Jeffrey Catherine Jones struggled with battles that other painters never had to face. His fragile nervous system supported his great talent the way-- in the words of Bob Dylan-- a mattress balances on a bottle of wine.
As a boy, I loved the beauty and elegance of Jones' work but I didn't understand the true scope of his achievement. It was only after I made contact with him later in life that I began to appreciate the demands that his personal chemistry placed on his courage.
In what should have been his most productive years, Jones was stalked by the Great Sadness. His goals became more complex:
The goal was to somehow survive until morning while working my way ever upwards toward the coming morning light and the safety of the surface. I moved steadily, avoiding as much as possible, the swaying, reaching dead and the slabs of torn bologna spinning through the air.
Jones responded to his challenges with great valor. In his life, he created some glorious work at great personal cost and left a wonderful legacy for the rest of us.
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