Jean Barnes Downs (back)

	Growing up on a general farm in Northwest Ohio during the 1940s and 50s has immeasurably shaped my life and my art. It was there on the land and within my family that I learned reverence for the Creator, for creation, for all creatures and for solitude. From these earliest feelings I have developed a profound connection to the earth, which I find reflected more and more in my work. When I work intuitively and abstractly, I am drawn to spheres and contour lines. I consciously introduce these icons; then allow the piece to speak to me about its completion. Through the process, I continually experience a connection to the spiritual. It is the rhythm of solitude - of creation, of nature and of life experiences that motivates my work and that I hope finds expression in the finished product.

Growing up on a general farm in Northwest Ohio during the 1940s and 50s has immeasurably shaped my life and my art. It was there on the land and within my family that I learned reverence for the Creator, for creation, for all creatures and for solitude. From these earliest feelings I have developed a profound connection to the earth, which I find reflected more and more in my work. When I work intuitively and abstractly, I am drawn to spheres and contour lines. I consciously introduce these icons; then allow the piece to speak to me about its completion. Through the process, I continually experience a connection to the spiritual. It is the rhythm of solitude - of creation, of nature and of life experiences that motivates my work and that I hope finds expression in the finished product.