Regional Painters Tell Universal Stories in Color
Hillary Whitaker Gallery’s highly anticipated annual fall exhibition will feature the works of nationally recognized and collected painters Page Jones Davis, Erin Gregory, and Jennifer JL Jones.
Jones has been with Whitaker’s gallery since 2004. Raised in rural Virginia and on the central east coast of Florida, Jones received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work explores beauty and energy using mixed media, and her paintings are a meditation on the dichotomy of the existence of nature both as corporeal reality and intangible spirituality. Known for employing multiple layers of abstraction and combined mediums including a refined glazing technique, Jones creates rich, organic patinas that evoke universal emotional and physical connecting points for the observer. The many layers of paint Jones builds up on the surface lend pieces a manuscript quality that adds to their visual poetry.
Jones has exhibited nationally and internationally, including as part of a 2013 group exhibition in Paris. Her paintings can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide, such as the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Oprah Winfrey/Harpo Studios, Scana Energy, and the United States embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. Jones currently resides in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Gregory is originally from Mobile and Fairhope, Alabama, now residing in Columbus, Georgia. Upon graduating from Auburn University with a B.F.A. in painting in 2000 and after her first solo show in 2001, she became a full-time painter. Gregory emphasizes contrast and variety in her compositions, painting with lively marks. She captures vivid light and color, lending fresh vitality to florals, landscapes, and figures. Along with participating in numerous one-woman shows and group exhibitions, Gregory has received several awards for her art and is regularly featured on blogs and in magazines.
Davis was born in Atlanta, Georgia and now lives in Inman, South Carolina where she works from her home studio nestled in the solitude of the beautiful hardwood forest. She holds her Master of Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia.; continuing education from Boter-Santalo in Barcelona, Spain; and a B.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of South Carolina. Davis also studied painting abroad at the University of Georgia in Cortona, Italy.
Davis works on canvas and paper, using mixed media to build compositions that are inspired by the combination of aesthetics in nature and in the modern marketplace such as in advertisements, apps, and catalogs. She uses color and form to illustrate the connectivity and/or disparity between these subjects. The elements of her compositions are in conversation due to their proximity, contrast, and harmony. She envisions her visual spaces as a stage set for the viewer to imagine their own story.
As a fundraiser to benefit Art with a Heart in Healthcare (AWAHIH), each artist has donated a piece to be raffled to visitors. Raffle tickets will be available at the show for $25 each. For more information, visit www.artwithaheart.info or Art Visit AWAHIH’s Facebook page.
Hillary Whitaker Gallery’s Fall Exhibition will be on display Oct. 23 through November at 240 A1A N. Suite 13, Ponte Vedra Beach, (904) 273-6065 (formerly Stellers Gallery at Ponte Vedra).
The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visit hwhitakergallery.com.
