Starting with Portraits:

Mr. Jones had a brilliant career as a portrait artist following his college days.  Below is one of his earliest works.Having come from a long line of artists and the difficult classical training he received from his father seemed to have been helpful for his prodigious talent.

The picture and explanation come directly from his webpage,

Portrait Of A Little Girl
Pencil Drawing on Strathmore Board - 20" x 28" - 1968 
 

 "This study of Ann Louria is one of the first portraits I ever did, possibly as far back as 1968 or 69. I had to leave art school in my 5th year in 1967 for what turned out to be several years of back difficulties including two major operations. I started doing some portraits in pencil locally until I could recuperate fully to leave for Alfred University. I had been asked to join their staff as an art teacher. I placed an ad in a local paper to get a few more portraits before I left in the fall. The response to my ad was totally overwhelming. I received enough commissions to last at least 6 months and my new career was started. I have never regretted the decision to be an artist over teacher, and I still got the opportunity to teach privately for about ten years with high school students headed for art schooling."

There is a little more to the story from an email dated 6/19/14

"I never graduated. I finished the 4th year....most colleges have 4 years.....but I had a difficult summer walking with such pain in my back. I went to Morristown Memorial Hospital where they discovered I had a disc out of place, the bottom one and I had to sleep in traction (and most of each day) in bed to see if the disc when back in place. I was feeling a little better so I went back to school (5th year) and lasted only two weeks. I came home sort of a cripple and had an operation on the back and they took out the bottom disc. I got a little better but still was in pain so much of the time. I had to have a second operation almost a year later. It was 67 now. (66 was the first operation) They took out three more discs and fused everything up. More time in bed recuperating. It was almost 2 years of bed and walking again. I was feeling much better thankfully......and got the letter that I had to report to Vietnam. I went to the physical exactly as I was.....in sort of a cage around my front and back and was let go. The army didn't want me that way. It was a steel brace, rather conformable looking but I had to wear it for a year. It was then needing income I started doing portraits. I lived still at home (so no rent) but I had no source of money. The portrait business really picked up so I was set. Not rich, just set. I moved out into an attic about a mile from my parents home.  After living in the Burgdorff attic for 7 years, I moved to Hoboken, NJ to actually start my career. I think I was 33. I ended portraits and started painting. Now I do the rare portrait."

Yes, he does do a rare portrait.  Here is the portrait he did of my son, Benjamin. Look, now, I am a common woman, a teacher by training...and very lucky to be Ben's mom. I have the permission of the artist to show you this wonderful portrait he completed for us in 2014. Next to my family and friends, it is the most priceless thing I own. This is done about 45 years later than the first.

To contact Artist:

Carroll Jones III

P.O. Box 3090

Jersey City, NJ  07303

cjones3rd@gmail.com