“I work with found and retrieved materials – the stuff that most people would consider to be rubbish or trash. For me, there is beauty everywhere you look – you just have to look.”
Les Jones: A Creative Epiphany
The artistic journey of Les Jones, a dynamic designer, photographer, and artist, is a story of passion, curiosity, and resilience. With a rich background anchored in over four decades of creative exploration, Jones’s multifaceted career began to take shape following his academic pursuits in Photography and a Master of Fine Arts in Fine Art. This educational foundation laid the groundwork for a lifetime of artistic endeavors, painting a picture of a creator who has continuously pushed the boundaries of traditional art forms.
Jones’s transition into the world of art wasn’t just a career choice but a response to a deep, intrinsic calling. His journey is marked by a vibrant tapestry of intrigue, inquisitiveness, and a relentless passion for creativity, all of which fuel his unique artistic vision. The defining moment in his career came with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A birthday gift—a collage course at Central St. Martins—turned into an unforeseen opportunity when the course was cut short due to the lockdown. This twist of fate became a creative epiphany for Jones, propelling him into the world of collage art. His proactive response to a global crisis reflects the artist’s adaptability and unyielding drive, characteristics that have come to define his artistic persona.
Innovative Ventures and Artistic Exploration
Les Jones’s innovative spirit and entrepreneurial mindset are clearly reflected in his decision to launch Contemporary Collage Magazine. Faced with the absence of a dedicated magazine for collage art, Jones didn’t just recognize a gap in the market—he filled it. This initiative showcases his ability to not only create art but also to foster a community around it, establishing a platform where collage art is celebrated and explored in depth. The magazine, thriving without any external funding, stands as a testament to his vision and dedication to the art form.
In addition to collage, Jones has also ventured into the realm of street photography, capturing the candid essence of everyday life. His website, lesjonesstreetphotography.com, offers a glimpse into his photographic pursuits, further demonstrating his versatility as an artist. Moreover, Jones’s creative magazine, ‘Elsie’, is yet another facet of his diverse artistic output. The clever naming of the magazine, derived from his middle name ‘Colin’, hints at Jones’s playful and thoughtful approach to his projects. Each of these ventures represents a different aspect of his creative identity, collectively painting a portrait of an artist who is not afraid to explore and innovate across multiple mediums.
Les Jones: Unearthing Beauty in the Mundane
The artistic style of Les Jones is a fascinating amalgamation of the low-fi and the visually striking, a blend that he masterfully crafts using found and retrieved materials. His work is a testament to the idea that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, as he transforms what most would dismiss as rubbish or trash into captivating art pieces. This ‘Ugly/Beautiful’ aesthetic, as he terms it, is a bold statement on the potential of everyday objects to become meaningful art. By picking up discarded items from the streets, tearing posters from walls, and salvaging materials from skips, Jones challenges conventional notions of beauty and value in art.
The themes explored in Jones’s artwork are deeply reflective of his perspective on life and art. Through his unique approach, he creates new messages, meanings, and emotions from the bland and overlooked. His work is a vibrant, textural colorfest, standing as a visual diary of his experiences and observations. The use of typography and graphic elements in his collages further enhances the narrative quality of his art, inviting viewers to embark on a journey of discovery and interpretation. In each piece, Jones captures the essence of his surroundings, turning the mundane into the extraordinary.
Les Jones: Evolving Artistry and Audience Impact
Over the years, Les Jones’s art has undergone a remarkable evolution, a journey he describes as both exhilarating and continuously unfolding. This evolution is not just a testament to his skill as an artist but also to his openness to learning and adaptation. Jones highlights several key lessons that have shaped his artistic journey: the importance of starting, the serendipity of action, the pursuit of happiness without complacency, and the power of expression. These principles reflect not only in his art but also in his approach to life, illustrating how personal growth and artistic development are deeply interconnected.
The impact of Jones’s art on his audience is as diverse and multifaceted as the art itself. He finds joy in the simple act of creating and sharing his work, with no grand agenda or message. This humble approach resonates with his followers, as evidenced by the positive reactions on platforms like Instagram. Jones’s art brings smiles to people’s faces, an outcome he values above all. The lack of a predetermined narrative in his work allows viewers the freedom to interpret it in their own unique ways, making each interaction with his art a personal experience. Memorable reactions and interpretations of his work have affirmed the universal appeal of his artistic expression.
