In 1944, she was accepted into the Ontario College of Art, where she was influenced by the Canadian portrait painter John Martin Alfsen.
Parsons studied under Franklin Carmichael of Canada's Group of Seven in her first year at OCA.
These included numerous portraits of public officials and prominent members of the community, including the speakers of the House of Assembly, mayors of St. John's, and presidents of the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
[6] Parsons Shepherd's artwork is part of private and public collections including that of The Rooms, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and the Power Corporation in Montreal, Quebec.
Parsons Shepherd worked on her art in St. John's during the winter and at Clarke's Beach, NL during the summer.