We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Todd Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Todd below.

Hi Todd, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

In my first year of high school, I took a Digital Design course and immediately fell in love with it. I had a very supportive teacher, and she encouraged me to pursue other art forms. Throughout high school, I took various art courses and knew I wanted to study art in some form in college. I attended Florida State University and received a BFA in Studio Art afterward. I knew I wanted to go to graduate school and pursue art. I taught for various nonprofit and community arts organizations during my undergraduate and graduate work. I fell in love with teaching, attended Ohio University, received my MFA in Studio Art, and wanted to become an Art Professor, which is my current position.

Todd, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an experimental artist who explores the boundaries between contemporary painting and sculpture. I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts and double majored in studio art and psychology at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Once I graduated, I became an artist-in-residence for six months at Studio 209 in Thomasville, Georgia, before moving my studio practice to Columbus, Ohio. I then attended the Summer Painting and Sculpture Intensive hosted by the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This experience was a turning point for me and my practice, and at that moment, I knew I wanted to attend graduate school. I received my Master of Fine Arts in Painting + Drawing and a Graduate Certificate in Visual Arts Management from Ohio University. I am based in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I am a Visiting Assistant Professor and Gallery Director for the Art Department at Meredith College.

I am proud of my work and how far I have come with my conceptual thinking and use of materials in my artistic practice. As a painter, my work expands across multiple disciplines, such as drawing, sculpture, and installation. I create sculptural paintings that explore thematic intersections of domestic space, geography, and geological process. I reformulate discarded and mistint paints into a visual record of cultural history through material transformations by pouring numerous layers to create strata-like forms that mimic natural sedimentation. My current research and creative practice recontextualize material practices and take an interdisciplinary approach to art-making. I use the mistint and discarded house paint to touch on topics such as consumerism, identity politics, and sustainability.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I am interested in consumer goods and residual memory. My work aims to understand the ever-decreasing life cycle of consumer goods, why we consume them, and how our actions can harm the environment. My artwork focuses mainly on house paint, and I want viewers to question their consumerism and means of disposal. For example, there are proper ways of house paint disposal. Unused latex-based and water-based paints can be dried and placed in the garbage. Oil-based paint is not allowed in landfills and is considered hazardous waste and has to be taken to a Hazardous Waste Facility. Individuals can even consider donating the paint somewhere in their community to be recycled by a local organization.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

As an artist, I have always tried to be more sustainable in my practice. I have come to accept that it is almost impossible not to create any waste, and I have learned to accept that and reduce my footprint. There is little to no material waste in my practice. Everything is recycled, from the house paint, shavings, and the paint can lid. My project is small on the grand scale of things, but you don’t get social change without starting somewhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.taahd.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taahd/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToddJonesARTIST
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddnjones/