Check Out Rick H. Jones’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick H. Jones.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been in the arts my entire life. Mom started me by enrolling me in
Saturday morning art classes at age 8
at the Dayton Art Institute. I graduated from Wright State University then earned a MFA in painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art Hoffberger School studying under Grace Hartigan. From there I taught college art for six years. Those last two years in Missouri included directing the campus arts center. This wa a turning point in my career since that appointment I found more fulfilling than teaching.

An opportunity to return to Ohio arose in 1979 to direct the campus arts center at the College of Wooster and I was hired to grow that organization. In 1985, Rubbermaid purchased and renovated a 1902 school building and moved from a college basement to that 25,000 sf building allowing us to expand classes, performances, and exhibitions.

In 1991, I won the Ohio Governor’s Arts Award for my Wooster work as I moved on to Hamilton, OH. They were planning a new arts center and I was selected to lead that project. For 25 years, we developed the Fitton Center for Creative Arts into a world class arts center.

In 2015, I retired and my family and I opened an art supply and framing store. Seven years later, our daughter lured us to Phoenix.

Arts administration kept me from painting for years. The move to Phoenix changed everything. I work from my home studio focusing on southwest landscapes.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been generally smooth. Running a 48,000 sf arts center with numerous classes, workshops, performances, exhibitions, and special events with fifteen staff has its challenges. My personal struggles included health issues like surgeries

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve shared my professional life, so I’ll discuss my work process as a landscape painter since retiring to Phoenix. The sun and clarity of light and air along with awe-inspiring landscape, match my desire to create dynamic works. I begin each painting with acrylics. This forces me to work quickly and capture the darks and rough color shapes. After this first layer dries, I repaint with a coat of oils. Colors are adjusted, composition can be altered. Scraping, wiping out are normal. Oil layers continue until reaching the final detail layers. A 12”x16” canvas can take 50-80 hours start to finish. A couple of artistic accomplishments I’m proud of were being selected to be represented by a Scottsdale gallery and recently placing 20th nationally in the Johnny Depp Elysium Art Competition.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Nothing is more important than building relationships. This was true in my arts administration career as an arts advocate and fundraiser as well as leading to painting sales.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rickhjones.com