From my creative vantage point, there are zero limits. The nature and energy of my artwork evokes a spiritual and meditative ethos. THE MAKEUP OF MY FIGURATIVE AND ABSTRACT PIECES OSCILLATE BETWEEN ORNAMENT AND DESIGN, echoing my pan-African heritage. My paintings and sculptures not only observe the raw beauty of blackness and nature, but also serve as symbols of a certain inner strength and spiritual consciousness, something of which I find myself constantly in pursuit of. My attempt at connecting the threads of blackness, spirituality and nature brings about pieces that are designed to evoke a sense of harmony in their purest form. I communicate this by forming texture through the use of diverse mediums. My fascination with the manipulation of materials brings about continual exploration and discovery of both me and my practice. I appreciate this constant flux of investigation and exploration, which allows me to discover methods and techniques that are essential to the delivery of my vision.
BIO SARAH JONES (B 1990) IS A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST, WITH A STUDIO PRACTICe in virginia. IN HER YOUTH, SHE RECOGNIZED A SENSE OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE ARTs AND CONSTANTLY FOUND WAYS TO CULTIVATE THAT CREATIVE DESIRE. JEROME JONES, HER FATHER AND A TALENTED PAINTER, WAS HER MODEL OF PERFECTION ON THE CANVAS.SHE STARTED HER PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN THE CULINARY FIELD AS A PASTRY CHEF AND OBTAINED A DEGREE IN BUSINESS, ALL THE WHILE CONTINUING TO TRANSLATE THOSE EXPERIENCES INTO GROWING HER ARTISTIC CRAFT. SHE USES HER KNOWLEDGE FROM HER CULINARY TRAINING TO DEVELOP UNCONVENTIONAL ARTISTIC METHODS AND PUSH THE LIMITS. SHE IS DRAWN TO THE EXPLORATION ANd MANIPULATION OF MATERIALS. TEXTURE AND CULTURE ARE WEAVED INTO HER ART THROUGH THE INSPIRATIONS OF HER WORLD TRAVELS AND THE WONDERS OF NATURE. SARAH IS CURRENTLY A FULL TIME ARTIST AND FACILITATES INSTRUCTIONAL SESSIONS ON PAINTING AND SCULPTING THROUGH VARIOUS PLATFORMS. SHE IS ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT DONATING HER CRAFT TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT FACILITATE POSITIVE CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AWARDS
NATIONAL BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL- 2022 ART PROJECT FUND COHORT GRANT RECIPIENT - ATLANTA, GA USA 2022 Best In Show for "Braid my hair" All women artist competition- Contemporary Art Gallery Online USA 2021
RESIDENCIES
STAUNTON AUGUSTA ART CENTER, STAUNTON, VA USA | AUGUST 14-SEPT. 14, 2024 JAN ERNST STUDIO, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA | JUNE 1-JULY 11, 2024 SKOPELOS ARTS FOUNDATION,SKOPELOS TOWN, SKOPELOS, GREECE | AUG 23 -SEPT 22, 2021
ARTIST TALKS
‘CAPE TOWN RESIDENCY’ | SANAA DESIGN STUDIOS | STAUNTON, VA USA | AUGUST 23, 2024 'Mise en place'| Beverley St Studio School Gallery | Staunton, VA USA | Jan 5, 2024 CREATIVE morniNGS ( Shenandoah Valley, Va) | Staunton, VirginiA USA | feb. 16, 2023 SKOPeloS ARTS FOUNDATION |SKOPEloS TOWN, SKOPELOS, GREECE | SEPT. 25 2021
TEACHINGS
INTERMEDIATE PAINTING- CONCEPTUAL RISK-TAKING | JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA | OCTOBER 2023 Drawing II- Conceptual Risk-Taking | JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, Virginia | MaRCH/April 2023 Gypsum sculpting for beginners (AduLt + Youth) | Sanaa Design Studios, Staunton, Virginia | October 2022-Present Youth Courses in sculpting | Hill Center DC, Washington, DC | June 2020-Present Youth courses in sculpting | Eastern Market Art Series and Teachings, Washington, DC | JUne 2020- Present Adult Courses in Painting | SOUTHEAST Washington Arts Group, Washington, DC
EXHIBITIONS
WHEN SHE RESTS, SHE BLOOMS | GROUP EXHIBITION- TILA STUDIOS, ATLANTA, GA USA | AUG-SEPT 2024
ART FIELDS | GROUP EXHIBITION- THE R.O.B. GALLERY, LAKE CITY, SOUTH CAROLINA USA | APRIL-MAY 2024
EMERGING ARTISTS | GROUP EXHIBITION- STAUNTON AUGUSTA ART CENTER, STAUNTON, VIRGINIA USA | APRIL 2024
KUMBA III | GROUP EXHIBITION- BLACK ART TODAY FOUNDATION+ NEIMAN MARCUS, TYSONS CORNER USA | FEB. 2024
'Mise en place' | SOLO EXHIBITION- Beverley St Studio School Gallery, Staunton, VA USA | Jan-Feb 2024
MYCELIUM | GROUP EXHIBITION- TERRAIN 2023 EXHIBITIONS + STAUNTON OUTSIDE ARTS, STAUNTON, VA | OCTOBER 2023 TRUE NORTH | GROUP EXHIBITION- See|Me COMMUNITY + GALLERY 23 NY, MAnhattan, NY USA | MAy 2023
