Evening star., 1938-09-11
BY John SeIby,
Associated Press Arts Editor,


ut. LOUIS, Sept. 1o.-Joe Jones
- who began his working career
as a house painter and is glad
- of 1t, is now almost a legendary
human being at the age of 20.
He Is also close to unique, for he is
an artist who is genuinely articulate
He not only paints pictures that led
Lewis Mlmford to call him "the sea-
sons most promising young artist
three years ago, he can put himself
his reactions, and his art into words
Furthermore, this young painter OF
some of Americas most brilliant can
vases always has been what writers
call with affection, good copy"
For example, he was born into the
family of a st. Louis painting con-
tractor, Oldest of five children. When
he finished grade school at IA he i'm
mediately ran away to California. He
ran right back.
Eventually be rewarded his father
for putting lin to work by painting
him with an empty gin bottle. He
painted Jones, senior, from the rear
to hide missing arm, AID his parents
comment on the proceeding was that j,
was pretty tough sitting all that time
beside an empty bottle.
Joe painted houses with his father
and did good job. Now he says he
has mo economic insecurity" as an
artist. Il think of house painting as
the way Of providing the living wher
necessary.
Fortunately, 7 haven't had to fal
back on my trade for living" he adds
because my way of living is much les.
expensive than that of q hous<
painter!"
He began experimenting with paint
and canvas about 10 years ago as boy
of 18. His first things were a little
thin. AS critics have since explained
he thought of paint at that time as
something to cover surface with, and
used it too sparingly.
But not for long.
At 20 Joe married (the marriage
ended five years later. About the
same time he won $100 as a prize in q
st. Louis art show, began giving lee.
lures on art to st. LouiSans who were
impressed with his boundless energy
and fearlessness, was a moving spirit in
a group called the New Hats" anC
took the lead in forming an art class
for unemployed which was given space
in the old courthouse in ST. Louis
where 80 years ago the Dred Scott
case shocked a Nation.
So did Joe. Joe turned Communist
and series of local quarrels led to q
situation which resulted in the art class
being thrown out of the courthouse.
Joe is still a Communist, although
he admits: My active political life is
almost negligible"
Miss Elizabeth Green, one of the
st. Louisans who early felt Jones i'm
portance, calls him a conservative
radical. He explains that Marxist
theories are chiefly important to him
as "a realistic approach to life itself
which fits my temperament and un-
oNASeeAAoiAlS bNllSI llldi1 OIllCl
philosophical approach"
A tendency to iconoclasm popped
out every few minutes in those days
For example, when he sent a picture
to show at the Museum of Modern
Art this was all he would say about
himself: Joe Jones. Born st. Louis
1909. Self-taught"
But his youthful brusqueness did
him no harm in the East. Two of
his favorite canvases are in New York
today, augustly disposed. One, a wheat
picture, is at the Metropolitan Museum
Another, called I'VE Demand" is
owned by the Whitney Museum.
Peculiarly enough, although joe
family is not only reconciled to his
career but thoroughly proud of him,
one of the chief objections his father
made to painting as profession for
his son was that art was likely to lead
to the barroom. Some of the SON S
best work is in a set of murals in a
st. Louis taVern-nOt quite the natl