Deborah Jones ~ The Barn Story: A Graphic Memoir

 

No structure is more characteristic of rural Upstate New York than a barn. In service or abandoned, these grand architectural structures serve as a reminder of our rural cultural heritage and Yankee ingenuity. Deborah Jones’ connection with barns begins with her family’s 1880 English style barn where she played and worked as a kid. In her thirties, fresh from graduate school, she decided to convert the barn with its beautiful timber framework and mortise-and-tendon joints into a home and art studio. She renovated about a-third of the barn doing much of the work myself.

Years later she decided to write a book about her adventure. “The Barn Story” is an illustrated memoir documenting her experience renovating the family barn. The 56-page barn-shaped book is divided into two parts: the first half describes the process of converting the space; the second half documents the results. In illustrating the book Deborah used a variety of techniques—drawing, watercolor, schematics, photography, collage and printmaking. She created a cartoon action figure as her surrogate to demonstrate how the makeover was accomplished.

The Barn Story: A Graphic Memoir  opens on January 2nd and will run through January 27th. Come meet the artist on Sunday, January 6th from 3-5pm. Light refreshments will be served!