspired by Celtic landscapes- in particular, Pontycymer - although she also found her travels in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
moved her to brighten her palette to produce more vibrant coloured works.
In October 2010, her memoirs Welcome to Mollywood were published.
In May 2011 she was a 'castaway' on the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
.
External links
- Molly Parkin's personal website
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesarts/2011/05/filming_great_lives_molly_parkin.html
- Molly Parkin: Lovers, loves, cocks and spirituality