ARTIST STATEMENT

This series is a combination of digital illustration. This series is also a combination of time and space. They are also a fusion of western technology of the present time as the medium for eastern cultural imagery from the past. This viewing reflects a few of my global visual experiences in their natural environment. The emotional and anthro-pomorphic imagery comes from African culture and spirituality. I was inspired from living in Africa to photo-document the vibrant spiritual energy that radiated from numerous sacred, social and cultural events. My art is an exhibit of visual experiences combining:
1) Eastern traditional (African) illustration techniques + Western contemporary (American) digital new media art and printing techniques
2) the physical images and the spiritual energy
3) the land and the people

BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Jones has considerable technical expertise in the areas of digital technologies and fine arts, consulting and teaching new media skills in the African Diaspora. He is a free-lance visual artist who works as an adjunct computer instructor at the College of New Rochelle and at Medgar Evers College. From March 2000 to September 2001, Mr. Jones served in Ghana, West Africa as a lecturer of computer graphics, design and illustration. In addition to his role as business and marketing consultant, Mr. Jones was also responsible for training art teachers in computer graphics and software mastery. In 2003, Mr. Jones worked as a technology consultant for an online start-up company in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mr. Jones has worked as a computer literacy educator for the New York City Board of Education where his primary duties consisted of teaching computer skills for the city’s Department of Adult and Continuing Education.

As an accomplished artist Mr. Jones has exhibited his work at performing arts centers, fairs, expos and other venues across the United States. For example, his work has exhibited at the Kansas City Art Institute, Yeshiva University (N.Y), October Gallery — International Art Expo in Philadelphia, PA, New York City Technical College, among others. Mr. Jones’s work in graphic design has been featured among such prestigious publishers and publications as Columbia House, New York Times Custom Publishing, Essence and Black Enterprise magazines. His current work explores the creative synergy and design possibilities of marrying photography to digital illustration.

Mr. Jones is currently developing a multi-media and digital arts based project documenting “Carnival 2003” in both Rio de Janeiro and Salvador in Bahia, Brazil. Mr. Jones will publish an excerpt of this project as part of the Center’s Working Papers Series or new digital media project. We are thrilled to have Mr. William Jones in residence at the Center where he will inaugurate our newly established Visiting Researcher position.

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