Dorothy "Dot" Griffis Jones, 96, passed away on December 3rd, 2022. Dorothy lived most of her life in Homewood, Alabama. She was pre-deceased by her father, John Barnett Griffis, her mother Edith Shaw Griffis, and her husband of 53 years, Eudean Jones. She is survived by her son, David Christopher Jones, sister-in-law, Joy Mellinger, and nieces Vickie (Lynn) Jacobsen, Barbara (Steve) Grabill, Nancy (Doug) Coppernoll, and nephew Mark (Patti) Mellinger.
Dorothy was a singer, artist, and teacher. After graduating from Phillips High School, she attended Huntington College, the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), and Birmingham-Southern College, where she graduated in 1947 with a music degree. She sang in the Birmingham-Southern chorus, the choir at Highlands Methodist, and the choir at First Methodist, under Hugh Thomas. She became a charter member of The Hugh Thomas Chorus, and performed with them at the celebrated Town Hall concert in New York City in 1951.
During this time she enrolled in UAB night classes in art with Richard Brough, and painting quickly became her passion. She worked in different media, including watercolor, oil, acrylic, ink, collage, drawing, monotype, and even photography. She created both representational and abstract art, and consistently won awards throughout her career. Her work appeared in over 70 shows, including juried shows, solo exhibitions, and group shows. Her paintings are also in many private, corporate, and institutional collections, including several UAB hospitals and clinics, Regions Financial Corporation, The Bryant Center (Tuscaloosa), Sonant Inc., Spire Alabama, Allstate Insurance, and the prestigious Blount Collection. She also painted an album cover for CRI Records. Her influences and inspirations ranged from Cezanne to Charles Sheeler to Robert Motherwell. Her paintings often had underlying geometric structures, like squares, grids, circles, or pyramids. Her concerns included climate change and the treatment of American Indians.
In addition, Dorothy taught art for over 20 years at UAB, The Birmingham Museum of Art, and Space One Eleven. She also held private classes, workshops, and demonstrations. Dorothy taught the importance of concentration and vision, looking at the everyday elements around us that can be transformed into art. The world is filled with still lifes, portraits, and landscapes, plus patterns of color and form. She was always honest and supportive of her students, and some became life-long friends.
She held various positions in the Watercolor Society of Alabama, the Birmingham Art Association, the Birmingham-Southern College Council on the Arts, and the Art Education Council of the Birmingham Museum of Art. She also judged exhibits, and curated shows of other artist's works.
In 1953 Dorothy married her best friend Eudean Jones. They enjoyed traveling, entertaining, and watching movies together. They could always make each other laugh. Dorothy was an excellent cook, a great friend, and a wonderful mom.
Special thanks to Dr. Sarah Kunin, the caregivers at Visiting Angels, and the staff at Brookdale Skilled Nursing. In honor of her passing, consider a donation to the ASPCA or The Nature Conservancy.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Jones family.
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