Local Artist

Bruce Jones - Watercolor, Ink,
Colored Pencil, Drawing, Sculpture

I'm fascinated with the way our brains use clues of shape and texture to figure out what we are seeing. I explore patterns of these clues in my paintings, drawings and sculptures.

My subject matter is varied: landscapes, seascapes, people, florals, glass, rusty equipment, practically anything with interesting colors or textures. I do most of my painting on location rather than photographs. As a result I'm thoroughly involved in our local "Plein Air Painting" and "Life Drawing" groups.

PAINTING
I paint primarily in watercolor, sometimes as a watercolor "purist" and sometimes finishing with pastels, ink or colored pencil. In contrast to most watercolorists, I like to use hard lines and strong darks in my compositions and I spend a lot of time working on textures. I generally try to paint colors the way they really are and avoid intense colors, whether the overall painting ends up representational or not. Some of my paintings are strictly wet-on-wet, some strictly dry-brush, most have elements of both.

DRAWING
I draw in ink a lot, using a pen and brush like the old masters of Asia and Europe used to do to document images before photography. These are not all sketches, however. Most are finished art that takes hours or days. Plus I draw a lot of large figures in black and white pencil on pastel paper. Again, these are generally more substantial than quick "gesture" sketches.

SCULPTURE
I have done papier maché masks for decades and have been carving stone since 2004, in alabaster, limestone and marble. I like the traditional Italian method using a hammer, chisels and rasps, with the figure slowly emerging from the stone, and I emphasize tactile values more than visual.

PERSONAL HISTORY
Although my education and work experience focused on economics and business, I've been painting all my life, as did many members of my family. I've done art just about every day since moving to the coast in 2000 -- drawing, painting or sculpting.

Contact Information: Bruce Jones PO Box 250 Gualala, CA 95445 Email: bsjones@hughes.net Phone: 707-884-3381 Website: GualalaArts.org/artist/brucejones

© copyright 2010 - all rights to the images are retained by the artist