Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Save the Date - Friday, Nov. 2 - Wet Ink: new artists 2012

I am proud to be represented by Alan Avery Art Company and would like to invite my dear friends, family, collectors, clients and fans to join me at the opening reception Friday, November 2, 7-10pm. 

Debuting in just two weeks are my newest paintings inspired by my recent trip to France. I would love to share these with you in person. 
(For inquiries about available works, please contact the gallery directly. ) 

Thank you to everyone for your generous time, support, patronage and love. 
It is a blessing for me to have the opportunity to share what springs from my heart and soul with you;
it is a gift and I am grateful. 


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Bid on Artwork online or in person in Atlanta at Alan Avery Art Company-, this Friday, October 5th 7-10pm!

Dear Friends,

I hope you will join us this Friday, October 5th at Alan Avery Art Company for a very special event!  Help us by bidding on an incredible selection of artwork so we can all give to find a cure! 

I have donated a very special painting, 48x36" 'Flight of the Bees' for the auction. For those of you who have been sending supportive notes these past few months and expressing your desire to have one of my paintings in your collection, this is a wonderful opportunity!  

I hope you will please consider bidding on my piece. There are also many other amazing artists contributing as well and giving so generously - all of these works are available for you and your friends to bid on. Please find the selection through this link for a preview or to bid online! And thank you so much for your wonderful support! http://www.artforowen.org/



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Stellers Gallery Opening Reception: September 7th, 2012



You're invited!  Please save the date and join us on Friday, September 7th at Stellers Gallery in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida to celebrate my new series of paintings!  I will be exhibiting my work along with artist Enrique Mora for this show and look forward to seeing you all there in person!   Thank you so much for your continued support!

+For questions/inquiries, please contact the gallery directly #904-271-6065


New Paintings

JENNIFER J L JONES  and ENRIQUE MORA

Opening Reception: Friday, September 7th, 2012  (5:30pm-8:30pm)

STELLERS GALLERY
240 A1A, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082


Nalini
48x48"
Mixed Media Painting on Wood Panel
©2012 Jennifer J L Jones

Saturday, August 4, 2012

New representation: Alan Avery Art Company


I am very pleased to announce that my work is now being represented exclusively in Georgia by Alan Avery Art Company.  New paintings are currently in progress for an exhibition coming up November 2nd!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Radiant Flux solo exhibition at Hunter Kirkland Contemporary




Jennifer J L Jones - Radiant Flux


Opening Reception Friday, May 25, 2012, 5-7pm
Exhibition Continues Through June 10, 2012





Dear Friends and Collectors:

Hunter Kirkland Contemporary is pleased to present Jennifer J.L. Jones' exciting new work. Jones approaches her painting as an ongoing search for meaning and coherence in a beautiful but mysterious world. Her exquisitely crafted luminous surfaces serve as a kind of mirror that reflects an internal radiance that is hinted at but never actually seen.

The artist's technique of glazing thin layers of different kinds of paint and tar, then sanding them to produce a highly polished finish, has evolved along with her emotional expression. In this series she starts with a background of latex paint that she throws onto the panel as a way to open herself up, then paints on wax paper and presses it against the board to create blocks of color and pattern.

"I studied some of my earlier paintings and started to see the beauty in fragments of the whole, such that one little corner of the old painting would become the inspiration for a new piece that builds on those details, " says Jones. "I think of these paintings as a garden in full bloom, but with the garden's elements abstracted into color fields and shapes that contain an element of mystery."

Unlike the almost dreamlike quality of her previous work, which leads viewers into a state of contemplation, these new works have an immediate emotional impact. This creates a powerful connection between artist and viewer that transforms Jones' personal statement into a shared celebration of the natural world and its delightful complexities.

Sincerely,
Nancy Hunter, Owner/Director
Hunter Kirkland Contemporary


PLEASE CONTACT THE GALLERY FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hunter Kirkland Contemporary
200-B Canyon Road
Santa Fe, NM 87501
#505 984 2111









Sunday, April 15, 2012

Updates and News

What an incredibly busy 2012 it's been so far! Many of you already know about the latest news from  my Facebook Page, but for those who aren't on FB, here's the latest and greatest news, updates and tidbits!


