Opening: Robin Jones: Arkteia

Blue Rain Gallery presents Robin Jones: Arkteia

Artist/opening reception: Friday, October 27, from 5-7 pm
On view: October 27–November 11, 2023

Robin Jones is a figurative painter with a focus on the natural world and the influence of human activity upon that world, galvanized by the impact of global climate change and the current mass extinction event we are witnessing across the globe. Jones’s love of figurative art stems from a desire to evoke empathy and compassion, elevate those who may not typically find themselves subjects on gallery and museum walls, highlight the commonalities we share across cultures, and convey the interconnectedness of all living beings on the planet.

Jones chose to paint girls and women, from the beginning and to the present time, they have been at the forefront of the ecological and animal rights movements. Jones chose to paint young people, as they will inherit the planet. They also are among the strongest and most influential voices in environmental activism today. Robin Jones likes to think of my paintings as ‘portraits of the future – “the subjects of my paintings will be impacted by the decisions and choices made now.”

Jones loves using metal leaf in my paintings. They feel that it gives a reverential quality to the subject matter and aesthetically they love the way the light reflects off of the metal, changing as the light in the space shifts. Jones only uses non-conflict/Fairmined metal leaf in my art.

For much of Jones’ life, they’ve been a professional theatre actor, which instilled in me an appreciation for the power of story, for the diversity of human expression and experience, and for the power of empathy – imagining worlds unlike their own. This artistic practice informs their work as a painter. Their passion lies in painting others – both human and non-human animals – and their worlds.

Jones feels compelled to make art that asks us to consider how we move through the world, what we consume, how we use the land, and how we treat our fellow species. Robin Jones is interested in expressing through my work the interconnectedness of all things, the fact of impermanence, and the need to value and care for the natural world.