For the Sake of Drawing
Rohen Jones
July 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025
I make to understand, not to explain. The work begins in a place I can’t quite name- beneath language, where instinct leads and thought follows. I move quickly, not from urgency, but to stay ahead of my own expectations. I’m more drawn to what I don’t understand than what I do, and often it’s only after the piece is finished that I begin to see what it’s trying to tell me. I’m intrigued by ambiguity, by the quiet power of subtlety- how a small shift in texture or gesture can reveal more than something stated outright. Light doesn’t just reveal; it can obscure, too- just as too much water can kill a plant. Clarity can overwhelm. I don’t seek answers in my work, only moments of recognition that emerge slowly, like something whispered rather than spoken.
-Rohen Jones
I grew up in West Virginia with a Muslim mother and a Christian father. While I don’t think this background directly influences my work, I do believe the layered, often contradictory subconscious behind the scenes of my life is what drives it. My mother was a painter, and I was lucky to be raised in a home where creativity was supported and encouraged. As a kid, I only painted animals- obsessively, joyfully, capturing their shapes and textures before I even knew what composition meant. I spent my first semester of college at RISD before transferring to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I’m continuing my education. My practice now spans painting, drawing, and installation, often circling questions I can’t quite name but feel compelled to explore. There’s always a little mystery at the center of my work- something unspoken, maybe even unknown, but undeniably present.
-Rohen Jones
For availability and price call 304-342-1461