Rance Jones, Gecko, watercolor, 38 x 30.
Globetrotter Rance Jones has documented and portrayed numerous indigenous cultures over the years, from Ireland to Mexico to Peru. GECKO—a painting from his latest series of watercolors, which focuses on Cuba—takes the top Artistic Excellence prize. While Jones describes the work as quiet and reflective in mood, he points out a host of visually dynamic details that caught his eye when he photographed the scene: the building’s weathered architecture, the fluorescent lighting in the entryway, and the contemplative man sitting off to the side. “I think he’s in the moment, watching the world go by, and we are watching him in that moment,” observes the artist.
Jones studied graphic design at the University of North Texas before entering an illustration program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. After graduation, he embarked on a 20-year career in storyboarding that involved “drawing thousands of figures,” he says. “It was really my internship in drawing every single day, especially the human form.”
Today, the figure plays a leading role in Jones’ watercolor art. “I try to let the people in my paintings—through their expressions and body language—tell their own stories,” he explains. “And it’s essential that I always include the environment around the figure.”
The artist gravitates toward realism, in part, because the style allows viewers to consider an artwork without feeling confused or unqualified to understand it, he says. “I look at art to relate to it, to connect with it, even if it’s a negative reaction,” notes Jones. “So, realism affects me in the same way it affects others.” Find Jones’ work at Forum Gallery, New York, NY, and www.rancejonesart.com.
This story appeared in the December 2020/January 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.