Berkeley Arts Council Opens ‘Outsider Art’ Exhibit

Berkeley Arts Council Opens ‘Outsider Art’ Exhibit
Vernacular Paintings A.K.A. by Anthony Jones

Berkeley County residents are invited to step into the warmth and comfort emitted by the paintings, video shorts, and audio compositions of Anthony Jones, a local artist who specializes in creating nontraditional works. The one-man show, Vernacular Paintings A.K.A., will be on exhibit at Berkeley Art Works in downtown Martinsburg, February 10-28.

“We’re bringing a slice of Outsider Art to Martinsburg, just days after the annual New York Outsider Art Fair closes in Manhattan,” said Berkeley Arts Council board member and Blue Ridge Community and Technical College art instructor Gary Bergel. “Mr. Jones’ paintings draw directly from his Washington DC roots, his Cherokee-Blackfoot-African-European heritage, his service as an Army Airborne Infantryman, and decades of exploring what he calls ‘his personal comfort zone’–the visual arts.” Vernacular Paintings A.K.A. is curated by Bergel, who has owned or directed a number of galleries.

Jones, who prides himself in producing works that come from the soul rather than from classical art traditions, recalls that art has always been a part of his life. As a child, his family emphasized art, music and Christianity. At North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University he took visual art classes with a focus on sculpture. He has exhibited in solo and small-group exhibitions in New York City and Madison, Wisconsin, and counts Manhattan-based painter Jan Frank among his mentors.

Mr. Jones and the Berkeley Arts Council dedicate this show to all the members of America’s Military battling physical, mental, and emotional challenges. Next time you’re in downtown Martinsburg, join in this tribute to our service men and women. Stop by the exhibit and sign the Guest Book that will be gifted to Daphnne ‘Dawn’ Johns, Recreational Therapy Assistant at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center.

The exhibit is free and open to the public. Vernacular Paintings A.K.A. will be on display at Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street, in downtown Martinsburg, February 10-28. Gallery hours are: Wednesday 11-5; Thursday 11-5; Friday 11-5; and Saturday 10-5. The Gallery is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

A free Reception will be held on Friday, February 19, from 4-6 pm, with a Q&A with Mr. Jones at 5 pm. A Closing Time event, also free and open to the public, will be held from 2-5 pm on Saturday, February 27. Mr. Jones will read from his book, The Lone Feather, at the party. Everyone coming to the Reception or Closing Time, or attending the exhibit, will be entered into a raffle to win one of Anthony Jones’ works.

The Berkeley Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) non‐profit organization incorporated in West Virginia working to ensure that Berkeley County has a vibrant, vital arts environment by promoting awareness, understanding and appreciation of the literary, visual and performing arts in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The Berkeley Arts Council is on the Web at www.berkeleyartswv.org​.