"Rooted in the South, Raised by the Sea: The Ancestral Pulse Behind My Art"

By John Obafemi Jones, Afro-Diasporic Expressionist | Fine Artist | Cultural Storyteller

"Ellaville Juke" 2023

More Than Paint: A Legacy in Every Stroke

I Paint Stories, Not Just Scenes.. As an artist, I don’t just create paintings—I tell stories. Each piece I paint carries memory, identity, and emotion. For serious collectors, investing in my work means owning more than color and form—it means inheriting generations of vision, resilience, and truth.

Born of Red Clay and Ancestral Strength

I was born in Ellaville, Georgia, in the heart of the Southern Black Belt—a crescent of land that shaped Black American culture through hardship and hope. My ancestors endured slavery, rebuilt during Reconstruction, and rose through the Jim Crow era with unshakable grace.

Their strength lives in my brush. When I paint, I draw from the red clay of Georgia, the echo of gospel choirs, the scent of woodsmoke, and the voices of my elders. I don’t paint about history—I paint from it.

I Grew My Wings in St. Croix

Though my roots are Southern, my spirit expanded in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In St. Croix, USVI. I didn’t just arrive—I was called.

Here, the sea sings like my ancestors. The drums, the laughter, the wind in the palms—they carry memory in rhythm. In Georgia, we sang the blues. In the Caribbean, we danced them away. My work lives at the intersection of Southern endurance and island spirit. Every canvas carries both.

I Paint What I Refuse to Forget

My process is emotional and layered. Color becomes feeling. Texture becomes memory. Paintings like “Ellaville Juke” revisit the pain and pride of the South. “Dancing to Jordan” celebrates the joy and resilience of Caribbean life.Each piece is a refusal to forget—a testimony of what they tried to erase.

Why Collectors Choose My Work

Collectors, curators, and institutions often tell me:

“Your work doesn’t just speak—it moves.”

Here’s what they value:

• Authenticity – I paint from my life, lineage, and truth.

• Mastery – My classical technique is fused with Afro-expressionist vision.

• Legacy – These paintings are heirlooms—vessels of Diasporic memory and cultural truth.

An Invitation to Serious Collectors and Cultural Institutions

If you seek work with emotional gravity, cultural depth, and historical meaning, I invite you to join this journey. This is more than art—it’s living history.

Explore Available Works: https://www.johnobafemijones.com/home

Join the Collector Circle: Sign Up Here https://www.johnobafemijones.com

Let’s talk about legacy—and how you can become part of it.

Join the Conversation

• What story would you tell on canvas?

• Which painting has changed how you see your roots?

• How do you define legacy in your own life?

For Serious Collectors and Cultural Institutions

If you seek work with emotional depth, cultural significance, and historical resonance, I invite you to join this journey and become part of a community of art lovers and cultural enthusiasts.

Join the Collector Circle: Sign Up Here https://www.johnobafemijones.com

Let’s talk about legacy—and how you can become part of it.