My current work is a response to a lie I told my children. I told them that monsters aren’t real. The more I tried to convince them, the more I had to grapple with the reality that monsters do exist. They aren’t under their beds or in their closet. But the world is full of real beasts and dangers that I have to protect them from and prepare them for. I began to create my own monsters to continue this conversation with them. I wanted to address the brokenness of this world, while training their eyes to find beauty around them.

This body of work is primarily focused on the mouth and teeth of a monster. Although I have recently explored a more zoomed in, personal approach. Regardless, these pieces represent the constant noise of hatred and oppression, the inner struggle between right and wrong, the loss of loved ones and the grief that follows, and all the lies we choose to believe. They represent the human experience and the inability to live unscathed. And yet amidst the suffering, there is always beauty to be found in life. There are bright, bold colors that evoke emotions. There are uninhibited scribbles and finger-painting that mimic childlike naivete. There are subtle textures and quietness in the details. I believe that in the brokenness, there will always be beauty to find and create.

My paintings are an invitation to enter into the beast. I want the viewer to get close to my work, to feel the tension between loud and quiet, chaos and peace, weakness and strength. I want the viewer to find beauty in this world, despite its brokenness, and feel empowered and inspired by it.

Katie McKay Jones is a painter residing in Fort Worth, Texas. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a BA in Studio Arts, emphasis in painting and printmaking. Jones has had the opportunity to participate in several group exhibitions in the Dallas/Fort Worth area over the past several years.