Working figuratively in oils, my paintings focus on our relationship with representation; they explore human reaction and empathy on a personal level, by capturing a glance, a look, a feeling that unites us. I am particularly drawn to a gesture captured rather than conventional poses, those unguarded moments; something we can relate to as viewers. I work from photographs, personal and found images, inspired and influenced by books, film and cinematography. The subjects are mostly women, generally fictional or notorious and with a social or cultural relevance. I am interested in the crossover between truth and fiction; how we relate to visual imagery and how we construct narratives that align with our own experiences.

I work on both large and small scale; the size and surface I am working on also dictates the processes used. Sometimes painted rapidly in one go, other times built up over a period of time and altered as they progress. I paint directly on the canvas/surface then build up layers from washes to more gestural mark making, often combining brushwork with palette knife, inventing colour palettes and marks that are emotive to the subject and experimenting with mark making and tools to apply the paint. The works explore both the painting process, and our connections with the reproduced image; I am interested in the painterly surface combined with the illusion of representation.

Sal Jones is a London-based painter known for her emotive portraits that emphasize transient feelings over precise representations. Working in layers of oil paint she incorporates elements from film, media, and her own visual inspiration to develop characters that are both relatable and enigmatic. Her use of vibrant colours, dynamic brushstrokes, and often dialogue-inspired titles suggest narratives without explicitly revealing them, inviting viewers to engage personally with the artwork.

Sal holds a BA Hons in Fine Art and a PGCE in Art & Design, and she resides in Hackney, London. She has exhibited widely, participating in both group and solo shows, and has been featured in notable annual open exhibitions, including those organized by ING-Discerning Eye, the Society of Women Artists, and the Royal Cambrian Academy. Her accolades include being shortlisted for the Wells Art Contemporary (WAC 2023) and the Wales Contemporary Art Prize (2022), as well as being long-listed for the BEEP Painting Biennial (2024) and the Women’s United Art Prize (2021). She also won the interim oil painting prize at the Jackson’s Open Art Prize (2016). In addition to her exhibitions, Sal was one of 21 visual women artists invited to create new works for 'Dear Christine,' an arts council-funded touring exhibition honouring Christine Keeler, which travelled to Newcastle, Swansea, and London from 2019 to 2020. In 2023, she participated in the Scandal '63 exhibition at De Montfort University, which reinterpreted the Profumo Affair through art and artifacts.