Paul R. Jones

Paul R. Jones is considered one of the top 100 art collectors in the United States. Paul has donated his 1,700-piece art collection, valued at $4.8 million, to the University of Alabama, according to UA News on October 14, 2008.

Mr. Paul Jones is an extraordinary collector of the world class art. He is special because he is neither independently wealthy nor does he come from a wealthy background. He was born and grew in a mining camp in Bessemer, AL. He has devoted most of his lifetime earnings to the African-American art collection. After decades of effort, he owns one of the largest, most comprehensive, African American art collections in the world. His most important and generous move is when, in a single act of immense philanthropy, he donated all of his collection to the University of Alabama.

Paul did not grow up in a house full of art, but he grew to appreciate art and beauty because of a loving family and his mother’s delightful flower garden. According to Paul, while working in the garden with his mother, he “learned to appreciate bouquets, fresh flowers, and colors.” Paul started his art collecting by accident. One day, in the early 1960s, while he walked by a store selling shrink wrapped art on Peachtree Street, in Buckhead, he went in, looked through it all, and found three Impressionist pieces. He bought them and hung them in his living room. After that, he became conscious that he likes art and wants to collect pieces of art. He started to look closely at art shows, museums, and galleries. After collecting for a couple of years, he realized that museums and other places were not spending their funds on African-American art. African-American art was “abundant and affordable”, but hardly ever represented in the collections of museums. He felt that the great African-American artists were being overlooked and that this art might lose to the art world if nobody stood for it. Therefore, he decided to create a collection of works by a variety of African American artists. After he acquired a large enough collection, he began to display the pieces he possessed in art shows and exhibitions so that others could be aware of it and familiar with it. He wanted to ensure that African-American art attained its rightful place in the art world, and he did. His collection helped and encouraged many African-American artists, and it influences others to love and collect African-American art.

Paul’s Collection reflects an array of subjects, styles, and materials and leaves the meaning and message open to interpretation. His collection includes works by well known artists such as Romare Bearden, Prentice Herman Polk, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Carrie Mae Weems, Sam Gilliam, and Benny Andrews. The collection also consists of works of many other non-famous artists. Because African-American art was not widely desired at that time, Jones dealt with the artists themselves rather than a fellow collector. Many of those artists were poor, and he was doing them a favor by purchasing their works. It would help them pay their rents, feed their families, and build their reputations. The situation, as well, helped Jones get those works at much cheaper prices than they may be today. Considering Jones himself was not wealthy, this factor greatly assisted Jones in expanding his collection of art.

By donating his Collection to the University of Alabama, Paul hopes to preserve the legacy of African-American art of the 20^th century and to inspire others for generations to come into collecting this art, as well. He also desires to elevate the value of African American Art in the art collecting world and make it equal to that of artists of the same skill. The collection will become part of the department of art and art history in UA’s College of Arts and Sciences and will be incorporated into course curricula at UA. Not only that, but it will also serve to inspire artists and collectors for years to come.

For his act of incredible charity and his life time endeavor to save African-American art, it is probably safe to say that Paul R. Jones is a truly great man.

Works Cited

“4.8 Million Paul R. Jones Art Collection Donated to UA.” The University of Alabama News.

2008. 15 Sept. 2009 .

Colwell, Sarah. “Why I Collect: An Interview with Paul R. Jones.” The University of Alabama

News. 2008. 15 Sept. 2009

<http://uanews.ua.edu/anews2008/oct08/images/pauljones_interview.pdf>.

“Paul R. Jones: Biographical Information.” The University of Alabama News. 2008. 15 Sept. 2009

<http://uanews.ua.edu/anews2008/oct08/images/pauljones_bio.pdf>.

“Paul R. Jones Collection of African American Art.” Wikipedia, 15 Sept. 2009

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_R._Jones_Collection_of_African_American_Art>.