I'm pleased to announce that my work is now being represented by Signature Art Gallery! This is the first opportunity to exhibit my work in Tallahassee and hope that it will generate some new relationships, collectors and fans in Florida! I hope those of you who are in that area will check out the gallery as well as visit their website online if you are long distance.



After years of wishing for "the" studio, the time has finally arrived! I am in the process of moving into my new beautiful studio and I'm thrilled to say that it's exciting me in a way that a studio hasn't in a very long time! Every time I walk in to my new space, I feel extremely peaceful and have already been working on a commissioned painting in progress... I am inspired to continue working on my newest series, Radiant Flux, which will debut in Santa Fe, New Mexico at Hunter Kirkland Contemporary on Friday, May 25th. I'll be there in person to celebrate and looking forward to sharing all of my latest inspirations with everyone in person. If you aren't on Hunter Kirkland's mailing list, but would like to be, please follow the link above and contact to the gallery directly for more information.

To celebrate my new studio and help with the transition and make room for all new works that will be in progress, I have decided to host a small studio moving sale the weekend of April 28th. The works available will be posted online and via email with an announcement to be sent out shortly. If you would like to be sure you are on the list to see what is available, please contact me directly and I'll make sure you are on the list. Email me at:   info [at] jenniferjljones.com

Currently my work is being featured in Kessenich Contemporary's new Pop Up Gallery in downtown Atlanta now through May 1st. Please go see this great space and view my paintings in person! I'm delighted to be surrounded by such a great group of work by my contemporaries! ALSO, be sure to sign up for Kessenich Contemporary's mailing list so you don't miss out on upcoming events! (Like the potential show coming up in Savannah including the works of yours truly at the end of the summer!) . . . Here's hoping that all comes together! I do LOVE Savannah!

Another great opportunity that has appeared recently is being approached by an agent about having my works available to include in upcoming movies and television shows/productions! More news about that to come soon, but these kinds of opportunities are so fun to be included in... I've always wondered how to get this kind of thing going and now that the timing is right, you just never know where it will all lead!
I hope to post more information about this at the end of April!

I've been waiting to share this last bit of news because it is what I've been bubbling about for over a week now! You may have heard... and yes! The rumors are true!! I have been invited along with a few of my local wonderful contemporaries to exhibit my work in Paris, France this December! Thanks to Besharat Gallery, my work will be going international again this winter! As I have links and more information over the coming months, I will certainly post it and share... I am so excited by this opportunity and really feel like I'm ready to go to a whole new level with my work around the world!

On that note, I hope this update finds everyone well, wherever you may be... It's been an interesting year so far to say the least and I'm looking to make everything in the upcoming months as extraordinary as possible!

Sending out my love and thanks to you all for your generous support. I truly appreciate it!

~Jennifer

Monday, March 26, 2012

2012 Series: Radiant Flux

The first two paintings for the Radiant Flux series solo exhibition in Santa Fe are completed and there are many more beautiful works in progress. My new studio is almost finished as well and I will be creating in a much more conducive space for my projects in the near future. Wonderful things are coming together this spring and I am looking forward to sharing all of my latest inspirations and upcoming news/events in the works! 

Happy Spring!


Radiant Flux
New Paintings by Jennifer J L Jones
2012

Radiant Flux is the continuation of Jones' luminous immersive experience of nature and her unique journey as an artist. Her lush paintings exemplify the transcendence of introspective thought and the wonder of the world around her. She manifests evocative sensations of the natural world creating ethereal gardens and organic color fields. The Radiant Flux series is the essence behind the painted veils; the indefinable in nature; its mysterious beauty and radiant inner power. 

Friday, February 10, 2012

Fantastic! Fabulous! February!

February has been non-stop! WHAT a month!!! So many great things going on and special ways I've found to give back. I hope you find at least one of these that is just right for you or someone you know who has been wanting a painting or a book... this is the month to take advantage of these incredible pieces of art at seriously generous price considerations! Enjoy your art collecting! And thank you so much for your support!!


This month ONLY!

• Save $10 on my new SERENATA book at checkout when you purchase a copy online before FEBRUARY 27th! Just use promo code SAVE10! Click HERE.

