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Fay Jones: Recent Paintings
Lauro Russo Gallery
Portland OR Nov 4-27, 2004
Fay Jones, Angry Man (2004), acrylic on paper, [Laura Russo Gallery, Portland, OR Nov 4-27]
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Seattle veteran Fay Jones has captivated art audiences since her arrival on the Northwest art scene in the 1970s. Jones’ aesthetic language has become a trademark in numerous public locations throughout Portland and Seattle. As a figurative painter, she originated an introspective painting technique that engages viewers. Although her paintings have stylistic roots in the Surrealists' approach to the unconscious, as well as the intuitive colour and line work of the French Modernists, her eclectic mix of imagery reaches out to different audiences.
Working exclusively on paper with acrylics, watercolour and “sumi” ink, Jones often incorporates collaged materials in her paintings to achieve an unusually rich surface. The outlined figures seen in profile are gracefully rendered. They recur in allegorical worlds where their depth of spirit speaks through metaphors and juxtapositions.
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Fay Jones, French Lessons (2004), acrylic on paper, diptych [Laura Russo Gallery, Portland OR Nov 4-27]
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Fay Jones, Baby Safe (2004), acrylic and sumi on paper, [Laura Russo Gallery, Portland, OR Nov 4-27]
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Jones’ strength in design and composition is matched by her ability to use colour and pattern to represent emotional sensations. In Angry Man, his red-toned head is set against a green landscape, while his turned back hides a pale woman. This type of relationship between figures is central to Jones’ visual dialogue. Boxers, babies, and men and woman in quirky settings seem like poetic resolutions to unknown dramas. As viewers unravel her invented contemplations and personal commentaries on the human experience, her enigmatic wit is captivating.
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