 Hammer & Tongs |
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 St Columba |
 Good Shepherd |
At the age of 15 Parsons became a pupil-apprentice in the studio of Christopher Whall where he was strongly influenced by the philosophy and practice of the Arts and Crafts Movement. He was an exceptional pupil, and in collaboration with Whall, he made the windows for Cape Town Cathedral in 1908. Parsons set up his own studio at Lowndes and Drury's "Glasshouse" in Lettice Street the same year, and also began teaching at the LCC Central School of Arts and Crafts.
A visit to Chartres in 1924 had a dramatic effect on Karl Parsons. He wrote: 'So far as my knowledge goes, this world cannot show anything made by man so amazingly beautiful.' He loved rich, exuberant colours, and used pigment, acid-etching and plating to achieve the effects he wanted.
Other examples of his work can be seen at Bibury (Glos.), Waterford (Herts.), Tenby (Dyfed) and Porthcawl (Mid Glamorgan).