The Mesquite Fine Art Gallery is featuring Karlynn Jones as Artist of the Month for November 2015.  Her art will be displayed at the gallery Nov. 2 – 28.  The gallery, 15 West Mesquite Blvd., is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Karlynn Jones is the November Artist of the Month at the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery. A reception to honor her and the winners of the “Lucky 13” National Small Art Competition will be held at the Mesquite Fine Art Gallery Nov. 19 from 4 - 6 p.m. Photo submitted.

Karlynn Jones is the November Artist of the Month at the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery. A reception to honor her and the winners of the “Lucky 13” National Small Art Competition will be held at the Mesquite Fine Art Gallery Nov. 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. Photo submitted.

Jones was born in Carrollton Missouri. At an early age her parents ventured across the country to California where she was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout her school years she showed a real interest in and a talent for art, but she didn’t take it up seriously until later in life.

Jones and first husband Dick Glieden, raised their family; two sons, Mike and Shawn, and daughter Kara; in the Bay Area and Park City, Utah. Sadly, Dick passed away two years after moving to Mesquite.

Shawn works in real estate in Mesquite and Mike has returned to police work in the Salt Lake City area. Kara and husband Tim Vella own and operate their own business “Vella Glass” in Rohnert Park, Ca.

Jones enjoys being close to her grandchildren and encourages their participation in the arts as much as possible.

She remarried in 2009 and, although not an artist, her new husband, Ted enjoys helping in all her artistic endeavors.

Jones has enjoyed art in one form or another all her life. She designed and created gift baskets and packages for corporate accounts in Utah, California and Nevada for over 25 years. This was an art form in which she excelled and which evolved into her business; “Karlynn’s Artful Gifts”. She has transitioned from gift baskets to watercolor painting and now spends all her time creating her artwork.

Her adventure in watercolor started when a friend talked her into taking a class with the recreation department in California. While she enjoyed the medium, it was very frustrating. However, determination won out after many classes and seminars. What was frustrating before is now pure joy. “Just watching the magic happen when the watercolor explodes on the paper brings excitement and as adventure” to her paintings. Jones’s focus is on the color and texture that she can achieve with watercolor. She loves painting desert landscapes, sunsets and flowers. She enjoys finding new ways to market her art such as creating jewelry which displays miniatures of her paintings and these accompany her note card sets. She has also published calendars for the past six years which include her most up-to date artwork.

She has studied art at community colleges in California and Utah and has attended seminars conducted by such notable artists as Sterling Edwards, Max Bunnell and Roland Lee.

Jones exhibits and sells her paintings in art galleries and shows in Nevada and Utah. She is a member of Virgin Valley Artists Association

A reception to honor Jones and the winners of the “Lucky 13” National Small Art Competition will be held at the Mesquite Fine Art Gallery Nov. 19 from 4 – 6 p.m.

The Mesquite Fine Art Gallery is administered by the Virgin Valley Association (VVAA) a non-profit volunteer organization whose purpose is to advance and promote the arts in the community, provide a place for local artists to display their talents and help with funding, planning and operating the Mesquite Fine Art Gallery.