About the Artist
A Little About Me...
I have dedicated my life to the arts. Since childhood I always knew what I wanted to do with my life. Now that I am an adult, I realize what a blessing that was. It gave me a direction to always walk in as a young girl trying to figure out life. Art was my outlet for figuring out difficult situations and exploring concepts I couldn't grasp. My work has evolved over the years but all of my ideas float under the same umbrella: That is trying to understand lived experience. My work is often an act of reflection, of meditation, of memory, of relationships with others and with my own body. As human beings we spend an amazing amount of time trying to figure things out. Often confused! Often questioning our decisions! procrastinating when we shouldn't! Sad, or happy or worried! Walking in the dark that is our present and hoping we are doing the best we can with the time we have. My work and process give me a place to celebrate all that I have experienced in this life and find the common ground in human experience that ties us all together.
Some History:
Hi, It's me! Jess Stone. I'm a mixed media artist who loves the lake life. I spend most of my days in one of four roles: mother, artist, teacher, wife. My favorite place to be is my newly renovated and always a work in progress Art Studio! I am currently working like a fiend on a new body of work that involves, encaustic wax, sewn paper/canvas, and light. My two obsessions with this work are layers and texture! I became a teacher of art by accident! Starting young in High School as an art teacher at local art camps. I then went on the receive my BFA from Clemson University and my MFA from Memphis College of Art in Memphis, TN. During this time I continued to teach at local art centers and was accepted to the Artist in Education Roster for the South Carolina Arts Commission. This allowed me to travel the state teaching Printmaking, papermaking and bookbinding to K5-12th grade in various school districts. After graduating with my Master's I completed a 3 year program for teacher certification, and taught Elementary Art in Spartanburg County for three years. I then took a job at Converse College as a Professor of Art before deciding to move closer to home! I currently teach part time at Anderson University and practice my art in Greenville County in a little art studio behind my Husband's office. So what I'm saying is, Life is Good!
EDUCATION
Memphis College of Art
Master of Fine Arts
May 2010
Clemson University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Drawing
December 2006
Lorenzo De Medici Art Institute, Florence, Italy
Fall Semester 2005
EXHIBITIONS
West Main Artist Co-op, Group Show, Spartanburg SC 2015
Artist Guild Gallery of Spartanburg, Thirty Solo Show, Spartanburg SC 2014
Artist Guild Gallery of Greenville, Guest Artist, Greenville SC 2012
Blue Ridge Art Center, New Looks, Group Show, Seneca SC 2011
Material Art Space, Miscellaneous, Solo Show, Memphis TN, 2011
Anderson Art Center, Old Meets New, Group Show, Anderson SC, 2011
Anderson Artist Guild Juried Exhibition, Anderson SC
First Place, 2010
Graduate Exhibition, Nooks and Crannies, Memphis TN, 2010
Graduate Group Exhibition, MCA, Memphis TN, 2009
University of South Carolina Aiken, Group Show, Aiken SC, 2009
Kakilaki Artist Exhibition, Anderson SC, 2008
Anderson County Art Center Juried Exhibition, Anderson, SC
2006, 2007 (Merit Award Recipient 2007), and 2008
Clemson University BFA Exhibition, The Birthing, Clemson SC, 2006
Belton Center For The Arts Juried Exhibition, Belton, SC, 2006
VISITING ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Artist Residency, Slumpy’s, Belmont, NC
Weekend Workshop Glass Fusing and Pate de Verre, 2010
Artist Residency, Honea Path Elementary, Honea Path, SC
One week glass fusing, 2010
Artist Residency, Sumter High School, Sumter, SC
One Week Residency Woodcut (High School)
One Week Residency Linoleum cut, Monotype and Collage (Middle School) 2008
Artist Residency, Spartanburg Day School, Spartanburg, SC
One Week Residency Papermaking and Bookbinding, 2008
Artist Residency, Spartanburg Day School, Spartanburg, SC
One Week Residency Linoleum Cut, 2008
Artist Residency, La France Elementary, Pendleton, SC
One day Workshop, 2008
Artist Residency, Spartanburg Library JamboRead, Spartanburg, SC
One Day Workshop Bookbinding, 2008
Artist Residency, Townville Elementary, Townville, SC
Three Week Printmaking Residency, 2008
Artist Residency, Hannah-Pamplico High School, Florence, SC
One Week Printmaking Residency, 2007
HONORS AND AWARDS
Anderson Artist Guild Juried Exhibition, First Place, 2010
Anderson County Arts Center Merit Recipient Award, 2007
Recipient of Ted Faiers Memorial Scholarship, Memphis College of Art, 2009
Recipient of Presidents Scholarship, Memphis College of Art, 2008
Accepted to South Carolina Arts Commission Roster of Approved Artist in
Education, 2007
Appointed to Dean’s list, Clemson University, 2003-2006
Recipient of Clemson Community Service Grant, 2005-2006
Recipient of LIFE Scholarship, 2001-2005
I have dedicated my life to the arts. Since childhood I always knew what I wanted to do with my life. Now that I am an adult, I realize what a blessing that was. It gave me a direction to always walk in as a young girl trying to figure out life. Art was my outlet for figuring out difficult situations and exploring concepts I couldn't grasp. My work has evolved over the years but all of my ideas float under the same umbrella: That is trying to understand lived experience. My work is often an act of reflection, of meditation, of memory, of relationships with others and with my own body. As human beings we spend an amazing amount of time trying to figure things out. Often confused! Often questioning our decisions! procrastinating when we shouldn't! Sad, or happy or worried! Walking in the dark that is our present and hoping we are doing the best we can with the time we have. My work and process give me a place to celebrate all that I have experienced in this life and find the common ground in human experience that ties us all together.
