Night Lady

John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones weaned himself away from the geometry of his early prints because he felt that the spare imagery was wrung dry. He thus moved toward the attenuated, magical figurative work that was to become a life-long focus.

Between November 5, 1962, and January 28 of 1963 Jones worked at the Tamarind Institute in Los Angeles, with Tamarind Master Printers Bohuslav Horak and Joe Zirker where he produced a series of 29 black and white abstracted lithographs, including "Night Lady".

A robed figure emerges from the background and dominates the composition as it seems to move from the light to the dark. The figure is fragmented, and spirit-like, lit by an undetermined light source that emanates from the dark as if through a tunnel. The entire composition vibrates with intensity and mystery.