Not a Starving Artist

Jessica Jones dispels the idea of a starving artist in Conway

Todd jones, Conway Scene

Living in or around Conway, it’s hard to miss the gorgeous murals suddenly appearing downtown. From Wunderhaus to Kings to the peacock outside Righteous Remedies (Formerly the Naked Hippy Cafe), there has been a wave of vibrant, original installations brightening up local businesses and street corners all over the city. Residents might be surprised to learn that all this art is the work of one extremely busy mother of two, Jessica Jones, whose work ethic and drive are just as impressive as the art itself.

Jones wants to get rid of the idea that you have to be poor or starving to be an artist. Aside from devaluing art in general, it also prevents people from getting into the field: “I’d like to see more working artists around Conway. Believe it or not, I don’t want to be the only one doing high profile work around here.” Working in a smaller city might seem like a disadvantage for an artist, but according to her, there’s a relatively low number of people even trying to make it, probably because they don’t think they can.