INTERVIEW: Blood is Thicker Than Water

By Riki Moss

Showing with a parent or child is intriguing: what were the influences? The similarities? The pleasure and the Angst?

Burlington artist Linda E. Jones is an abstract painter who uses organic forms and an earthy palette, while her father Robert is an honored illustrator - remember the Exxon ads: a tiger in the tank? - and representational artist using the ocean with its ever changing and vibrant light as his source. They're about to show together at 215 College St. Coop Gallery in Burlington. The reception is Friday, March 6th from 5-8 pm.

This is from an an email interview with artist Linda E. Jones:

"Blood is thicker than water. Oil paint is also thicker than water. Dad really just watched me and left me alone as I explored my way around art as a child. I just loved playing w/ his materials in the studio- absolutely drawn to them (excuse the pun). Knew I would be an artist at an early age. Well, maybe a nurse too. In talking to him now, he says that I was off an my own and he didn't want to interfere with that process. I don't see any similarity in our work at all- other than we both use oil. Even when I was representational. I do remember looking down my nose at commercial art and saying something awful to him at my senior exhibit. Something to the effect 'See Dad, this is real art- not a sell-out like commercial art' Dad said something that I had a good eye that might prove useful in supporting myself should I ever get tired of waitressing.

And it was The Exxon Tiger was what paid for my BFA by the way. Can you believe I was such an insensitive, idealistic idiot?"