Attempting to separate the essence of Miranda Jones from her art is as difficult as trying to remove garlic cloves from a stew and expecting no trace of the pungent Allium to be left behind – they become one.

Miranda, a Saskatoon based painter, gilder and metalworker, is so completely immersed in her work that those who buy it, in addition to acquiring a piece of luxury art, are also, “…purchasing a piece of my own excitement and risk,” she said. Miranda radiates with the joy she finds in her work and this joy is passed on to the people who encounter her whimsical representations of animals, birds and organic abstract shapes.

Born in Waikerie, South Australia, a small but beautiful town on the river Murray, Miranda began her post-secondary education with a year as an exchange student at the Rotary Exchange, in Portugal. Miranda returned to Australia where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Flinders University in Adelaide, followed by a fourth Honours year in Melbourne. She continued her education at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology where she received a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management & Executive Secretarial Studies. While working for the Australian Government in the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs as a Spanish and Portuguese Interpreter, Miranda realized her creative urgings were not being satisfied.

Miranda speaks passionately about her unshakeable Australian roots, but adds that she has come to find a great deal of inspiration and beauty in her Canadian home, where she has spent over half her life. Miranda notes, 'There are many similarities between the Australian wide open landscape and the prairie, and also between the city of Saskatoon and Waikerie, such as the pelicans and the river, the harshness of the climate, the challenges offered by outdoor activities, the friendly rural roots and acceptance of newcomers. I have grown to love the subtle colour of the winter prairie, even though it took a long time, and I especially love the shark-free lakes and relative lack of poisonous species.'

Beaverfish - Paper Gilded

An avid student of Art and Craft, Miranda has studied printmaking, indigo dyeing, rug hooking, papermaking, drawing, mask making, intaglio, stone lithography, photography and welding. Miranda earned a Bachelor of Fine Art degree at Flinders University in Melbourne, Australia in 1977, and in 1989 she earned a Masters of Fine Art degree in painting, drawing & printmaking, from the University of Saskatchewan.

When describing the early influences of her formative years in Australia, Miranda declares, “You can take the girl out of Waikerie but you can't take Waikerie out of the girl. I grew up mostly out of doors, swimming, camping, hiking, waterskiing, bodysurfing and sun tanning. It was a rich Mediterranean climate and we lived out in the country surrounded by orchards with rows and rows of fruit trees, oranges, lemons, pears, apricots, avocados, almonds, olives and grapes. The region was rich in wildlife such as snakes, spiders, sharks (when we went to the coast), birds, lizards, strange marsupials, some amazing wildflowers, vibrant red earth and incredible sunsets.”

Miranda continues, “Much of my work deals with stories I associate with my life in Australia, with my connection to the river Murray, and to the land. My Dad loved to take us on camping trips into remote outback places and I dream of seeing more of that amazing country. On a more practical level, my Mum is amazing at drawing and always encouraged me to pursue my art. As a child, my siblings and I used to tinker in my grandfather's back shed making stuff. My grandfather was a fisherman and farmer and also used to do quite a bit of blacksmithing, so I think that attracted me to this later in life. My favourite place in the world is the desert and I find it mysterious and haunting. In a nostalgic kind of way I think a lot of my work is generated by a somewhat romanticized vision of the outback with its harshness and haunting beauty. Some of my earlier work is strongly influenced by aboriginal mythology which was taught to us in school and has become very influential in the Australian art scene generally.”

Steel Bodice - Emma Collaboration

As Miranda’s work evolves, so too does her list of influences. This list includes Alexander Caulder, Oriental art, and most recently, Michael Hosaluk and the abstrusity of the Emma Collaboration which joins 100 artists from around the world and promotes the free exchange of education and inspiration in a hands-on environment

Miranda is perhaps best known for her paper gilding. Using real gold and silver leaf, Miranda overlays strategic parts of her paintings with dazzling brilliance and brings unexpected life to her art. As light conditions and viewer’s angles change, so too does the experience of the image before them. When faced with one of these pieces, look for adroit clues to the meaning of the painting in the lavishly decorated borders.

While she is most widely recognized as a visual artist, she is currently excited about the limitless possibilities of working with metal. Her backyard studio is expected to be in full production very soon, providing a space for her imagination to run wild. She is particularly interested in working with painted cut steel which melds her love of painting and her metal work.

As any artist can attest to, it is often a challenge to be perpetually inspired with fresh ideas. To assist in this process, Miranda works from sketch books, sometimes from many years prior. Miranda adds, 'Yoga training and teaching has also taught me a great deal about managing fear, to trust my instincts, to recognize inspirational sources in unusual places (through apparent 'co-incidences' for example), and to keep myself in sufficient health and balance in order to undertake something as physically demanding as the metal sculpture.' For artists, like herself, who struggle with mental blocks, she offers the following advice: “...get out there and work, just do something.”

When asked how she defines success in her work, Miranda replied, “...when it starts to sing! If I’m happy with my work, it creates an environment where it’s almost like I’m living it.” Miranda sometimes questions the value of an artist’s contribution to making the world a better place, yet she quickly percolates with the conviction that happiness, both in the creation and viewing of her art, is a worthy pursuit. She concludes that as happiness is felt and shared, in multiple terms, the world becomes a better place.

In the future, Miranda aspires to spend more time with colour applications in 3D sculpture, and perhaps be more playful with her work.

Miranda’s work may be viewed at the Darrell Bell Gallery in Saskatoon, the Nouveau Gallery in Regina, and the TU Gallery in Edmonton.