BLACK ART: IN THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT | Group Exhibition- Black Art Today Foundation + Gallery B, Bethesda, MD USA | May 2023
We The People| Group Exhibition- Black Art Today FoundatioN + MD COMPTROLLER, Annapolis, MD USA | March-June 2023
Blackity Black Black | Group Exhibition- Cville Black arts collective + McGuffey Art CEnter, Charlottesville, VA USA | March 2023 Kumba II | Group Exhibition- Black Art Today Foundation+ NIEMAN MARCUS, Tysons Corner USA | February 2023
NO MAN CAN HINDER ME | SOLO SHOW - BLACK FRIAR'S PLAYHOUSE, STAUNTON, VIRGINIA USA | OCTOBER 2022
ROOTS | GROUP EXHIBITION- GALLERY ARTE AZULEJO + SEE|ME COMMUNITY, MANHATTAN, NYC USA | SEPTEMBER 2022 GRAND OPENING | SOLO EXHIBITION- SANAA DESIGN STUDIOS, STAUNTON, VA 24401 | JULY 2022
SEE MY COLOR | ONLINE GROUP EXHIBIT- WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR ART, WASHINGTON, DC USA | NOV. 2020
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH | GROUP SHOW- 5333 CONNECTICUT, WASHINGTON, DC USA | MARCH 2020
PREMIERE | GROUP SHOW- THE FILLMORE, SILVER SPRING, MD USA | MARCH 2020
BEGINNINGS | SOLO EXHIBITION-PEARLS, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA USA | 2016
COMMISSIONS/Installations
ELENA I & II | 2 WALL SCULPTURE INSTALLATIONS: ELENA THE SALON EXPERIENCE, STAUNTON, VA | AUG. 2024
RHYTHM AND RESILIENCE | canvas PAINTING: NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION + CCWP, NEW YORK, NY USA | AUG. 2024 ‘LA SERATA’ COLLECTION | CURATED FUNCTIONAL SCULPTURE SERIES: STUDIO BROAD, STAUNTON, VIRGINIA | DEC. 2023
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS | Mural Installation- Mi Rancho Mexican Restaurant, Staunton, VIrginia | October 2023 tribute to bansky | mural installation- boys and girls clubs of wsa, waynesboro, VA | June 2023 Eat Fresh | Mural Installation- Boys and Girls Clubs of WSA, Waynesboro, VA | May 2023
Jake's House | Mural Installation- Robin's Nest Children's Home, Montego Bay, Jamaica | apr. 2023
VIVID GUST | Public mural Installation- JAFCO Family MAtters, Bala Cynwood, PA USA | Feb. 2021
PLANTA | public installation (wall sculpture)- Planta Queen, MAnhattan, new York, NY USA | Dec 2020- FEB 2021
Power of a Black Woman | Private Commission- Portrait Series, Washington, DC USA | JAN 2020
Metallic | Public Installation (Wall Sculpture)- MedVenous Intravenous Infusions, Bowie, MD, USA | 2019
Color Blocked | Mural Installation- Robins Nest Children’s Home, Montego Bay, Jamaica | 2019
Pearl Island | Public Mural Installation- Pearl Island Cafe, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA | 2018
Public Mural Installation- Robins Nest Children’s Home, Montego Bay, Jamaica | 2018
Soul of the City | Public Mural Installation- Jefferson School City Center- Charlottesville, VA USA | 2018
Toy’s Battle |Private Commission (Portrait)- Charlottesville, VA USA | 2017
Robin | Public Mural Installation- Robins Nest Children’s Home, Montego Bay, Jamaica | 2017
BGC | Public Mural Series Installation- Boys and Girls Club, Staunton, VA USA | 2016
Welcome | Public Mural Installation- Robins Nest Children’s Home, Montego Bay, Jamaica | 2016
Tulip | Private Commission (Wall Sculpture)- Staunton, VA USA | 2016
Fearless | Public Mural Installation- African American Heritage Festival- Staunton, VA USA | 2015 Sublime | Private Commission (Wall Sculpture)- Staunton, VA USA | 2015
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
TRANQUILITY AND STRENGTH (a mural LED AND FACILITATED for the sTAUNTON CITY SCHOOLS STUDENTS- Collaborative mural installation) | JONES GARDENS, STAUNTON, VA USA | MAY 2022
JONES GARDEN COMMUNITY (Led and Facilitated local artists- collaborative mural Installation) | TERRAIN BIENNIAL 2021 EXHIBITIONS + Jones GARDENS, STAUNTON, VIRGINIA USA | OCT. 2021
MEDIA
The News Virginian | "New Mural at Boys and Grils Club Promotes Healthy Eating" | June 2023 | https://newsvirginian.com/news/local/education/new-mural-at-boys-girls-club-promotes-healthy-eating/article_5b6abb40-0bd9-11ee-8fd7-bf71eb960dee.html
Augusta Free Press | "Mural at Boys & Girls Club illustrates healthy habits for children" | June 2023 | https://augustafreepress.com/news/mural-at-boys-girls-club-illustrates-healthy-habits-for-children/
august free press | ‘Food is a human right’: Project GROWS welcomes new executive director | May 2023 | https://augustafreepress.com/news/food-is-a-human-right-project-grows-welcomes-new-executive-director/
