Molly Parkin

Molly Parkin was born in Wales in 1932 and studied at both Goldsmiths and Brighton art schools, winning the prestigious Rome Scholarship early in her career. She exhibited widely from the late 1950s through the mid‑1960s, with work from this period now held in the Tate Gallery collection. After returning to painting in the 1980s, Molly continued to create from her home in Chelsea.

Alongside her visual art, Molly is celebrated as a novelist, writer of comic erotica and author of two autobiographies. Her extraordinary life has included numerous television appearances, roles in several films and three years hosting her own BBC Radio show. She has been the subject of multiple documentaries and was featured on BBC Radio 4’s iconic Desert Island Discs.

Molly also made a significant impact on the world of fashion. She served as fashion editor for Nova, Harpers & Queen and The Sunday Times, designed for BiBa, and even co‑owned a restaurant with actor Sir Terence Stamp.

In 2012, Molly was awarded the Queen’s Civil List Pension in recognition of her outstanding lifetime contribution to the arts — an honour previously given to figures such as William Wordsworth and Augustus John.

Coastal Gallery is delighted to present a small selection of Molly Parkin’s exuberant paintings.