Alice Parmelee Rich has been involved in the art field and in art related businesses most of her life. Her career has included photographer, gallery administrator, publisher, and educator. Since the millennium she has followed her true passion and dedicates her time and attention to being a visual artist, finding creative expression through painting.
After receiving a BA in Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia, majoring in History of Art, she joined the staff of the Vancouver Art Gallery as an Extension and Education officer. In this capacity she traveled throughout the Province of B.C. installing art exhibitions and lecturing to communities about art.
She studied photography informally for several years and also while she attended Emily Carr University of Art and Design, later graduating from the ECUAD Curatorial program.
Rich founded her photographic greeting card company, Parmelee Publications Ltd., while acting as Assistant Director/Curator for the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver. Rich then decided to devote herself full time to the business. Acting as publisher, sales manager, art director and photographer, she grew the company to serve markets across Canada, the US and Europe, publishing the works of many other artists as well as her own.
An active supporter of the Arts community, she is a member of the Vancouver Art Gallery and VAG Associates, Contemporary Art Gallery, CARFAC – Canadian Artists’ Representation, Alumni Association of ECUAD, Federation of Canadian Artists, and Gabriola Arts Council.
Rich has also served on the Board of Directors of Presentation House Gallery in North Vancouver, and chaired its Fundraising Committee for several years. Prior to becoming a partner in Studio 13 Fine Art, Rich sold her work in galleries and through exhibitions in Victoria and Vancouver. She presently has pieces at the Vancouver Art Gallery in its sales and rental program. Her work is in private collections across Canada, the United States and Europe.
As a painter, Rich is continuously evolving, experimenting with different mediums. In another body of work she has found unique ways to merge her photographic images with her vibrant and atmospheric works on canvas.