jules buck jones: current time

august 19 – september 5

Opening Reception: Friday, August 21 ⎸ 6–8 PM

artist talk: WEDNESDAY, september 2 | 2 PM

In Current Time, Jules Buck Jones presents a new body of paintings traversing deep geological time through immersive landscapes populated by hybridized flora, fauna, and imagined ecologies. Large-scale panels, diptychs, and gridded compositions layer saturated color, rhythmic mark-making, and fragmented animal anatomy to evoke worlds that feel simultaneously prehistoric, cosmic, and speculative. Rather than depicting a specific place or moment, the paintings collapse distinctions between past, present, and future, inviting viewers to consider humanity’s fleeting place within Earth’s vast temporal scale.

Commissioned by the Texas State University System Public Art Program, the works in Current Time will ultimately become part of Esperanza Hall, opening this fall on the Round Rock Campus. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the paintings together before their permanent installation.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

artist talk with jules buck jones

WEDNESDAY, september 2 | 2 PM

TXST FL3X Gallery

Jones will discuss his artistic practice and the works featured in Current Time. Drawing connections between past and recent projects, Jones will share the research, process, and sources of inspiration that culminated in this new body of work

SUPPORT

The works in Current Time were commissioned by the Texas State University System (TSUS) Public Art Program.

The exhibition’s opening reception is generously supported by the TSUS Office of the Chancellor, TXST’s School of Art and Design, and Division of Dance.

Media & Publicity

Press Release

Press Kit

Artist Bio

Jules Buck Jones  is an artist living and working in Wimberley, Texas. He creates large-scale paintings and drawings of abstracted flora and fauna informed by the natural sciences, local ecologies, and deep time. His work employs varied modes of imagery, layering expressive, atmospheric landscapes with graphic renderings.

Current Time is a new suite of paintings produced from December 2025 through July 2026 for Esperanza Hall on Texas State University’s Round Rock Campus. Jones is also developing a permanent installation for a new space in Houston, scheduled for completion in early 2027. He teaches painting and drawing at Texas State University in San Marcos, with a focus on wet media and Risograph printing.
@jules_buck_jones

About the TSUS public art program

Current Time is presented in conjunction with the Texas State University System (TSUS) Public Art Collection.

Established in 2008, the TSUS Public Art Program dedicates one percent of eligible construction costs for major capital projects to the acquisition of public art. Since 2022, the collection has been overseen by a Director of Public Art in collaboration with the TSUS Committee on Public Art, whose members include faculty, staff, students, artists, and community representatives from across the system.

Spanning all seven TSUS institutions, the collection comprises more than 350 permanent works dating from the early twentieth century to the present. Freely accessible to students and visitors, these works enrich campus environments, foster a sense of place, and reflect the histories, values, and evolving identities of the communities they serve.

By integrating significant works of modern and contemporary art into everyday public spaces, the TSUS Public Art Collection encourages curiosity, dialogue, and meaningful engagement with art as part of daily campus life.

ABOUT THE TXST FL3X PROGRAM

The Texas State Galleries’ FLEX space invites Texas State Art and Design students, faculty, staff, and alumni to envision and assemble well-considered, visually engaging, and conceptually stimulating exhibitions and events. Through these programs, FLEX highlights the unique creative vision of our community and its relevance within the larger art world. 

For details regarding the application process, including application deadlines, see Opportunities.