Howard Jones: Think Rethink

Howard Jones: Think Rethink
August 25 - October 22, 2017
Opening reception: Friday, August 25, 6-8pm

We use tools every day. Whether it is a pen, a spoon or a something requiring more skill, like a jigsaw, tools are such an embedded aspect of what it means to be human, that we inevitably take many of them for granted. Think Rethink addresses the familiar roles that many commonplace instruments play in our lives, yet twists them into something altogether approachable and fantastical. Howard Jones’ wit and imagination can trace their lineage to Dadaism. Dada was a creative movement at the turn of the century that rejected all notions of logic and reason. What if your mundane paint brush had a light bulb at the end of it? Would you use it to paint the walls with light?

Tools—how they are made, used and displayed, say a lot about our socio-cultural and economic stature. We associate different professions and authorities with different specialized apparatus. A carpenter’s tools are not the same as those used by a teacher or a doctor. Jones is an artist. His choice of materials reflects his environment. Many of his materials are staples of artists and craftspeople, so his manipulations feel rooted in familiar truths. His keen eye spots branches, old paint cans, hammers, pencils, and his deft juxtaposes those objects in ways which whimsically challenge their functionality while elevating them to the status of works of art – objects whose new purpose is to pose questions.

Jones executes each sculpture with excellent craftsmanship. He combines each pair of objects seamlessly as if they were designed for that marriage. His work is alluring, humorous, and compelling.

            - Stefanie Kirkland
              Director of Exhibitions and Artists-In-Residence Programs

Howard Jones, a St. Louis based artist, received a M.F.A. from Ohio University in 1983 after earning a B.A. at Kenyon College in 1976. Having taught at a number of universities, including Washington University in St. Louis, Jones went on to teach in and chair the Art Department of the John Burroughs School in Ladue, MO. In 2016 he received a Regional Arts Commission Artist’s Grant.

All items are for sale, please contact Stefanie Kirkland, Director of Exhibitions for purchase inquiries at stefanie.kirkland@craftalliance.org

ASSOCIATED EVENTS:
Join us for Crafted Cocktails on October 17, 6-8pm.  Purchase tickets!
Workshop: Tool Creations with Howard Jones: Ages 12 to Adult