Randy was “born to draw.” As a child, he could often be found on
his family’s farm in Southwestern Ontario sketching and doodling—putting pencil
to paper to transfer thoughts and ideas into visuals. To Randy, there was something magic in art. And there was never a question as to
what he would pursue as a career.
With the full support of his
parents, he left his rural roots and attended a city school that offered a
comprehensive art programme. Randy
was in his element and his gift flourished under first-rate tutelage. Illustration and the cartoon media,
whether historical, classical, political, social or satirical, proved to be his
favourite genres.
Upon graduation, his first
commercial project was for the University of Toronto Press, which was followed
by several years of editorial work for major Canadian newspapers and
periodicals. Eventually, Randy
moved to New York City where his talent and inspired originality were soon
widely recognized. For several decades, his artwork appeared in such illustrious
publications as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Lampoon,
The Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, and World Report, to name a few.
For Randy, every assignment is an
adventure. From background
material, a script, a story or a client’s theme, images and ideas develop that
this skilled artist then converts to drawings—to tell a story or make a point,
often with humour.
In addition to visual art, he has
long been experimenting with sculpture. Translating his two-dimensional skills
into three-dimensional pieces is a challenge he enjoys—and given the results,
it is obvious Randy is equally talented in this medium.
When it comes to depicting the unique
and the unusual, Randy Jones is an exceptional artist, one who brings fantasia
to life, whose tongue-in-cheek humour makes you smile, and whose work can be
serious or a spoof. But always
one-of-a-kind!
