Otis Jones

Born in Galveston, Texas in 1946, Jones has created a distinctive body of abstract paintings in his long and illustrious career.

His sculpted paintings may seem muted at first until we perceive its hand-made quality, its nuances and subtleties. Jones tacks roughly-cut canvases over thick, irregularly shaped wood frames. The layered edges of plywood and staples remain exposed and celebrated. Jones then paints numerous layers, repeatedly sanding and reworking the surface to attain a natural abraded texture. A few formal elements of small circles or lines are added or excavated from under-painting. As a result, his paintings are sincere and full of character, bearing traces of its genealogy.

Jones explains: “I’m interested in objects, patina, wear, and age. Each piece takes on its own geology. I don’t hide anything. It’s a very real object.” Pared down to the essentials, Jones’ works contain an incredible aura of permanence.

Jones received his B.F.A from Kansas State University in 1969, continued graduate studies at Montana State University and earned his M.F.A. in 1972 from the University of Oklahoma. He was the 1982 recipient of a Visual Artists Fellowship Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and has taught at Texas Christian University, the University of Texas at Austin and has served as an Associate Professor and Visiting Professor at University of Texas at Arlington. Jones’ work can be found in many private and public collections such as the Dallas Museum of Art.

 

press release (Sunday-S Gallery)