Artist Statement
My paintings develop through a process of experimentation and discovery. Rather than planning every detail in advance, I respond to the paint as I work, building layers of color, form, and texture until the image takes shape. Paint is a teacher, and every painting offers something new to learn.
I'm drawn to portraiture and the stories that make each person unique, looking for the nuance and honesty that lie beneath the surface. Landscapes and natural subjects offer a different kind of connection, inspiring a sense of belonging and groundedness. I often return to a single subject, exploring it until I know its nooks and crannies better than my own. Across these subjects, I'm interested in what lies beyond appearances: the feelings, energy, and details that give something meaning, and the many ways it can be experienced and understood.
For me, painting is a way of exploring, processing, and connecting with my lived experience. I hope my work leaves room for viewers to find their own meaning and feel a connection that goes beyond what words alone can express.
Jojo
(Jonelle Jones, b. 1983)
Jonelle Jones, known creatively as Jojo, is a visual artist and designer whose studio practice focuses on acrylic portraiture, landscapes, and abstract work. Her work is informed by an interest in the stories, experiences and emotions that shape how we see and connect with the world around us. She approaches painting much like a sculptor, building layers of paint through individual, intentional strokes as the image emerges.
Her creative career has spanned many mediums, including photography, illustration, and design. She began painting in 2024 while studying under artist and educator Andrew Watel (1955–2025) at Johnson County Community College. Her photographic work Sete Sezinhos – No. 1 was included in the Kansas City Artists Coalition’s 2011 Undergraduate College Student Exhibition. Her current work includes a portrait series in which individual two-inch abstract paintings come together to form a larger portrait. Each square represents a different facet of a person’s experience, reflecting how we are shaped by moments, memories, emotions, and possibilities. She continues to develop her painting practice from her home studio in Kansas City, Missouri.
EDUCATION
Johnson County Community College, Associate of Liberal Arts with a focus on Fine Arts, 2025
Studied under:
Andrew Watel
Zigmunds Priede
Adam Long
Caleb Fey
EXHIBITIONS
2011 Undergraduate College Student Exhibition, Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City
COLLECTIONS
Works held in private collections in Missouri, Colorado, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Doan, Thy, Hand Lettering: Creative Alphabets for Any Occasion, St. Martin's Griffin 2017, p. 20
SCHOLARSHIPS
2011 S A Art Scholarship, Johnson County Community College
Jojo currently lives and works in Kansas City, Missouri