Artist Profile: Rosemary Jones

Name: Rosemary Jones

Hometown: Everett

Current City/Neighborhood: Delta, Everett

Your Medium/Craft: Drawing and Painting

Years doing your craft: Since childhood

How did you first get started in your craft?

As a kid, whenever my mom would push me outside to play, I'd always bring a book to read or my sketchbook.

Drawing is just something I've done as long as I can remember. I loved learning cursive in 1st grade. It went from hobby to small business when I was a stay-at-home-mom and my daughter started school.

Logo design // Rosemary Jones

Favorite Artist(s) and/or Inspirations?

I know she's incredibly cliche now, but I've loved Frida Kahlo since I was young. A bi woman who took possession of her story, the painful and ugly things in her life, and turned them into art.

She was unapologetic about her experiences and her views and her politics. She's a fascinating person.

I also really love the work and message of Kehinde Wiley. I remember the first time I saw one of his paintings in person, it took my breath away. I just stood there for the longest time. I couldn't wait for his exhibit to come to SAM and went to see it twice.

I'm currently drawn to Charley Harper, JP Miller, Lisa Congdon, and Don Clark for my own inspiration. I love the use of solid, simplistic shapes and clean lines, rich color and just a bit of texture.

Favorite Piece You've Created?

There are a couple... I once painted a radiation mask for a client. He had survived a rare form of cancer in his brain and had kept this mask they used to essentially pin him down during radiation treatments. It was a plastic mesh form of his body from the chest up.

It was challenging to work on because of its fragility and the mesh was irregularly shaped on many places. But it was such a unique experience and an honor to be trusted with something so meaningful.

The other one that stands out to me is a piano for Everett's Street Tunes. I like to plan things out typically, but with this I just waited to see what piano I would get before planning how to paint it.

The artist at work // Courtesy of Rosemary Jones

It had these beautiful sweeping lines on it that were reminiscent of Art Deco, so I ran with that. I painted it layers of jet black with chrome lines and I snuck in some subtle bi-pride colors (pink, purple, and blue) with the phrase "live your song".

I absorbed as much art from that period as possible, studying the patterns and lines and forms of Art Deco. I also re-read The Great Gatsby and listened to a lot of 20's jazz while working. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Rosemary’s Art Deco inspired piano // Rosemary Jones

What’s the most challenging part of being an artist, or something you had to overcome?

Personally, the aspect of being self-taught has been a challenge. I wanted to go to art school, but wasn't able to make that happen.

I've talked with artists from all sorts of backgrounds and know there are pros and cons to being self-taught, but there's always this catch when I'm stuck on something that will make me think "I wonder if I would know this if I had gone to school."

The nice thing about it is there are so many resources out there now, I'm able to gather information and take classes online.

The other challenge for me personally, is marketing myself. I'm the type of person that just wants to sit in a corner and draw, so figuring out ways to "put myself out there" has not been my forte.

How can people be supportive of the arts?

Pay for your art. I know this sounds simple, but you pay your plumber or your mechanic. Support local artists. I guarantee that money will go back into your community.

You're not just paying for someone's piece of art; you're paying for their time and heart and imagination and education. It's so easy to buy stolen art online or something mass produced at Target. But if you find an artist you love and collect work from them, it changes their lives and encourages them to keep creating.

Favorite place in Everett to eat?

Thai Mana, Kai Sushi, Scuttlebutt, and Brooklyn Bros are our go-tos!

Favorite place in Everett to hang?

Besides my house? (introvert talking...) I adore our downtown library. I could spend hours in there browsing and reading.

If I want to be social, I appreciate Silver Cup, Narrative, or Toggles for a drink and conversation.

Favorite quote and/or words to live by?

I picked up a wonderful piece by a local printmaker at Fresh Paint, Daniel Cautrell. It's on the window in front of my art desk and speaks to so many of the facets of being an artist, and is often an encouragement to me. This is the quote on Daniel’s art piece:

Statement of Purpose
I do the work because I want to.
I do the work because I like to.
I do the work because I know how.
I do the work to explore myself.
I do the work to engage others with thought, word, and deed.
I do the work because I have something to say.
I do the work because I have seen something beautiful.
I do the work because I have seen something ugly.
I do the work to be the kind of person I want to be.
I do the work to earn money.
I do the work to stay when I must go.

What's next for you?

My current project is for Choux Choux Bakery; she's asked me to create a set of lettered and illustrated signs for her pastries, which will be a fun project. My art is also up there until the end of November!

I've also started a series of illustrated postcards for all of the Everett neighborhoods. And I always have a few personal projects in the works, with lots of ideas in the queue.

Where can people see more of your art?

My website is theartofrosemary.com, and I'm on both Instagram and Facebook. You can also purchase my work at Etsy and Threadless.

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