• Now through Valentines Day, I'm showing the big love again! You can purchase one of the last 6x6" beautiful Serenata paintings through my Etsy shop! The promo code SAVE25 is only good through February 14th! Hurry! Just click HERE


Serenata 27
6x6" mixed media painting on wood
©2011 JenniferJLJones


• I've partnered with Kessenich Contemporary to offer a truly exclusive opportunity on one of my brand new paintings!  Kessenich Contemporary has introduced 1forONEk - the best way to start your high-end art collection or add on to it! Purchase a $1000 painting for what is valued at $3000! Click here to take advantage and make this piece yours! Hurry as this is for 30 days only!!!!



Suvarna
46x22" mixed media painting on wood
©2012 Jennifer J L Jones


• It sure feels good to give back. This month The Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia is holding its annual gala fundraiser. I've donated one of my Serenata paintings as well as one of my Serenata books to this charity event. Here's hoping some of you reading this will be in attendance and can help out a great cause! For more information, click here!


• Each year that I am asked, I say 'YES!' to helping out Art Papers with their annual art auction and fundraiser. This year I have donated Tanpopo, a 40x40" painting that has been admired by many over the past couple of years. The bidding starts at only $800. on a $4000. valued painting! I'm eager to see where this painting will find its home this weekend. You can come to the event or even send in an absentee bid if you wish! Just do this ASAP, because the auction is tomorrow night! Click HERE for all the details and to contact Art Papers directly. 


Tanpopo
40x40" mixed media painting on wood
©2008 JenniferJLJones


• Last, but not nearly least is my group show BEST OF ATLANTA currently open at Besharat Gallery.  This exhibition features a selection of my most recent paintings and will be shown through March 17th.  Please contact the gallery directly for more information and to view the works in person-- not to be missed are also the works by my contemporaries in this show-- this is what I believe to be a skillfully curated group of works and artists! I hope you enjoy! Click here for an online preview!


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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Best of Atlanta Group Exhibition, Wed. Feb. 1st, 2012

If the first month of 2012 has been any indication, we are in for a VERY interesting & exciting year ahead.

My first exhibition this year is coming up on Wednesday, February 1st at Besharat Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. I hope those of you in the Atlanta area will be able to attend the opening reception and see this exhibition: Best of Atlanta.  Looking forward to seeing you there!


BEST OF ATLANTA




 Besharat Gallery 

175 Peters St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 - Gallery Info

FEBRUARY 01, 2012 - MARCH 17, 2012


Besharat Gallery will exhibit works from some of the most notable artists in Atlanta.  While these artists may live and work in Atlanta, their talent and works are both nationally and internationally recognized and collected.  A list of exhibiting artists include:  John Folsom, Jennifer J.L. Jones, Courtney J. Garrett, Kevin Archer, Michael J. Barringer, Anthony Liggins and Brett Osborne.  Details on opening reception forthcoming.


Saturday, December 31, 2011

Saying Goodbye and Thanks to 2011

In recent years I've been surprised when the end of another year has arrived; usually trying to understand how 12 months passed so quickly, but not 2011.  It's been a long, full year and I know exactly where all of my time went.


A year of conscious living and so many lessons, achievements, hardships, changes, blessings and everything in between. I spent a month in Italy to celebrate a big birthday and to make a long time dream become a reality. My month-long Italian residency was only the beginning of all that I would come to realize and the ways in which I would grow. I gained a different perspective of myself, the world,  and a greater understanding of my part in it that I'd not fully realized until this year. 


2011 was quite a journey. My artwork grew as I grew... 


I painted the Serenata series of works that are hands down the best pieces I have ever created. Following the changes in the  economy and feeling the effects much like everyone else, I had to come up with ways to make things work, shift, regroup and reinvent ways of continuing my work as a full time artist. My exhibitions were all a success in their own way and my exhibiting galleries and representatives have been such a light for me. My last exhibition for this year was entitled Ebb & Flow - it was a chance for me to help curate and partner with the gallery and the idea for the show mirrored the way in which I was able to follow my path. 


My year has been intense and full of personal enlightenment. By Thanksgiving I finally completed my very first coffee table book, another dream of mine I have always longed to make a reality. The response to my work, the celebrations surrounding my exhibitions and the inspiration I have been able to give to others have all made my year one of the richest I can recall. Not every year that is "the best year" means it is necessarily the happiest or the one filled with romance or even lots of excitement. In fact, sometimes it is the darkest times that can show us the brightest light when we look for it.  2011 was a year to grow up in a way that I needed to... a way for me to become more of my authentic self. And that's what made it so special for me. Learning how to be present and nourish myself allowed me to find a new depth in all things. I believe all of this is reflected in my relationships and translates into a journey that many who know me can see as positive change in me as a person and in my work. 


