Matthew Jones is currently an adjunct professor of art at Tarrant County College Southeast and has taught at The University of Dallas and at Texas Christian University. He is a member of The Cedars Union Cohort 5 (Spring 2025-Summer 2026) Studio Artist Program. Jones earned a Master of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts with a Painting emphasis from the University of Dallas and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Ohio State University. 

Jones is a self-professed “nature enthusiast” from rural Ohio. His attempts to find a balance between his love of nature and his life as a consumer led him to the two-week Ruth Smith Art Residency in North Tawton, England at Dartmoor National Park. This exhibition is a result of that artist residency experience. 

In summer, he spent three weeks hiking through the English countryside and experiencing the culture, history, and geography of the West Country, primarily focusing on Dartmoor National Park. For two of those weeks, Jones was an artist-in-residence at the Ruth Smith Gallery just north of Dartmoor. To quote Jones – “The purpose of my stay was to formulate a comparison between the American park system and that of England's. What I found is laid bare for you to explore for yourself.”

Opening Reception is September 11 from 2 - 4:00 p.m. with an Artist Talk at 2:15 p.m.