Emerging Student Artists Exhibit
Jessica Jones may be only 13 years old, but the aspiring artist is about to have her first gallery show. Jones will have her artwork on display Saturday and through the month of November as part of the Emerging Student Artists Exhibit at the Wiregrass Gallery in downtown Thomasville.
The daughter of Sharon Jones and Stacy Martin, Jones is an eighth-grader at the Scholars Academy in Thomasville and a participant in Thomas University’s GEAR UP/Pre-College Programs. Her love for art began when she was 6 years old watching her father draw. Noticing her interest, her father began to teach her a few things about art. At school Jones enjoyed art classes and began doing artwork on her own. She even won first place with one of her paintings at the Thomas County Fair.
TU Pre-College student’s artwork featured in Published On: October 29, 2020 11:31 am
The opening reception for the Emerging Student Artists Exhibit will be held Saturday, Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jones will be on hand to discuss her work from 1 to 3 p.m. Her work will be on exhibit at Wiregrass Gallery through November, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Monday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays.
Each month artwork by students in the region will be featured in the Emerging Student Artists Exhibit at Wiregrass Gallery. TU’s Pre-College Programs are federally funded programs that provide academic, cultural and social enrichment activities to middle and high school students. The main objective of both programs is to help participants enter and succeed at a postsecondary institution by removing academic, cultural, economic and social barriers. The Pre-College Programs serve students in Decatur and Thomas counties, as well as in Thomasville City Schools System.
In addition to exhibiting the students’ artwork, a scholarship fundraiser has been established for students accepted for the exhibit. Wiregrass Cooperative members have published a 2021 calendar featuring their artwork. A limited number of these can be purchased, with all proceeds going to the scholarship fundraisers. In addition, a donation box will be available near the exhibit. For more information, contact Jose Batista, GEAR UP/Pre-College Program Coordinator, at 787-645-8364.