My feeling of gratefulness is with me as I write this. My plan for 2012 is to continue on my journey and take the best care of myself and those around me as I can. If I can have another year as fulfilling as this past one, I know I will be heading in the right direction. I also feel a larger responsibility that I need to find as many ways to give back and help the less fortunate as much as I can. My heart breaks every time I hear about animal abuse and I believe it is an important time to take greater care of these animals - this will be where a large part of my donations will go. I believe it is our responsibility to protect and nourish the beautiful things in this world. That includes other people, animals and our natural resources. 


With a new year, we are gifted more time to become better versions of ourselves... and a continued chance to make a difference in the world for the better. I pray that I will stay awake and present and conscious so that I may continue to help make this world a better place.  


With that I wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope it is filled with blessings and above all, continued PEACE.


Thank you so much for your ongoing support of me, my artwork and my efforts. Every little bit is important to me and very much appreciated!

Love and light,

Jennifer

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Annual New Works Group Show at Hunter Kirkland Contemporary

I'm pleased to announce that I've just completed and shipped out another new painting to Hunter Kirkland Cotemporary in Santa Fe, New Mexico for our annual new works group show. I hope those of you in the NM area will be able to view these new works in person... and/or online! Let your art collections and homes grow with more beauty during the holidays!

Hunter Kirkland Contemporary
Annual Group Show

November 21st - December 31st




"Felicita"
48x48"
Mixed Media Painting on Wood
©2011 Jennifer J L Jones

Monday, November 14, 2011

Opening Reception of Ebb & Flow



Please join us this Friday, November 18 from 5-8 pm for the artists' reception "EBB AND FLOW" featuring new work by Jennifer J. L. JonesToni JohnWendy McArthur ,and John Folsom.  Experience the quiet calm of nature embodied in new works by four unique artists.   Enjoy live music and light refreshments.

Stellers Gallery
240 A1A N. Ste. 13
Ponte Vedra Beach FL 32082

Ebb and Flow: Exhibition Opening Friday, November 18th 5-8PM

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

St. Augustine Florida News: Stellers Gallery at Ponte Vedra to feature four renowned artists in a new group show, Nov. 18






11.09.2011



by Tom Ski 



Stellers Gallery at Ponte Vedra to feature four renowned artists in a new group show, Nov. 18

Stellers Gallery at Ponte Vedra will exhibit the new artwork of four renowned artists during the group show, Ebb and Flow. The painters and mixed media artists are to be featured at the opening on Friday, November 18  from 5 pm until 8 pm at Stellers Gallery at Ponte Vedra, 240 A1A North, Ste. 13 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The public show remains on display through December. For more information, contact the gallery at 904.273.6065. Visit the website atwww.stellersgallery.com.

John Folsom, Jennifer J. L. Jones, Toni John and Wendy McArthur will exhibit new works with a focus on the natural. The artists are all highly collected and exhibited. Each painter complements each other’s talent with a unique visual experience.

John Folsom’s landscapes communicate his unique interpretations with mixed media on panels.  His photographic images are designed as a grid and pieced onto each panel.  Folsom completes the artwork with oils on the surface and seals each piece with a wax medium.

Jennifer J. L. Jones explores an abstract interpretation of energy and beauty with her artistic meditations on moments of change.  Her brilliantly colored, yet subtle luminous finishes are glazed and richly layered as introspective works which are inspired by nature.

Toni John features her abstract paintings in a large format and delves into brilliant colors with an extensive use of silver and gold leaf powder. Her work is influenced by Byzantine and Near Eastern art. Her work reflects a complexity of beauty and a celebration of earthly and celestial subjects.

Wendy McArthur exhibits art that features rich layers of paint and glaze depicting the tranquility of lone boats and bicycles. Her shapes and blocks of color are large on the canvas with refined sketching and brushwork along with radiant hues from her personally crafted ground pigments.



Stellers Gallery at Ponte Vedra is open from Monday through Friday from 11 am until 6 pm and Saturday from 11 am until4 pm. Phone number is 904.273.6065.

