Artist Spotlight: Kelly Lynn Jones

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF — WHO IS KELLY? FOR ANYONE MEETING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOU ARE IN THIS CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE?

I AM AN ARTIST, AN ARTS EDUCATOR, AND A MOTHER. WHILE LIFE RIGHT NOW IS WONDERFULLY BUSY, I FEEL INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO LIVE IT. MY SON IS ENTERING THE FIFTH GRADE, SUCH A FUN, VIBRANT AGE, AND I LOVE WATCHING HIM GROW INTO HIMSELF AND DISCOVER HIS OWN PASSIONS. THIS YEAR ALSO MARKS MY NINTH YEAR TEACHING ART. IT IS A PROFOUND HONOR TO GUIDE YOUNG PEOPLE, SHOWING THEM THAT CREATING ART LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE. THERE IS NO 'RIGHT' WAY TO MAKE ART; INSTEAD, IT'S A GATEWAY TO LEARNING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM MATH AND SCIENCE TO HISTORY AND LITERACY. IT TEACHES STUDENTS TO BE CRITICAL THINKERS AND PROBLEM SOLVERS WHILE DISCOVERING THEIR OWN UNIQUE VOICES.

WHEN I’M NOT AT SCHOOL OR WITH MY SON, YOU CAN FIND ME IN MY STUDIO PAINTING. I CAN’T GET TO THE STUDIO EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT MY PRACTICE IS ALWAYS WITH ME, PLAYING IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. BEING ABLE TO CREATE IS AN ABSOLUTE GIFT. FINALLY, I DEEPLY VALUE COMMUNITY, AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO FIND A TRULY SPECIAL, SUPPORTIVE NETWORK OF ARTISTS RIGHT HERE IN LOS ANGELES.

WHAT LED YOU TO FINDING YOUR PASSION?
I’VE BEEN MAKING ART SINCE I COULD FIRST HOLD A CRAYON. BY HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS TAKING EVERY CLASS AVAILABLE AND DEDICATING ALL MY FREE TIME TO CREATING; I ALWAYS KNEW I WOULD PURSUE THIS PATH, THERE WAS NEVER A DOUBT. THROUGHOUT MY ADULT LIFE, I EARNED BOTH MY BFA AND MFA, BALANCING MY EDUCATION WITH CREATIVE ROLES THAT SUPPORTED MY PAINTING. I’VE WORKED IN THEATER, DONE FREELANCE ILLUSTRATION, RUN AN ARTS BUSINESS, AND ULTIMATELY FOUND A FULFILLING PATH IN TEACHING.

THROUGH EVERY CHAPTER, MY PRIMARY FOCUS HAS REMAINED ON MY STUDIO PRACTICE. I’VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SHARE MY WORK IN SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS, EXHIBIT AT ART FAIRS, AND SEE MY PAINTINGS ENTER WONDERFUL PRIVATE AND INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTIONS, AS WELL AS BE FEATURED IN ART PUBLICATIONS. I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR IT ALL. THE ART MARKET HAS ITS INEVITABLE UPS AND DOWNS, SO I STAY GROUNDED BY FOCUSING ON WHAT I CAN CONTROL: THE STUDIO. CREATING ISN'T A CHOICE FOR ME, IT'S A NECESSITY. I WILL ALWAYS MAKE WORK, WHETHER THERE IS AN UPCOMING EXHIBITION OR NOT.

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?
EVERYWHERE! I FIND ENDLESS INSPIRATION IN THE FLEETING, QUIET MOMENTS THAT MAKE US HUMAN. IT’S IN THE LADYBUG FLYING BY, THE PURRING OF A CAT, OR WATERMELON DRIPPING ON A HOT SUMMER DAY. I FIND IT IN CARD GAMES WITH FRIENDS, THE SMELL OF BARBECUE, AND MUSIC DRIFTING FROM A BACKYARD PARTY. IT’S THERE IN A BOOK OF POETRY, THE FIRST PLUNGE INTO A POOL, THE CRUNCH OF A FALL LEAF, THE SCENT OF PINE, A CHILD REACHING FOR YOUR HAND, THE SPARK OF LEARNING SOMETHING NEW, AND THE VERY FIRST STAR IN THE NIGHT SKY. THE LIST TRULY GOES ON.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PAINTING PROCESS? 

