3 Things I Learned About Life and Art From Legacy Artist Brian Jones
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
In a room of all ages at the Odom Library Branch, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Jones an 88 year old life long Akronite and artist.
Jones graduated from Kent State with a fine arts degree and went directly into the commercial arts industry, working with a variety of rubber companies and other businesses in Akron Ohio.
Jones has a unique vantage point having witnessed the extreme change of the industry from advertising departments of 50 to just a handful of individuals.
As technology changed he witnessed amazing feats in technology, the introduction of women into the work place, and the complete change of the rubber industry and the companies that supported it.
Along the way he has developed some words of wisdom for artists and non artist alike. Here are just a few that resonated with me personally:
Make Time For What You Love - As an artist it can be difficult to enjoy artistic pursuits just for fun when creating art is also your job. Brian’s answer to this was a simple sketchbook that he drew in daily before work. Shannon, Brian’s daughter can remember him sketching away that the breakfast table every morning.
That zeal for art continued with him through out his day and life. He has ben known to sketch on any blank item napkin and paper alike and uses his skills to celebrate his family through cards and gifts. Although art was his bread and butter he didn’t allow the joy of everyday arting to become lost.
Don't Fear New Things - Change it hard for all of us. For many (myself included) learning new things can be difficult. For me it’s the being bad at a thing that makes me feel uncomfortable. I want to be good at everything immediately which is unrealistic and stops my progress.
Brian on the other hand is always seeking new things. He is equally interested in technology and its role in art as he is in learning traditional artistic disciplines like sewing, watercolor, and giclee printing. He doesn’t need to know it all or be immediately great at a thing, for him trying is most important.
There's Nothing Wrong With A Little Work Around- Brian is a man with a very lively personality with quite a few fun stories full of dad joke ingenuity. While he is a master at is craft, it's nice that he doesn't take himself or his work too seriously and that he is always up for a bit of fun and rule breaking. My favorite story of his shows even more about his personality and his forward thinking. A simple story about a woman and a chair, it says so much about the world and the simple ways we can be kind.
The Chair by Brian Jones
I'd started a studio on Dan St. and it wasn’t going well. I heard that General Tire was looking for an artist to work on newspaper ads. I applied and got the job. When I went to the Art Department to find out where I would be. I talked to the secretary Janet McKensey. I knew Janet because she once worked at a studio I was familiar with. She asked me if I would order a chair with arms. I thought that was odd because arms would get in my way. She stated that she wanted a chair with arms but company rules said women couldn’t have such chairs. Apparently arms were a symbol of importance and women didn’t deserve that honor!! So I ordered a chair with arms and we traded when it arrived. There were no policemen who traveled around looking for WOMEN WITH 2 ARMED CHAIRS. So everything worked out fine.
Conclusion
Brian’s wisdom is poignant, light hearted and appropriate for everyone. He is an artist through and through. Art has been and continues to be a part of every aspect of his life, and even as he ages he seeks to learn and experience more.
As an artist who has made a life out of art and wants to learn more balance, I find Brian's words and stories as a practical guide towards being a life long artist. I only hope I can be as light hearted and upbeat as I continue to grow and learn.
What questions do you have for Brian about life or/and art?
I am so grateful to the Odom Library Branch and the Akron Library system for supporting and avidly promoting programing like this that promotes artistry at all ages. Be sure to take a look at their calendar of wonderful and free programming.