“I love that my work looks decorative and elegant. I find that the softness of the feminine form blends these qualities, [is] “More complementary to my work. The latest works use colors and shapes (quite free) as frame devices, which is a way to move the eyes and attract the audience. Like insects that are attracted, we are attracted to complexity. It’s not that simple works don’t attract us. But when something is full of “information,” we are attracted to check and define what we are looking at. Color helps define the hundreds of shapes I use in paintings, and the more colors I use, the easier it is to define.”
Jones’s equal treatment of abstracts and symbolicity in his works stems from his two greatest loves: high fashion and contemporary non-representative painting. Although generally considered irrelevant (consumer-oriented fashion design and sublime conceptual abstract art seem to be far apart in the traditional lineage of low-brow high-brow art), Jones believes that despite their expressions vary widely, they still have compatibility in these forms of expression.
“I fell in love with the modern non-representative painting and ideas a few years ago, ‘I wish they could throw a number there, and I like it more.’ So I did. “Jones traced the origins of his aesthetic direction. “Although, it’s interesting, I feel like I’ve started to lose the need to have a number in the painting. I want to be more and more abstract.
The character’s position in abstract art clicks into place when Jones examines complex designs in a runway manner. Luxury and baroque, unpleasant but fascinating haute couture company’s haute couture collection echoes his attractive compositional qualities in abstract art. The exquisite arrangement of colors and textures is suitable for building the outline of the character. Clothing improves the body and becomes something extraordinary.
The designer’s work inspired me to see fashion in a different way is the late Alexander McQueen. Each of his conceptual works is an elegant sculpture. I have several of his books. But, honestly, you have to see the collection in his collection. Watching these models interact with these works, these works interact, which is an extremely attractive model. These models are not secondary. Abstract debris, but seeing a harmonious shape dance decorates the characters.
The combination of abstraction and imagery in Jones’s work is an extensive process through various media. He hates keeping a sketchbook (he joked about the “glory, bound to do list”) and draws on loose paper, playing the idea of an elaborate headdress and floral arrangement. Select the model and arrange the photo shoot. Jones spent hours perusing the photos, selecting various positions of his hands, neck, torso and face, and then “Frankenstein imposes” these features on Photoshop to create the foundation for his numbers.
“I’m very organized in most paintings. Especially in the beginning. I came up with a loose formula, and when I was in the early stages of creating a new work, I wanted to start a loose formula: 30% structure: 70% confusion. This formula is enough to satisfy my “illustration” of representative objects,” Jones said when asked about his progress. “Look at one of the fragments of shapes scattered throughout the composition. Each straight edge and mechanical shape is pre-planned until size and color. However, all organic circular shapes and splashes occasionally occur.”
My work is a constant experiment, a balancing act of chaos and structure explored through various traditional media.transparent
After the figure is created, Jones outlines it on paper. Then, as the artist carefully arranges the geometric shapes and abstract elements, the initial sketch is scanned and manipulated further on Photoshop. The digital composition is projected and tracked. The rest of the process is performed entirely in traditional media. First, Jones started filling translucent colors with watercolor or ink. Then, a layer of Prismacolor pencil, water-soluble wax pastel (“the mixing function is almost endless, mixed with my fingers and mixed stumps, each revealing unique results.”) and water solution paint layered. The surrounding abstract elements are then presented as acrylic.
We often turn to the meaning of works of art, as if artists should convey profound wisdom, an ideology that the audience must decode from images. And, while Erik Jones doesn’t have a view like a shaman or a philosopher, his visual experiments themselves see another form of creativity that becomes obvious throughout his work: “I didn’t aimlessly dive into any certain concepts when I started painting. When I started painting, I didn’t necessarily express my opinion through painting. Is it a certain concept in itself?”*
This article was originally published in the cover feature of Hi-Fructose Issue 27, and Whcih sold out. Like what do we do? Subscribe now and get our latest print questions here as part of your subscription.
