Panoramic Subjects in Square Format, 12x12 Artist Michael Jones

Michael Jones, Broken Arrow

Michael Jones, White Iris, Acrylic on Canvas, 12"x12"

Tell us about the inspiration and execution for your 12x12 piece:

Michael Jones: This painting is one of a body of square acrylics, which I have been working on for a couple of years. 

The square format poses challenges which intrigue me as an artist, namely, how to condense the subject matter that I see around me as a panoramic, or rectangular view at best, into the sublime square.  The composition is worked and re-worked to provide movement and pleasing design within the confines of that shape.  By working to establish movement and composition, I strive to endow an intimate subject matter with monumentality. 

The painting itself is acrylic on canvas.  Technically, the base is a 12 x 12 stretched canvas, primed with acrylic gesso, layered with rice paper into the wet gesso, then dried and gessoed with two more coats, to produce a textured, yet receptive surface for acrylic painting.  The resulting canvas was then stained with burnt umber acrylic, and buffed, to enhance the texture, while giving toned painting surface.

The subject matter, a white iris, was loosely sketched onto the toned canvas with a white charcoal pencil. 

The iris is blocked in using only primary colors and white, adding more detail where I want the viewer to spend more time.  The background is shaped and refined, using the original background color.  When it is almost finished, I back away to see if the painting has the things that please me within a painting...texture, movement, painterly execution, and compelling composition.

In what upcoming venues might audiences be able to see you work?

MJ: I currently have work at the Gallery on Sixth in Tulsa, and Wolf Gallery in Claremore, and the Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.   A selection of my watercolors is currently hanging with the Green Country Watercolor Association Exhibition at TCC Southeast Campus, in Tulsa. 

The Square Acrylics show previewed at the NSU Administrative Gallery, and is now on loan to the Broken Arrow Chamber Offices. The entire body of acrylics will debut in November at the Leslie Powell Foundation in Lawton, and then move to venues to be announced, in 2012. My work also can be seen online at www.mjonesart.com.

View and purchase artwork by 150 Oklahoma artists October 1, 2011 at the 12x12 Art Fundraiser.  Buy tickets, read more and see pictures at www.12x12okc.org.