I OFTEN DO A LOT OF SKETCHING FIRST. TYPICALLY I THEN CREATE A STUDY OF ONE OF THE SKETCHES I LIKE. THIS CAN BE SMALL OR LARGE DEPENDING ON HOW I AM FEELING. FROM THERE I THEN WORK ON LINEN OR CANVAS TO CREATE THE FINAL PAINTING. SKETCHING AND STUDIES REALLY HELP CREATE A MAP FOR WHETHER IT IS A MAP FOR COMPOSITION, COLOR OR THE LARGER IDEA OF THE PAINTING.

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’RE EXPLORING IN YOUR ART RIGHT NOW THAT FEELS NEW?
I STARTED MAKING OIL SKETCHES ON LARGE PRINTMAKING PAPER. I DON’T OVERTHINK IT TOO MUCH WHICH DIFFERS FROM MY TYPICAL PROCESS AND THE OUTCOME HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT. THERE IS A MOVEMENT WITHIN THE WORK THAT FEELS EXCITING. IT IS SUCH A GREAT SPACE TO BE IN WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW THE OUTCOME AND YOU ARE ON THE DISCOVERY PATH. IT IS THE BEST.

YOU SAID THAT YOU “USE PAINT AS A MAGICAL TOOL TO STOP TIME”. IF YOU COULD CLIMB INTO ONE OF YOUR PAINTINGS TO LIVE IN THAT MOMENT - WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
THIS ONE IS FROM 2024, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE IN IT.

SINCE YOUR ART FEATURES SO MUCH NATURE, I FEEL INCLINED TO ASK YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE EXPLORED? AND SOMEWHERE YOU DREAM OF GOING?
I LOVE GOING ON WALKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HIGHLAND PARK AND LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT GARDENS AND PLANTS. MY FAMILY AND I ARE GOING TO MAINE IN LATE JULY AND I AM SO EXCITED TO EXPLORE NATURE THERE!

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU TELL YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ART STUDENTS THAT YOU THINK ADULTS COULD BENEFIT FROM HEARING AS WELL?
I ALWAYS SHARE TWO MAIN PHILOSOPHIES WITH MY STUDENTS. FIRST, I REMIND THEM THAT MISTAKES ARE SIMPLY UNEXPECTED JOURNEYS. IT IS NATURAL TO FEEL FRUSTRATED WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG OR FAILS. IT’S TOUGH AT THE MOMENT, BUT NAVIGATING THOSE SETBACKS IS EXACTLY HOW WE BUILD FUTURE SUCCESS AS WELL AS RESILIENCE. WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE STRUGGLES OF CREATING TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE TRIUMPHS. I ALSO MAKE SURE TO SHARE MY OWN EXPERIENCES SINCE I TOO HAVE HAD MISTAKES AND FAILURES AND IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

SECOND, I REMIND THEM THAT MASTERY REQUIRES PRACTICE, PERSEVERANCE, AND PERSISTENCE. IT’S LIKE CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN: YOU GET TIRED, HUNGRY, AND DESPERATE TO TURN BACK. BUT IF YOU KEEP PUSHING TO THE TOP, YOU ARE REWARDED WITH A VIEW SO BREATHTAKING IT DEFIES WORDS. AFTER A WHILE, YOU HIKE BACK DOWN, FIND A NEW PEAK, AND DO IT AGAIN.

WHAT DO YOU WEAR WHEN YOU WANT TO FEEL CONFIDENT?
A JUMPSUIT

WHY DO YOU WEAR BEL KAZAN?
I LOVE ALL OF HER SILHOUETTES. THEY ARE VERY FLATTERING WHETHER IT IS A JUMPSUIT, A FLOWY DRESS, A MINI DRESS, A PAIR OF PANTS OR A BODYSUIT. I ALSO LOVE HER USE OF COLOR AND SHAPES. HER PATTERNS OFTEN FEEL LIKE PAINTINGS.

WHAT’S THE PIECE YOU REACH FOR MOST?
I HAVE A COUPLE JUMPSUITS THAT I WEAR THE MOST, BUT I REALLY WEAR ALL OF HER CLOTHES. I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING THEM FOR A FEW YEARS.

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