At Jones College, the Visual Arts Department inspires creativity in students, especially those who have always wished to pursue art as a career.
The Art Department at Jones is located in the Visual Arts Center and Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery, where students learn and explore a variety of styles in a creative setting. Many of the freshmen in the art department have had a lifelong passion for art, which has led them to pursue an art-related degree at Jones.
Yadira Penaloza is one of many freshmen students finding inspiration and discovering creativity through various techniques and styles in the department and says that Jones has helped her grow as an artist.
Penaloza is taking design, ceramics and painting classes at Jones with instructors Melanie Eubanks and Mark Brown. These classes teach a variety of styles that many students may be learning about for the first time. Penaloza has learned techniques such as emphasis design and distortion grid design during her time at Jones.
“Being an artist has always been my dream since I was little,” Penaloza said. “I’ve been doing art since I was just two years old. It’s always been my passion, so I decided to pursue that as my career.”
She explained the many benefits of taking art classes at Jones, including the proximity to home, the two knowledgeable art instructors, and the introduction of new styles and techniques.
“The Visual Arts Department provides an educational but also exciting experience for anyone interested,” Penaloza said. “Studying at Jones has given me more insight, as well as inspiration. The classes are teaching me a lot while also pushing me to do my best with new styles.”
Penaloza described the environment offered within the department. “I’ve enjoyed being surrounded by other artists,” she said. “I get to see other people’s work and how they view art and what their passion is. It’s pretty interesting.”
It’s clear that Jones has not only been a place of education for Penaloza, but also a place of growth and artistic discovery. With the support of instructors and being surrounded by other learning artists, Penaloza has been allowed to not only improve her skills but also shape a vision for her future after Jones.
For more information about the art program at Jones College, contact instructors Mark Brown at mark.brown@jcjc.edu or Melanie Eubanks at melanie.eubanks@jcjc.edu
by Jordyne Cochran
