November arrived, and we are off to the holiday season races, launching new artists, group shows, and everything in between. At Well + Wonder, we love this time of year! It's festive and celebratory, and as always, we are sending ourselves into this holiday season the best way we know how —that, my friends, is by launching yet another fabulous Well + Wonder artist! Join us as we welcome Trish Jones! Trish is a life-long Southerner and holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. After more than two decades in the construction industry, she redirected her career and began painting full-time in 2018. Having lived in several small towns across the South, she credits her rural roots as the muse for her art. Trishis keenly aware that God has given her an artistic gift to share with others. Trish lives with her husband, Rob, and their yellow lab, Daisy, on the marsh in northeast Florida. They have three grown kids. As we prepare for Trish to join the W+W team, we wanted to get to know her more professionally and personally. So, on the eve of her Well + Wonder release, we sat down with Trish to chat and learn a little more about this talented artist...
What is currently on your nightstand?
A lamp, an unframed painting on an easel, my bible, my CBF Psalms bible study booklet, as well as the book My Morning Routine – How Successful People Start Every Day Inspiredby Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander.
Who is your biggest influence as an artist and why?
As a kid I absolutely loved looking thru paintings by Norman Rockwell. You can’t just glance at one of his paintings, you have to really look at it. As for work that has influenced mine, I like Cezanne’s fruit pieces and the brush strokes in his landscapes. I also like the lighting and color of John Singer Sargent’s work. And Van Gogh’s brushstrokes. Painterly brushstrokes and nice color have influenced my work.
Tell us about your childhood. What is the most memorable moment as a young person?
This is a hard one because I have several fond memories from my childhood in East Tennessee. My sister and I sold caterpillars with a neighborhood friend in our front yard. We played kickball in the backyard and could ride our wooden sled down the entire street when it snowed. We lived near Cades Cove and I always enjoyed sitting on the back of my parent’s bike and riding the loop trail. Come to think of it, most of my sweet memories were made outdoors.
If you could only have one supply in your art studio, what would it be and why?
Paint! You can’t really do anything fun without paint.
What is your favorite room in your house? Describe it.
I recently added two soft slipcovered swivel chairs to a corner of my sunroom and love, love, love sitting there and looking out the window at the marsh.
What is your biggest score online?
Those two swivel chairs (Brynn Feather Filled Swivel Chair from World Market) bought with a nice coupon were a really good deal, actually! I also like to look around ebay, poshmark, and etsy for unique vintage home items like ornaments, paintings, lighting, and other things you might find at a good vintage market in person.
What is the benefit of buying art through a collective? What do you recommend for those that are new to buying original art?
A collective can carefully select their artists. Because it is online, the artists come from a wide range of locations and therefore the gallery can offer a high-quality selection of artwork. As a shopper, it’s wonderful to find so many different artistic styles all in one place. One great thing about Well & Wonder is you have a proven 10 year track record of both selling art and offering quality artists. As for recommendations for new art buyers, I would recommend measuring at least twice. Even tape it out on your wall if necessary (with easily removable tape, of course).
If you have the entire day to spend in an art museum, which one and why?
I was recently in Amsterdam for one night but did not have time to go into the Rijksmuseum. I would love to get back to Amsterdam partly because it’s a great city and partially because missing the opportunity to walk thru the Rijksmuseum was disappointing.
What is your favorite hotel and what makes it special?
My daughter and I stayed at the Hotel Condesa DF in Mexico City. Designed by India Mahdavi, it was stunning. My husband and I enjoy staying at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. We stayed in a centuries-old Chateau in Normandy with the kids that was super-cool. And honestly, a clean hotel in the middle of a walkable city is always a great hotel. Wow. Now I want to take a trip.
If you were a lipstick color would you be red, pink, or clear and why?
Probably clear. I don’t like to be in the spotlight and really like to NOT be noticed. Nobody looks twice at clear lipstick.
I can never get on a plane without….
Taking a bag full of activities. I always have a small needlepoint project, a Logic Puzzle Book, as well as one other paperback that I typically don’t get around to reading. I also bring a kindle or ipad and have more than one podcast downloaded on my phone.
How did you get into the world of art?
I stumbled into it. I enjoyed drawing as a kid. Looking back, I realized that I often won awards for little art contests in elementary school. But, since I was strong in math and science, no one ever encouraged me to consider art classes. I graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Civil Engineering, but when the recession hit in 2007, my engineering work was construction-based and I was laid off from work. We lived in an 1850’s house in Madison, Georgia at the time and we needed art on our many walls. I started painting art for our home and listed a painting on Etsy on a whim and it sold within a few minutes. It is still such an honor to have someone want a piece of art that I create.
What do you do to relax?
I like to hop on my bike and ride down my street. It’s a short road, but a nice little break. When the weather is nice, we like to take our boat over to Cumberland Island and go for a walk.
When do you get the biggest surge of inspiration?
Nature is the best way to get inspired. Even a dreary day is beautiful when I am outside near the trees and plants and sky. Walking around a colorful market or city or town is also gratifying.
Prediction for the Color of 2026?
Probably a green of some sort. But honestly, the color of the year is never one I expect.
What is your idea of a date night? Dinner and a movie or dancing all night?
Dinner, but not a movie or dancing. I hate sitting though a bad move. Maybe a walk somewhere pretty.
Tell us about your favorite painting that you have created.
I painted a folk art scripture piece many years ago. It was deep orange and said “Trust in the Lord and Do Good” with white hydrangeas in the corner. This hung in our kitchen for years while the kids were growing up.
One piece of advice for buying original art?
Buy what you like, not what someone else tells you to buy. Ignore the signature on the painting and buy the piece you are drawn to – the one you keep going back to look at.