Tom Ski Tom Ski is a master of the great outdoors. You can find Tom fly fishing in Montana, photographing elk and bison, watching birds from a hide or in the long grass, talking about life on his radio show and writing about his adventures. www.befirstinc.com www.be-wisdom.com http://www.facebook.com/AllTiedUpProductions Email this author | All posts by Tom Ski | Topic: Art, Community Events | Tags: Art, art walk, chalk, drawing, exhibit, framing, gallery, gicele, oil, original, painting, pastel, showing

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Chicago Art Source Gallery Group Exhibition

Please join me this Friday, November 11th (6-8pm) for the opening reception of my next group show!


Chicago Art Source Gallery

1871 North Clybourn Avenue  Chicago, IL 60614-4947


Sunday, September 11, 2011

Links to more updates/news/etc

For those of you who may be looking for more info/news/updates... I've just posted another online journal entry on my wordpress site.

You can also follow my tweets and/or "like" my Facebook page for ongoing updates,etc.


Thank you for your support!! Looking forward to sharing more images and news with you on all of these links/social media outlets SOON!



Sunday, August 28, 2011

Recent Inspiration


Cumberland Island
photos: ©2011 Jennifer J L Jones


A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to take a couple of days to get to the shoreline... and take a ferry over to an unspoiled island as well. These are a few of the images from that trip and that are inspiring new works in the studio now. This fall one of my shows is "Ebb & Flow"... which is perfect for these water shots to base paintings on. Should be fun to see how they transform & flow over the coming weeks/months.



Tybee Island
photos: ©2011 Jennifer J L Jones


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Painting Featured in Traditional Home Magazine

Last week two of my collectors from San Francisco sent me a nice e-mail mentioning they had been flipping through their August issue of Traditional Home Magazine and saw my artwork featured in an article. I was delighted and happily surprised by this news and immediately pulled it up online to view.

Art over fireplace (by Jennifer J.L. Jones): Fay Gold Gallery, jenniferjljones.com.


I want to thank my collectors for alerting me to this as well as to the collectors who own the "Niwa" (totems) and have it in their beautiful Atlanta home collection. I'm pleased to know that my work is in such wonderful collections around the world. My gratitude goes out to all of you who are so wonderfully genuine and supportive. Thank you! Thank you!


Interior designer: William C. Huff Jr., and Heather Zarrett Dewberry, Huff-Dewberry, LLC, 2300 Peachtree Rd. N.W., Suite B201, Atlanta, GA 30309-1122; 404/355-7600, huffdewberry.com.

Architect: Bulent Baydar, Harrison Design Assoc., 3198 Cains Hill Pl. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30305-1844; 404/365-7760, harrisondesignassociates.com.

Photographs by Emily Followill
Text by Amy Elbert
Produced by Lisa Mowry



Base hits and double plays were Jeff Blauser’s bread and butter for more than 10 years as a major leaguer for the Atlanta Braves. Who knew the shortstop had a keen eye for architecture and design as well?

Now retired from playing professional baseball, Jeff and his wife, Andee, drafted their own team--architects, designers, artisans, and a contractor--to build a new home in the Atlanta area. The couple and their two children, Abbie, 11, and Cooper, 8, needed space to spread out, but building big wasn’t the overriding goal. Instead, Jeff and Andee favored a flowing floor plan with a great room, kitchen, and loggia on the back of the house that see as much action as a pitcher’s mound. Kids’ pool parties and sleepovers, family dinners and impromptu gatherings on the loggia are the norm at the Blauser house. Interiors are a graceful blend of Southern elegance and down-home Southern hospitality, reflecting Andee’s Louisiana upbringing.

“I love the beauty of neutrals,” says Andee, who warmed to a dreamy backdrop of cream and taupe, with blue and chocolate accents. Elegance was key, but so were furnishings that would perform. Antique beams, oiled wood floors, and nubby fabrics tone down any pretense of dressiness and are virtually indestructible. “Both Jeff and I love antiques, so we wanted to go that route,” says Andee. “We also mixed in new things because it makes rooms unique and more interesting. We don’t want to look like everyone else.”

Atlanta designers Heather Dewberry and Will Huff hit the antiques markets and shops with Andee in search of furnishings that were the right mix of comfort and style. “They wanted a home that was great for entertaining and would also feel cozy when it was just the four of them,” Dewberry says. Both Jeff and Andee weighed in on design decisions, and Andee, in particular, “had to really love something before they bought,” the designer adds.

