Jean Sbarra Jones

Jean Sbarra Jones is a Visiting Lecturer in Illustration and Studio Foundation at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), a public college of visual and applied arts in Boston, Massachusetts. She holds an MFA in Painting from Boston University College of Fine Arts and a BFA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Research and Artistic Interests: Jean's work centers on the transformative qualities of light in natural and urban landscapes, particularly at dawn and dusk. Her artistic practice explores the interplay between abstraction and representation, using acrylic on panel and charcoal on paper. A recurring theme in her recent work is the dress submerged in water, serving as a metaphor for renewal, femininity, spiritual experience, and the passage of time.

Publications and Recognition: Her work has been featured in AcrylicWorks5 and Studio Visit Magazine. She has exhibited widely, with selections by influential curators including Alan Weinberg (Whitney Museum of American Art) and Clifford Ackley (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), and juried by renowned artists such as Judy Chicago, Faith Ringgold, and Donald Sultan.

• Award-winning artist with national recognition
• Recipient of grants for artist residencies
• Work included in private collections, including the estate of Kenneth Noland

Teaching and Practice: As a Visiting Lecturer at MassArt, she contributes to foundational art education, mentoring students in illustration and studio fundamentals. Her studio work reflects deep engagement with light, form, and emotional resonance, developed through daily walks and meditative observation during the pandemic. Her paintings capture moments of quietude, hope, and restoration, particularly in the historic neighborhoods of Salem, Massachusetts.