BY DR. REBEKAH MCCLOUD, GUEST WRITER TO THE TIMES
ORLANDO – Brittany Jones has been involved in the arts since she was a child. She was in dance, theater, and the chorus. She was also an athlete who played soccer, flag football and ran track. A native Floridian, Jones attended the University of Central Florida (UCF) as an art major. As a child, she started doing art by tracing and drawing “thinking it was the greatest thing ever.”
Anime (Anime, is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan) she added, “I didn’t know it was a thing to be an artist” without seeing one until she went to college. Once in college as an art major at the University of Central Florida, she was surprised to see the artist she was learning about. “None of them were Black neither were any of my professors. At the time, African American art was not considered art,” she said.
For a few years after college graduation, Jones took a break from art. “I stopped doing work I wanted to show to the public. I started again in 2023. Someone told me to keep something for myself and give some to others. That was the best advice I’ve gotten,” said Jones. Her art is bold, colorful, and expressive.
An avid traveler, Jones likes to check out artists and get connected wherever she goes. In addition to creating art, she currently teaches art at the Eatonville Boys & Girls Club. “The kids think art is a piece of work that is perfect. They don’t see the lines and dots as art. They see perfection. There are no mistakes, just happy accidents. Art is everywhere and everybody should be a part of art.” Jones says she loves her job working with the kids. “They are teaching me to be unafraid.”
The Puzzled Peace Initiative has meaning to Jones. The piece she created for the initiative is called “Pieces of Me.” It is currently on display at the Women’s History and Cultural Center. Jones said about removing Black history from the curriculum, “I don’t know how you tell the story of America without talking about the Black people who were brought here to build this country.”
Jones has been involved in several projects. She wonders what one should do with their voice and how to know your lane. Art is her lane and the way to share her voice. She has had two showcases of her work in 2024. One was in a new genre for her, photography. “Pieces of Me” will be on display at the Park Dr. Gallery (Sanford).
“I’m following God’s guidance. I’m just walking the path He set for me. It’s a lot better than what I planned for myself,” she concluded. For more information, connect with the artist on Instagram at BrittJoy_media. For information about Puzzled Peace: www.puzzledpeace.net
