Growing up, I wanted to be an actress. I loved to pretend. I
also loved the costumes, particularly my turquoise and lavender velvet elf
costume.
I went to an all girls’ Catholic
high school. The arts were not the main strength of the school and I lost my
childhood confidence as a performer.
My artistic outlet came from sketching models in
fashion magazines. My knowledge of art was negligible and did not improve much
as an undergraduate art student in the early 80's. My work
consisted of hastily put together mixed media and installation pieces composed
of thrift store furniture and vintage clothing. There was a story in them
somewhere.
I discovered my love of painting while in graduate school. I painted models in costumes I found in thrift stores. After graduate school,
I could no longer afford to hire models. This predicament prompted a series of
paintings of the costumes without the figure. Clothing very naturally became an integral part of my work.
My environment always influences my work. When I lived by
myself in a house overlooking the water, my paintings were minimal
and quiet. I got married and now live in an industrial loft. The geometry and
textures of the loft inspire present images.
My paintings unintentionally reveal my own narrative. In my recent work the subject of clothing reappears as a dress on a Gloucester fishing dock. Combining surfaces and textures with strong, unifying and theatrical lighting offers an untold story to be imagined. I am delighted when my work
communicates to viewers something unexpected beyond the visual elements that
demand my attention while painting.
Jean Sbarra Jones received her MFA in painting from Boston University. Jean is an award winning artist who has extensively exhibited. Many collectors including color-field painter Kenneth Noland value her work. She lives and works at her home, studio and gallery in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband, actor Norman Jones.