The same held true for the architecture, with the Blausers taking a couple of years to finalize house plans. “They wanted an English manor-style home, but they also wanted it to be open and contemporary inside,” says Bill Harrison, who designed the house with fellow architect Bulent Baydar. Triple gables across the front pay homage to the English style, while huge bay windows ensure interiors are flooded with light.

“That’s one of the trends we’re seeing,” adds Baydar. “People want the look of an old home on the outside, but inside they want lighter spaces with lots of windows, less trim, and clean lines.” Per Jeff’s request, interior trim and architectural details are restrained. “Jeff wanted clean lines, minimal trim, nothing fussy,” Baydar says.

The open floor plan is centered on a spacious stair hall that flows to the great room, kitchen, and a loggia. French doors topped with transoms and gabled windows cut into the kitchen’s vaulted ceiling fill the rooms with light. Antique ceiling beams and trim around some doorways ground the rooms, adding warmth and character. “These are very fluid spaces, and the house almost feels contemporary, but it is brought back to traditional with the natural beams, the wood trim, and, of course, the furnishings,” Harrison says. A pair of sculptural chaises and a chocolate brown sofa in the great room allow for comfortable television viewing without blocking the French doors.

As you walk in the front door, you see right into the great room,” says Dewberry. “We didn’t want to block the views from those glass doors with sofas.”

While the chaises were custom-made to fit Jeff’s 6-foot-1-inch frame, “the kids have totally claimed them,” Andee says. Fortunately, the designers covered them with a durable chenille basket-weave fabric. “This is a high-traffic room, so we made sure fabrics would perform.” A center coffee table/ottoman wears easy-care Ultrasuede. “You can spill anything on it and wipe it off,” Dewberry says.

A multiarm Italian chandelier hangs above the ottoman and balances the large room without dominating it. “We all fell in love with that chandelier,” Huff remembers. “It’s open and elegant and just what the room needed.”

Activities spill from the great room into the showstopper kitchen, with a ceiling that soars to 24 feet. Counter bar stools and a charming scalloped high-back banquette in the family dining area allow for plenty of seating for daily meals and when the family entertains. “The square-to-round table is great when we have extra people,” Andee says. “We can just open the leaves on the four sides and pull up a few more chairs.”

Atlanta kitchen designer Beth Barfield maximized limited wall space for cabinets with a tall, pull-out pantry beside the range and countertop-level cabinets with flip-up doors for storing small appliances. Cabinets are painted a soft blue-gray, a palette repeated throughout the house; corner cabinets are fitted with leaded mercury-glass fronts. A scallop-topped marble backsplash on the sink wall, curvaceous candle-style sconces, and graceful chandeliers give the space a dressy feel without being overly formal. “We’re definitely not over-the-top-type people,” Andee says.

Proving that, the Blausers spend much of their time on the loggia off the kitchen. With soft seating, outdoor draperies, a fireplace, and a television, “the loggia is Jeff’s favorite room,” Andee reports. Friends often drop by with the greeting, “Is it loggia time?” she adds. “In the summer, we have the fans going, and when it’s cool, we light the fire and close the outdoor curtains. It’s really cozy.” A home run, whatever the season.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

New Mailing List

I've got a link and I'm not afraid to use it!

After nearly a full year of frustrations from mailing list mix-ups and black lists and being mistaken for spam, I've finally turned to My Emma to help me manage my art mailing list. I'm starting from scratch and posting this to let everyone know. If you're interested in being on the official non-spam, sans-black list art mailing list for Jennifer J L Jones Studios, it's time to sign up!

I am looking forward to being able to send out announcements and invitations via email again. Such a luxury we can sometimes take for granted.

Don't wait! Sign up for this fresh new list. And thanks for your support!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

May 2011 Interview

A few folks mentioned they missed seeing this interview I did with Veronica Kessenich of Kessenich Contemporary in May. The link was posted, but perhaps it was somewhat lost in the blog posts and other various social media? In any case, I'm posting the entire interview here for those that may have missed it. Hope you enjoy!


Jennifer J L Jones:


Her Authentic Self


Atlanta-based artist, Jennifer J L Jones, sits down to answer a few questions outside her studio. Over coffee & bagels, she laughs about the ups and downs of living in a villa in the Italian countryside, what inspires her work, and where she plans to journey next (perhaps without ever leaving the studio.)

