Todd Jones – Circle Foundation for the Arts

Born in:1992, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Lives in: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Education:Master of Fine Arts, Painting + Drawing, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 2022 Graduate Certificate, Visual Arts Management, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 2022 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Art and Psychology, Minor: Art History, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 2016 Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts, Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, FL, 2013
Describe your art in 3 words:excavating, sedimentary, and mistint
See More Work: https://www.taahd.com/

What themes does your current work involve?

Discarded and mistint house paints are manifestations of culture as they are forgotten in basements, garages, closets, and left behind by previous owners. Mistint house paints are orphaned in hardware stores by customers unsatisfied with their original color choices or when the store fails to create the desired hue or finish. Disconnected from the original owners and their intentions, mistint house paints are imbued with invisible individual memory and comprise a visible cultural history. Color carries a deep resonance, and choosing a paint color is rooted in psychological affects such as mood and behavior.

Describe your creative process.

Process plays a central role in my work as I recontextualize materials through my collection and intervention. Salvaging and molding layers of paint into newfound forms, these stratifications expose remnants and the foundation of their previous lives. I reformulate the discarded and mistint paints into a visual record of cultural history through material transformations by pouring numerous layers to create strata-like forms that mimic natural sedimentation. The new relationship of each color layer is exposed through excavation and creates a cultural snapshot that examines the development of our society through patterns of culture/identity shedding. These reconstructed objects focus on abandoned materials, critiquing the excessive waste of our contemporary consumerist ideology.

What influences your work? What inspires you? Why do you make art?

My work is influenced by and explores the thematic intersections of domestic space, geography, and geological process. The Material Art Movement that started in China during the 1980s inspires me. During this time, artists used unconventional materials to produce works in which material, rather than image or style, was paramount in developing the artist's social critique. I also make art to create my critique of society and discuss topics and issues today.

What are your goals and plans as an artist in 2023?

My goal as an artist in 2023 is to exhibit my work in more group and solo exhibitions, both national and international. I also want to engage in conversations about my research through artist presentations and continue to make an impact teaching in higher education. I would love to be a Visiting Artist at another college or university to engage in dialogue with students in other academic settings.

What is the role of the artist today?

An artist's role is to be true to themselves and to influence society for the better. Art plays an essential role in shaping the culture of a community. Art in contemporary culture is a dynamic blend of materials, methods, concepts, and subjects that challenge the traditional boundaries of art-making. Contemporary art reflects modern culture and provides resources for discussing current ideas and issues. The audience plays a crucial role in the artwork by contributing their experiences, opinions, and interpretations.

What is good art? What makes a piece of art great?

Good art can start a conversation and contribute to the dialog of society. I am drawn to material explorations and art that push the boundaries of one medium into another.