Some History:
Hi, It's me! Jess Stone. I'm a mixed media artist who loves the lake life. I spend most of my days in one of four roles: mother, artist, teacher, wife. My favorite place to be is my newly renovated and always a work in progress Art Studio! I am currently working like a fiend on a new body of work that involves, encaustic wax, sewn paper/canvas, and light. My two obsessions with this work are layers and texture! I became a teacher of art by accident! Starting young in High School as an art teacher at local art camps. I then went on the receive my BFA from Clemson University and my MFA from Memphis College of Art in Memphis, TN. During this time I continued to teach at local art centers and was accepted to the Artist in Education Roster for the South Carolina Arts Commission. This allowed me to travel the state teaching Printmaking, papermaking and bookbinding to K5-12th grade in various school districts. After graduating with my Master's I completed a 3 year program for teacher certification, and taught Elementary Art in Spartanburg County for three years. I then took a job at Converse College as a Professor of Art before deciding to move closer to home! I currently teach part time at Anderson University and practice my art in Greenville County in a little art studio behind my Husband's office. So what I'm saying is, Life is Good!
EDUCATION
Memphis College of Art
Master of Fine Arts
May 2010
Clemson University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Drawing
December 2006
Lorenzo De Medici Art Institute, Florence, Italy
Fall Semester 2005
EXHIBITIONS
West Main Artist Co-op, Group Show, Spartanburg SC 2015
Artist Guild Gallery of Spartanburg, Thirty Solo Show, Spartanburg SC 2014
Artist Guild Gallery of Greenville, Guest Artist, Greenville SC 2012
Blue Ridge Art Center, New Looks, Group Show, Seneca SC 2011
Material Art Space, Miscellaneous, Solo Show, Memphis TN, 2011
Anderson Art Center, Old Meets New, Group Show, Anderson SC, 2011
Anderson Artist Guild Juried Exhibition, Anderson SC
First Place, 2010
Graduate Exhibition, Nooks and Crannies, Memphis TN, 2010
Graduate Group Exhibition, MCA, Memphis TN, 2009
University of South Carolina Aiken, Group Show, Aiken SC, 2009
Kakilaki Artist Exhibition, Anderson SC, 2008
Anderson County Art Center Juried Exhibition, Anderson, SC
2006, 2007 (Merit Award Recipient 2007), and 2008
Clemson University BFA Exhibition, The Birthing, Clemson SC, 2006
Belton Center For The Arts Juried Exhibition, Belton, SC, 2006
VISITING ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Artist Residency, Slumpy’s, Belmont, NC
Weekend Workshop Glass Fusing and Pate de Verre, 2010
Artist Residency, Honea Path Elementary, Honea Path, SC
One week glass fusing, 2010
Artist Residency, Sumter High School, Sumter, SC
One Week Residency Woodcut (High School)
One Week Residency Linoleum cut, Monotype and Collage (Middle School) 2008
Artist Residency, Spartanburg Day School, Spartanburg, SC
One Week Residency Papermaking and Bookbinding, 2008
Artist Residency, Spartanburg Day School, Spartanburg, SC
One Week Residency Linoleum Cut, 2008
Artist Residency, La France Elementary, Pendleton, SC
One day Workshop, 2008
Artist Residency, Spartanburg Library JamboRead, Spartanburg, SC
One Day Workshop Bookbinding, 2008
Artist Residency, Townville Elementary, Townville, SC
Three Week Printmaking Residency, 2008
Artist Residency, Hannah-Pamplico High School, Florence, SC
One Week Printmaking Residency, 2007
HONORS AND AWARDS
Anderson Artist Guild Juried Exhibition, First Place, 2010
Anderson County Arts Center Merit Recipient Award, 2007
Recipient of Ted Faiers Memorial Scholarship, Memphis College of Art, 2009
Recipient of Presidents Scholarship, Memphis College of Art, 2008
Accepted to South Carolina Arts Commission Roster of Approved Artist in
Education, 2007
Appointed to Dean’s list, Clemson University, 2003-2006
Recipient of Clemson Community Service Grant, 2005-2006
Recipient of LIFE Scholarship, 2001-2005