SOLEIL SPRING ISSUE 2019

Brian Jones
B
rooklyn-based artist
Brian Jones is no
stranger to New York.
Jones is from the Hudson
Valley region of New York,
an area well known for The
Hudson River School.
Inspired at an early age,
Jones took on an apprenticeship
to his father; a metal
sculptor. Jones enriched his
life with various mediums:
experimenting with patinas
on metal, fabricating forms
out of wood and eventually
throwing paint onto canvas.
“It was in second grade that I
realized my life would revolve
around art. It actually started
as a miserable day, I was ill
in bed - home from school.
Around three o’clock my sister
comes running home with
a manila envelope, her feet
barely touching the ground in
excitement - she urges me to
open it. My pastel perspective
drawing of a chair was
selected for my elementary
school’s permanent collection.
As a young kid I could see the
impact my artwork had on my
family, friends, and school. My
desire to create blossomed.”
Repetition bores me, because we’re not
machines - nor will we feel the same way about
a piece a day later, or even a quick glance
later.
Years later, Jones found
himself studying Industrial
Design at the Pratt Institute.
During his time in college,
Jones focused on the
relationship between
form, space and color.
Following school in 2015,
Jones emerged as a designer,
dedicated to incorporating
nature into contemporary
painting, particularly through
dynamic tension and balance
of vivid colors, bold
lines and geometric collisions.
Jones admires the
works of Andy Goldsworthy,
Alexander Calder, Fortunato
Depero, Constantin Brancusi,
and Stewart Davis. Jones has
a steady hand for crisp lines
but can be seen breaking his
stylistic routine, submerged
up to his elbows in paint
around a pinned up canvas.
“I think it is important to
take a step back from your
projects daily. I usually have
5-10 projects going on at
once, all leading in different
directions - with different
styles. Repetition bores me,
because we’re not machines
- nor will we feel the same
way about a piece a day later,
or even a quick glance later.
I hardly feel my work is
complete, but I can step away
from time to time feeling
s a t i s f i e d . ”