Halifax, Shipload of Memories
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Kaz Jones
Acrylic on canvas
60" x 24" Image Size
61.25" x 25.25" Framed Size
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Kaz Jones
Long before Float I had big ships in my memory and on my mind. I grew up in industrial Manchester, England. As a child, I was fascinated by the monumental vessels in the Manchester Ship Canal.
In my paintings, I choose to take everyday subject matter and infuse it with iconic status. Ships are my monument to an optimistic, thoroughly happy life. My subject matter speaks to me of the beauty of the everyday, the industrial, and the majesty of the feminine, in all forms.
The FLOAT ships were inspired by Halifax’s shipping legacy. The body of work speaks to the hard working and resilient nature of these old girls, the ships. Even in their rugged state they are elegant and beautiful.
Along with tried-and-true methods and a spirit of the adventurer, I provide opportunity for happy accident and grace to influence my final product. Life catches my attention and calls to be painted. I relish the creamy richness of the acrylic paint and the saturation of colour. I perceive my subjects from an off-kilter perspective with an exaggerated sense of design. This joyful, happy–go–lucky view makes me smile.
My studio is within sight of Collingwood harbour in Ontario, formerhome to the shipyards. Ships are in my blood. Ships are referred to by the feminine pronoun her, both exhibiting beautiful lines and the strength and stamina of a life well lived and well worked.
Kaz’s art is collected across North America. She can be found daily in her studio in the beautifully restored, historic, Tremont Studios in Collingwood.
