Today we’d like to introduce you to Trish Jones
Hi Trish, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Like most artists, creativity is simply part of who I am. Growing up in the 1980’s, no one ever suggested that I major in Art and my parents and teachers steered me toward math and science. I graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech and while I enjoyed my engineering career, I routinely found myself creating during the evenings and on weekends. I found a variety of ways to use my hands and my art brain. If my kids were in a school play, I would tell the drama teacher that I could paint her sets for the upcoming show. We had large theater sets lining the entry hall of our 1850’s home whenever a school play was in the works. When birthdays rolled around, I hand-painted the invitations and party favors while making sure the birthday activities included creating art. I started painting on canvas in 2007 and opened an Etsy store on a whim one morning. I listed one piece and it sold within 45 minutes. This first sale gave me the encouragement I needed to begin painting on a regular basis. I chose to paint regularly and without outside instruction, with the hope of developing my own style. My beginning works were considered “folk art” and were perfect for the walls housing our young family. Friends started asking for paintings and asked me to sell my work in their local shops. I found collectors on social media and expanded my audience as I continued to paint on a regular basis. In 2018, I resigned from my engineering work and began to paint full time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Anything worth doing involves a struggle. That is how we hone our skills. For instance, even with natural talent, a tennis player does not improve without regular practice. Creating art daily is both a joy and a challenge. I am grateful that I found a career I love, but there are always days that a piece doesn’t flow like I planned or I have to skip something fun to finish up a commission. The business end of creating and selling art can also be difficult, as social media algorithms change, items get damaged, or newer artists look at my work to copy and sell. I’ve had images copied and sold on products online by Chinese companies, but it is impossible to seek repayment from overseas intellectual property theft.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a self-taught artist currently living in Fernandina Beach, Florida. We moved to Florida from Madison, Georgia in 2019. I paint in a whimsical and painterly style and my collectors note that my style is easily identifiable. I typically create using acrylic paints on cradled wooden panels. I am a daily painter and work as a full-time artist. Having lived in several small towns, my rural roots are the muse for much of my art. God has given me an artistic gift to share with others and He also provides me with unlimited inspiration through the beauty of the world He created. I feel very fortunate to be able to paint on a daily basis. We live in a beautiful area of the country that always provides inspiration. It is honestly surreal to me when someone buys one of my pieces. It is such an honor. We live on the marsh in Nassau County and I sell my art thru Instagram, my website, galleries, and in regional juried fine art shows. I am also in galleries in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida to include Plantation Artists’ Guild on Amelia Island and Missy Riley Arts and Pieces in San Marco (Jax). Other galleries include Lyons Share in Fairhope, Alabama and Sunshine Village Gallery in Watkinsville, GA. I’ve been selected to be an artist in A Vision for Art (St. Marks Episcopal School) in Ortega the past few years.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Jacksonville has a small town heart with lots of people. For a city the size of Jacksonville, there is not the rushed, busy, rude feel most cities of comparable size seem to have. We are fortunate to have top notch shopping and restaurants as well as the natural beauty of the beaches, rivers, marshes and amazing blue sky. In northeast Florida, there is always something new to see and explore.
What I like Least: It takes a while to drive from one cool area of Jacksonville to another!
Pricing:
- My pieces range between $135 and $3000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ArtbyTrishJones.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/TheOldPostRoad
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/ArtbyTrishJones
