Gard Jones

About the Artist

Born in San Francisco and spending his adolescence in Seattle, Gard Jones earned a B.A., B.A.Ed., and a B.F.A. from Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington. While at Western, Gard's sculptures, conceptual at their core, were heavily influenced by the work of the Minimalist Movement and the sublime landscape of the Pacific Northwest.  Gard was directly involved in the WWU Art Acquisition Committee.  Generously funded by Virginia and Bagley Wright, the Art Acquisition Committee facilitated the campus acquisition and installation of large-scale outdoor works by Richard Sera, Mark Di Suvero, Anthony Caro, Nancy Holt, Tony Smith, Beverly Pepper, Robert Morris, Donald Judd, and others. Gard earned an M.F.A. at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. While at Cranbrook his sculptures maintained their conceptual spirit and tuned into the decaying industrial ambience of Detroit.  For Gard meaning was found in rescuing large pieces of cast-off steel from scrap yards and arranging them in configurations that allowed components to move.   Moving to Washington, D.C. Gard performed volunteer work for the International Sculpture Center and worked with the Maryland Institute College of Art.   Remaining conceptual in nature Gard's sculpture and installations tilted at the windmills of politics, war, and American Social Values. Since 2014 Gard’s artwork has become personal, solemn, and introspective. He has exhibited his work in galleries and museums in Washington State, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  Gard has taught courses in studio art and art history for colleges and Universities in the Pacific Northwest, and the Mid-Atlantic.  Currently living in Baltimore, Maryland, Gard is faculty for York College of Pennsylvania and lectures on Visual Culture, Graffiti, and Street Art.