A view from outside the studio

VK: Do you have a ritual before beginning to paint?

JJLJ: No, but my work depends on my energy level. I am very aware of how I am feeling so I will, sometimes, briefly meditate allowing me to go inward and tap into my energy, helping me to discover what I am going to paint.

VK: Do you listen to music or have a playlist that helps you?

JJLJ: I do create a new playlist for each series I am working on and I sometimes put it on my blog. The music is all mood oriented and very eclectic. There are few things I don’t listen to. Well, I don’t listen to speed metal (she laughs), but I listen to everything from Opera to Rap – it all depends on the energy that I am wanting for the series that I’m working on.

My Serenata series, which will span the duration of the year, has a broad array of songs, a few of which are:

Let Him Fly – Patti Griffin (about letting go)
Claire de Lune – Debussy (it’s soooo pretty)
Stay or Leave – Dave Matthews Band (the lyrics are delish)

The music, so far, has evolved as my mood changes. If I feel like it’s getting too weepy, I will change it and listen to something more playful. In talking about it, I realize that the words of the songs are very important and evident in the work. If you listen to the songs, you’ll hear a similar theme that exists in the paintings: seeking, finding and letting go.

VK: Why the concept of ‘letting go’?

JJLJ: It is very personal; it’s where I am in my life. About liberating myself from unrealistic fantasies – letting go of the old notions that are not working to then allow me to embrace things that will work. It’s an act of self-discovery. The cheesy term of finding yourself and thereby coming to know yourself, a desire to make yourself happy from the inside and listen to your inner muse.

VK: As you embark on this journey of self-discovery, do you think your painting allows you to travel (without ever leaving the studio)?

JJLJ: I come from a family of travelers and viewers have told me that they feel like they’ve been to these places (that I paint), but they cannot orient themselves at a specific location. Perhaps this is what they connect with – the notion of embarking on a journey through the paintings with me as their guide or companion.

These are some of my sketches from my Italian art sabbatical- abstract cyprus trees, artichoke, olive tree, waterfalls, fire, enchanted woods… stormy weather that eventually led to the arrival of spring…


VK: In walking around your studio, I notice your sketches have a lot of words on them as well. Why do you incorporate text and image (on your sketches)?

JJLJ: What I went through in Italy was intense – good, but challenging – and, I wanted to remember specific moments. The text allows me to remember the experience. I felt it was important to anchor what I was thinking – the sketch is so quick, that it doesn’t hold the weight that the paintings do.

VK: So, in Italy was when you really embraced making watercolors.

JJLJ: I did break down in Cortona and buy acrylic and paintbrushes – it was incredible reading the colors in Italian to the shop keeper and though my pronunciation was definitely not superb, it was fun picking them out. He understood what I was saying. Obviously when it comes to art, everyone speaks a very familiar language.

Some of my very first paint brushes from my first year in college are in this pic.

And some cotton. I LOVE cotton. I want a huge arrangement of it.


VK: Other than music and travel, where do you find inspiration?

JJLJ: Nature. And my emotions. Ranging from delight to heartbreak and combined with my attempts to understand the world around me, this seemingly personal journey, the learning of life lessons – which is our life lesson – is evident in nature. If you look at my images, you’ll find a diverse array of flora and fauna that must be sifted through in order to discover the essential truth that it is the journey that is most important.

VK: How do you keep yourself motivated, organized?

JJLJ: I’m sure on some level, I am organized even though I don’t feel it. I have timelines that keep me motivated and on task with my goals. (Laughing) Birthdays help too – My most recent birthday was good at making me get organized – pushing me to get to the place that I want to be.

My work tables have become works of art themselves.


VK: What’s the best advice you’ve received from a mentor? Or, what advice would you give?

JJLJ: One of my instructors always encouraged us to take our ideas and do thorough research on what has been done prior and then, take it further. My advice: Follow your heart and listen to yourself. This is the key to everything. Take others opinions with a grain of salt – you must remain authentic.

VK: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

JJLJ: Just one? (She laughs) That’s a really good question. Maybe fly? I need a bit more time with that one. All the superpowers are such a control thing – I don’t necessarily want to read peoples minds or stop time – I just want to let go. Having a superpower would take away the mystery of things.

Ah yes, my crunchy painting apron. It tends to fascinate people when they see how thick the paint is in person.