Central Campus Dove Gallery

On view: April – August 2026

Todd Jones is a North Carolina-based artist and educator who transforms salvaged household materials into stratified sculptures and installations. He examines material culture through the lens of domestic life, repurposing construction debris and commercial waste to create “geological records” of contemporary consumption. By treating discarded objects as physical archives, he documents the shifting values and environmental footprints of modern society.

Grants through the North Carolina Arts Council, The Snapdragon Fund, and the Rauschenberg Foundation have supported his practice. Jones has expanded his research through an international residency at the Siena Art Institute in Italy and national programs at the Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and the Diamante Arts and Cultural Center. His professional recognition includes being named a 2022 finalist for both the Miami University Young Painters Competition and the Boynes Emerging Artist Award.

Currently an Assistant Professor and Gallery Director at Meredith College, Jones integrates his studio practice with teaching and curating exhibitions for Frankie G. Weems and the Rotunda Gallery. His work is informed by his studies in Studio Art and Psychology to investigate the behavioral patterns that drive consumption. He holds an MFA in Studio Art from Ohio University and a BFA with a double major in Studio Art and Psychology from Florida State University.

In selecting artworks for the 2026 Annual Juried Student Art Show at Central Piedmont, I sought out pieces that demonstrate a balance of technical skill, experimentation, and observation of the world around us. Each piece invites viewers into a distinct world, using the creative process as a form of storytelling across various materials.

In this selection of artworks, everyday materials are transformed into new forms. Students work with cardboard, foam board, and wire, showing how creative possibilities exist in what is readily available. These artworks reveal stories within objects that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Figurative works explore personal identity and the human experience, offering insight into the emotional aspects of our lives. Through recurring memento mori imagery, these artists become record keepers of the present. Whether depicting the quiet of a snowy road or the form of a bone, they use attentive observation to reflect on life and mortality.

A dialogue with art history informs the exhibition, as students study traditional vessels and master copies. Engaging with the past provides a foundation for technical growth and encourages creative exploration. Through this process, students begin to shape their own contemporary voices. The 2026 Annual Juried Student Art Show serves as a record of artists' perspectives at Central Piedmont, showcasing their creative voices and individual viewpoints.