Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The work of Charles D. Jones will be showcased in an exhibition that opens with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.
"East Texas Impressions: The Art of Charles D. Jones" will feature drawings, prints and paintings of the professor emeritus in the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University who now serves as director and master printer for the LaNana Creek Press in SFA's College of Fine Arts.
"The exhibition chronicles the long and prolific career of Mr. Jones, from his days as a soldier in Vietnam, to his recent work as master printer for LaNana Creek Press," according to John Handley, director of SFA galleries.
Woodcuts, intaglio and book arts are also featured in this retrospective of Jones' work, which is curated by David Lewis, professor of art history at SFA. The exhibition will also be highlighted in a large exhibition catalogue, available at Cole Art Center the night of the opening.
Jones taught printmaking, drawing, Mexican art history and the "Art of The Book" in the School of Art from 1971 to 2011. During that time, he was named a Regents Professor and received a Distinguished Professor Award from the Alumni Association and a Teaching Excellence Award from the university.
Jones has been an active exhibiting artist throughout his career with more than 30 one-person exhibitions in as many years. His solo exhibitions have been mounted at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico; The Museum of Printing History, Houston; Tyler Museum of Art; the Museum of East Texas, Lufkin; Longview Museum of Fine Arts; and the Galveston Art Center. His exhibition "The Vietnam Suite" toured the Mid-West under the auspices of Mid-America Arts Alliance and toured Europe during 1987-88 with exhibitions in England, The Netherlands and France. His recent international exhibition record includes Novosibirsk, Nizny Tagil and Ufa, Russia, Paris and Rennes, France, England, Holland, Italy and Mexico. Jones was co-curator for "Octopus Dreams: Contemporary Native American Works on Paper," an exhibition sponsored by the American Consulate in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The artist will be present at the Jan. 14 opening reception, and refreshments will be served. The exhibition, sponsored in part by the Nacogdoches Junior Forum and SFA Friends of the Visual Arts, runs through March 12.
Closing on Jan. 16 in The Cole Art Center is "The Devil You Say! The Saintly, and Not So Saintly, in Folk Art," an exhibition exploring folk art and its relationship to religious and cultural traditions. Curated by Michael T. Ricker, the exhibition features a variety of works, including paintings, printed matter, bottles with wooden sculpture inside and sculpture in various media, including pottery, wood, metal, shell, straw work, coconuts, bone, stone and cast iron. Ricker will discuss the exhibition at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, prior to the Friday Night Film Series presentation of "The Fog of War" at 7 p.m. in Cole Art Center.
The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.