MIA HESTER
Staff Reporter | msh061@latech.edu
Clik here to view.
Peter Jones (right) speaks about his ‘Vanishing Ruston’ art exhibition. – Photo by Morgan Bernard
Places of Ruston’s past were brought back to life through the photographs of Peter Jones’ art exhibition titled “Vanishing Ruston.”
Jones, a local artist and art professor at Louisiana Tech, debuted the exhibition at Ruston Artisans, 203 W. Alabama Avenue, on April 5.
Todd Maggio, creative director at Ruston Artisans, said Jones was inspired by the developmental changes that were happening in Ruston.
“He’s been taking pictures of Ruston for a long time,” Maggio said. “When we started talking to Peter about doing a show, his thoughts were a lot of the buildings that he had taken pictures of were no longer in Ruston.”
Mandy Allen, a sophomore interior design major, said the exhibition gave her a new perspective of Ruston she did not have before.
“I wasn’t here when some parts of Ruston looked like that, so it’s interesting to see how it’s changed over time,” she said.
The art exhibition was created so Jones could pay homage to his love for Ruston and its changes throughout the years.
“This exhibit is based on a Facebook album I posted titled ‘Vanishing Ruston,’” Jones said.
This gave Jones the idea for the name of the exhibit as well as the main theme.
Jones took pictures of The Depot, old Victorian houses, the bus station, the old Bonner bridge and more places that have since been replaced or torn down.
“These are all things that were and are no longer,” Jones said.
The exhibit also showcased Jones’ color theory, which came about through digital cameras.
“This show is about the growth of digital cameras which allows you to do incredible things that you couldn’t do before,” he said.
Most of the food served at the exhibition was from restaurants that have closed down as well.
Jones grew up in Woodstock, New York, when the famous festival was still going on. The location he was in influenced his love for art.
“My father was a painter and photographer, so I’ve done art really all my life,” he said. “And of course photography and painting — two sides of the board. I remember as a little kid, standing in the dark room watching print come up from the tray; it was like magic.”
Jones got his first camera at the age of 14 from his father while vacationing in Europe. He said since he grew up with many artistic influences around him, he had trouble deciding what he wanted to pursue and could not decide between painting and photography.
“I remember staying up late one night, I was in graduate school in Iowa and I was trying to decide which one I wanted to be,” he said. “Well I put this much into painting, so I’m going to do painting, but I’m always going to have my camera.”