Monday, January 13, 2014

Greatness with a Brush: Artist Jane Jones

Jane Jones
artist, Jane Jones

Jane Jones - Rose Rhapsody
Rose Rhapsody
JONRO1  22” x 21”  $375
JONRO2  5” x 7”  Mini $100
Jane Jones - Summer
Summer
JONSU2  32” x 18”  $425
JONSU3  8.5” x 5” Mini $100
Jane Jones - Shining Moment
Shining Moment
JONSH2  20” x 15”  $295
JONSH3 7” x 5”  Mini $100
Jane Jones - Crimson Evening
Crimson Evening
JONCR1  24” x 24”  $425 
JONCR2  7” x 7” Mini $100
Each giclée canvas is hand-signed by the artist. All artwork © Jane Jones.
It’s a brand new year; a great time to learn more about your favorite artists. (And if it’s cold where you are, there’s no better time to gaze at the exquisite floral creations of Jane Jones and learn a little more about what inspires this extraordinary artist.)

GG: Other than painting, what is your favorite pastime?
Jane: I love living and playing with my dogs and cats. They are always “in the moment” and happy to do anything together. And I love gardening, whether it is weeding or just enjoying the visual beauty, sounds and smells. One of the toughest things that I have to do is cutting the flowers from the plant. But once I get just the right light on them and the glass vase − well, I’m beside myself with excitement at the possibility of translating it into paint.
GG: In addition to your extensive art studies, you have a Bachelor of Science degree. How has this influenced your artwork?
Jane: The elegance of nature, from cells to ecosystems is so magnificent. Looking into the lives of cells, plants and animals gave me a glimpse into the awesome power of living things and an incredible respect for them. One day I decided to investigate flowers with a new close-up lens on my camera and saw a whole new and incredibly beautiful world of shape and movement, much like looking into a microscope. As a result, I began to paint large canvases with magnified flowers. 
GG: When did you know that you were destined to become an artist?
Jane: In 1985 I read the book Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keeffe, and as I was reading it, I found so many ideas and thoughts with which I identified. Her life and mine have very little in common, but we share the passion for art and a way of seeing the world, and realizing those things caused me to apply to art schools and make the commitment to follow that path. Or spend the rest of my life wishing that I had!
GG: Who has most encouraged or inspired you?
Jane: My husband has always encouraged me in every way. And having taught Art History for many years, I’ve gotten to know the lives and ideas of so many great artists and learned a lot different things them. Many of the problems and solutions in artists' lives and their work are the same no matter what the century.
GG: What is your preferred medium with which to paint and why is it your favorite?
Jane: I love, love, love oil paint. It is so smooth and sensual to work with, and compared to other media, it is really forgiving of mistakes. And I think it is the most beautiful medium because of the density of the pigment and how it interacts with light.
GG: You often include symbolic elements in your paintings that give them a spiritual dimension. What do you hope that people will discover in your work?
Jane: The beauty and value of nature. Beauty is something that people respond to; it is uplifting and hopeful…the desire for it is universal. Flowers occupy the elevated level of beauty, which moves us and evokes notes of aspiration to vibrate within us. There is something truly celebratory about flowers in sunlight. Light invests them with energy and liveliness.
GG: What do you find to be the single most gratifying aspect of being an artist?
Jane: There are several really gratifying things in my artistic life. I absolutely love the excitement of new ideas. They make the world new and exciting, and it seems like everything is possible. It’s such a great ride! And then it is so wonderful and exciting when new ideas are realized into new paintings, and I am happy with what I have created. The last part is when a viewer understands what I was communicating. Then the communication is complete.


The elegant giclée canvases of Jane Jones are striking whether displayed individually or grouped. Gallery-wrapped and ready to hang, framing is optional. Click the links or call 800.621.1141 to order, and prepare to be dazzled!