(Above: Paper 94233, an archival ink jet print by the late David N Jones, whose work is featured in a PhotoZone exhibit at the Emerald Art Center in downtown Springfield.)
By Randi Bjornstad
The latest PhotoZone membership exhibit at the Emerald Art Center has two purposes. One is the regular showing of 35 photographs by various members of the group. The other is a special, expanded “Featured Artist” memorial display of 17 pictures that represent the oeuvre of long-time member, David N Jones, who died in March 2021 at age 70 years.
Featured artist David N Jones
Jones seemingly could turn anything into a black-and-white work of art that might or might not be recognizable for its original form, such as a rusted piece of metal, pieces of paper standing together on end in graceful swirls, even cracked paint on the side of a train car or the surface of a worn piece of furniture.
But he also could capture moody scenes of ocean surf at twilight, a single tree in the fog next to an irrigation canal, rows of poplar trees in a commercial forest looking like pencil drawings, or the intersecting wall planes of a 21st-century building.
In its memorial message about this show, PhotoZone describes Jones’ life this way:
David N Jones knew the natural joy of being alive. Most of those who knew him would agree that he made life and love a priority in all that he did. Growing up with family in California’s wine country, he formed an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. This loving respect for living things and his gentle nature fostered a passion for photography. His images capture not only the nuance of light and composition but express something more internal, more personal. They reveal a compassionate heart.
Motivated by his love of the natural world, David also used lighting to great effect making beautiful portraits of butterflies and flowers. His computer skill and grasp of Photoshop were the final touch in the creation of his characteristically wistful, sometimes dramatic, always beautiful images.
David happily shared these experiences with fellow photographers through regular demonstrations and training sessions, including layers, editing techniques, and the dramatic enhancing of architectural photography.
This memorial exhibit is a very limited collection of photographs that hopefully will demonstrate the diversity of his work as well as the compassionate place from which these images came. He was, and still is, a compelling influence in the community of fine art photography, a warm and loving muse for us all, and an inspiration in the pursuit of beauty – both in the world around us and in each of our hearts.
Regular PhotoZone membership exhibit
The “regular” group show offers a wide variety of photographic images — black-and-white, color, landscape, seascape, cityscape, portrait, history, wildlife, whimsy, infrared, and abstract.
The photographers represented include Bryan Andresen, Linda Devenow, Ron Dobrowski, Greg Giesy, Barbara Harrison, Herman Krieger, Keith Munson, Don Myers, Sandi O’Brien, Walt O’Brien, Ed Pabor, Patrick Plaia, Ron Shufflebarger, David Simone, and Gene Tonry.
PhotoZone group show and memorial exhibit
When: Through May 28; public reception 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 14
Where: Emerald Art Center, 500 Main St., Springfield
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
Special Details: This show in its entirety may be viewed in person or online at photozonegallery.com, and David Jones’ website is still available online at davidnjonesphotography.com/
Information: photozonegallery.com or emeraldartcenter.org
(Above: Sea Fog Reality, a metal print by PhotoZone member Ron Shufflebarger)
