SUMA: The House That Jimmie Built

Installation photography by Jessica Nelson.

Jimmie Jones is a well-known artist in Southern Utah, born in Cedar City to an LDS family in 1933 during the Great Depression. When expressing his desire to pursue art as a career his parents were very supportive. He studied art in Los Angeles and then transferred to the University of Utah to complete a master’s degree. He never ended up completing it, after being offered his own show by a gallery owner in Tuscan, Arizona. Jimmie’s early years were spent on figure painting, but as his life progressed, he became fascinated with landscapes and wanted to paint his home, Zion National Park. After many paintings of Zion, he fell in love with the Grand Canyon. He stated, “The Grand Canyon is my passion now. It’s like a lover you cannot get enough of. It’s my odyssey.” When Jones passed away in 2009, he donated his Rockville home and his complete collection of artwork, including his own work and other artists he had collected over the years, to Southern Utah University for their permanent collection, and from that generous donation, Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) was created.

One particular piece of art by Jimmie Jones being displayed in the Jim Jones Gallery until March 17th, 2023 is a giant group of canvases that encase the view of the Grand Canyon. Each of the canvases is a different size, but connected together you feel like you are given the whole spectacle of this wonder of the world. The attention to detail is incredible with even the trees having beautiful texture. In the museum gift shop there is a section dedicated to Jimmie Jones including a book written about his life that contains many of his artworks. Since SUMA has all of Jimmie Jones’ artwork in their permanent collection, many are rotated over time and curated to share Jones’ spirit and love of art with us all. —Jessica Nelson (Jimmie Jones: My Passion, My Odyssey continues at the Southern Utah Museum of Art through March 17.)