Saturday, August 1, 2009

I Am A Sometime Artist..But

I remember drawing with my mom at 2 1/2 years old. She would draw a picture and I would trace it on the back..I also freehanded a picture of my dad complete with glasses and eyelashes. At 5 I knew that I wanted to be an artist. I had a crayon drawing of a red bird on the wall during a parent get together with the teacher. I remember that I loved getting all the attention..ha..I knew then it was all I wanted to do

My parents, Bubba and Myrt, supported me in my art but wanted me to have something to fall back on in case I couldn't make a living...they were great parents just wanted to protect me..So when I started college, my major was Physical Education..I hated it..ha..even my counselor thought I needed to rethink my major..I guess failing the Red Cross class was an indicator..ha..it was mainly because I never showed up for class. I majored in Graphic Design and Illustration...I loved it...but I really was not very happy in a college setting..so I decided to explore other avenues..

I sent my transcript to Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida..I was accepted..I took a bus down there and I never looked back..I had found my niche.. There were others like me..ha..spacey and wanting to do art all the time. I finally belonged..At that time Ringling was a three year art school..I graduated with a certificate in Graphic Design & Illustration.

I came back home to Mobile and for the next 3 years i struggled to find an art job..I would get great compliments on my portifolio, but no one would hire me..I did different types of art jobs that didn't require alot of graphic design..like working on Mardi Gras Floats, silk-screening and whatever..I just finally gave up on graphic design work..It was just too frustrating to find a job and I realized I rather be doing Fine Arts..

On entering a local art show I won Best Of Show...now I was getting somewhere..from then on about every show that I entered I would win some type of award..It was fun..During that period of time I was really gungho..I participated in woman shows, fine arts and craft shows, museum shows, gallery shows....Then I became President of The Mobile Art Association during the 80's. I have done publicity for several art organizations and even chaired an outdoor fine arts and craft show..I joined the local Art Co-op..I have done interviews in some papers and magazines...locally and nationally. My paintings are in collections...

My paintings were of a personal testament on how I felt about the world around me..my painting was mainly opaque watercolors or gouache..I used canson pastel paper where I would just do a line drawing which was careful thought out..I would then paint little dots and crosshatchings of color..building up depth into my paintings..they looked like pastels or silk-screenings..I would put alot of time into my work..I guess it showed that I had patience..ha..dot, dot, dot, crosshatch, crosshatch, crosshatch..ha..where it came from I have no idea..I did portraits of people I knew and regional landscapes..in a impressionistic/realistic way..before I quit painting I started to incorporate color pencils & gold leaf into my paintings..Some of my paintings are almost 30 years old and are still very vibrate..I painted like this for close to 20 years..until..

My dad, John Henry Jones, affectionately known as "Bubba" passed away on February 5, 2000..it took the wind out of my sail..My closest friend and parent..the one person who got me..and I could relate to pop..now was gone..I just couldn't get interested in painting...or doing any type of artwork..or even being part of the artist community..I wasn't interested in doing anything for a long time..

Now in 2009 I am beginning again..the opaques were great but I want to create something different..I have been playing with polymer clays..doing some reliefs where I might incorporate them into some sort of painting..maybe even designing the frame too..I've become more interested in sculptural ideas..but with paintings..I am still working on it..Hopefully I plan on entering local shows soon..

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