ARTIST
RYAN JONES
Mill Valley | CA
Ryan Jones blends his deep admiration for the old masters with an innovative take on contemporary practices. His work challenges and elevates the realist tradition, offering fresh, introspective explorations of the world around him.
AVAILABLE WORKS
BIOGRAPHY
Ryan Jones is an American artist whose work bridges classical techniques with contemporary realism, creating paintings that resonate with both tradition and modernity. Born in Alameda, California, his artistic path was shaped by early training at the California College of the Arts, followed by mentorship from acclaimed artist Enrique Chagoya at Stanford University, where Jones earned degrees in both Art and Engineering. His unique perspective was honed through years working for George Lucas, contributing to iconic Hollywood films and refining his cinematic approach to painting. This experience led him to Singapore, where he lived and worked for several years before returning to his creative base in Mill Valley, California.
Jones is largely self-taught, blending his deep admiration for the old masters with an innovative take on contemporary practices. His work challenges and elevates the realist tradition, offering fresh, introspective explorations of the world around him. Exhibited in leading galleries, museums and art fairs, his paintings have found their place in prestigious private collections across the globe.
Ryan Jones’ latest body of work masterfully reimagines the essence of pop culture icons through his distinctive use of divided canvases, creating a visual dialogue between past and present. Drawing from his background in cinematic matte painting, Jones fragments and juxtaposes imagery—ranging from classic cars and vintage watches to legendary film figures—into cohesive narratives that invite viewers to explore the cultural significance of these symbols. His paintings not only celebrate the allure of bygone eras but also prompt reflection on how these icons have shaped contemporary identity and desire. In an age dominated by rapid digital consumption, Jones' work offers a contemplative pause, encouraging audiences to consider the enduring impact of visual media on our collective consciousness. By bridging the gap between nostalgia and the now, his art explores the relevance of historical imagery in today's social media landscape.
Ryan Jones’ work bridges classical techniques and contemporary realism. He is best known for his Divided Canvas Series, which reimagines icons of pop culture through layered, cinematic compositions. His paintings, exhibited internationally and held in major collections, invite viewers to slow down and reflect on identity, nostalgia, and cultural memory in the digital age.
EXHIBITIONS
EDUCATION
Stanford University, CA 2003
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - Fleur Noir - St. Helena, Montecito, CA
2022 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - San Francisco, CA
2022 Imago Galleries - Palm Desert, CA
2022 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - Fragments - St. Helena, San Francisco, CA
2021 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - San Francisco, St. Helena, Montecito, CA
2020 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - Looking Forward To The Past - San Francisco, CA
2019 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - San Francisco, CA
Skidmore Contemporary - Santa Monica, CA
2018 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - Scattered Postcards - San Francisco, CA
Skidmore Contemporary - Santa Monica, CA
2017 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - St. Helena, CA
2016 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - Slivers of Reality - San Francisco, CA
Caldwell Snyder Gallery - St. Helena, CA
2015 Caldwell Snyder Gallery - St. Helena, CA
2014 Campton Gallery - Tunnel Vision - New York, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 The San Francisco Fall Show - San Francisco, CA
2023 Art Market San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
2022 Art Market San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
2022 Imago Galleries - Palm Desert, CA
2021 LA Art Show - Los Angeles, CA
2020 De Young Art Museum - De Young Open - San Francisco, CA
Hamptons Art Fair - Southampton, NY
Laura Rathe Fine Art - Dallas, TX
2019 Prince Albert II - Grace Kelly 90 Years - Monaco
Laura Rathe Fine Art - Dallas, TX
AFM Telethon - France Oliver Cole Gallery - Miami, FL
SCOPE Art Show - Art Basel - Miami, FL
Art Market San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
Art Wynwood Art Fair - Miami, FL
2018 Art Market San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
2017 Art Market San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
2016 Rarity Gallery - Mykonos, Greece
CONTEXT Art Miami - Art Basel - Miami, FL
CONTEXT New York - New York, NY
Art Market San Francisco - San Francisco, CA
2015 CONTEXT Art Miami - Art Basel - Miami, FL
Art Silicon Valley - San Mateo, CA
2014 CONTEXT Art Miami - Art Basel - Miami, FL
Art Southampton - Southampton, NY
2012 Kult Gallery - Singapore - Opening Exhibition
PRES RELEASE
Christopher Martin Gallery Presents HIDDEN MESSAGES — Debut Exhibition for Ryan Jones in Dallas.
Artist Reception: Thursday, September 25, 2025 | 5–8 PM
1530 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207
Dallas, TX — Christopher Martin Gallery is proud to announce HIDDEN MESSAGES, a group show that marks the debut in Dallas of American artist Ryan Jones. HIDDEN MESSAGES presents new works from Costa Christ, Collazo Collection, Christopher Martin, Paulette Martsolf, JP Terlizzi, Beau Simmons, and more. The Exhibtion opensThursday, September 25, 2025, with an artist reception from 5–8 pm at the gallery’s Dallas Design District location.
Jones, a Marin-based painter, bridges the timeless techniques of classical realism with the immediacy of cinematic storytelling. His Icons series reimagines cultural legends—from James Bond to Hollywood greats—through meticulously painted canvases that pair figures with the watches, cars, and objects that defined them. What began with a commission for Bob’s Watches featuring Sean Connery, a Rolex, and an Aston Martin evolved into a powerful body of work that interrogates nostalgia, fame, and identity in contemporary culture.
A graduate of Stanford University, where he studied both art and engineering, Jones honed his narrative sensibility during his career in Hollywood, working as a digital matte painter for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic. That cinematic influence is unmistakable in his paintings, where dramatic light, careful framing, and layered compositions evoke the feel of a film still—yet rendered entirely by hand.
Though academically trained, Jones considers himself largely self-taught, developing unique techniques and tools to achieve the hyperrealistic precision of his work. His divided canvases and intricate watch studies exemplify his obsessive attention to detail, achieved without traditional mediums or additives, resulting in a matte uniformity that sets his work apart.
“Film has always inspired me,” Jones explains. “I like presenting something with just enough to spark curiosity—so that the story is yours to create.”
Jones’ work has been exhibited internationally and collected globally, earning recognition for its balance of historical reverence and contemporary relevance. Icons marks his first exhibition with Christopher Martin Gallery, introducing Dallas audiences to a visionary voice whose art invites viewers to pause, reflect, and re-examine the cultural symbols that shape collective memory.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Hidden Messages: Dallas Debut for Ryan Jones.
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 25, 2025 | 5–8 PM
Location: Christopher Martin Gallery | 1530 Dragon Street, Dallas, TX 75207