Norma Jean Print

Jolene Dames was born in Western Pennsylvania and began traveling the world in 1998 the same time she started working behind the scenes in theater, television and movies. Her journeys to 23 countries, including Tanzania, Romania, and New Zealand, and honing her skills as a scenic artist in the industry, laid the foundation for the paintings you see today. One of the most unique aspects of her work is that she paints everything on the floor, standing up, with a three-foot extension brush. Jolene is an artist and alchemist who specializes in large-scale paintings based on the concept of navigation- navigation of the physical world and the spiritual world within ourselves. She has an unrelenting quest for true north in both dimensions. Alchemy is the transmutation of lead to gold, this functions as a metaphor for her quest in that she creates beauty from chaos. This natural energy has powered her through the unexpected labyrinths of life and all aspects of her artistic visions. She has worked as a scenic artist, camera scenic, paint charge and set decorator on productions such as Marvel's, “The Avengers” (Feature Film), “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (Feature Film), “The Chair” (Netflix Series) and “The Bachelor” reality show. Dames’ paintings have been shown nationally including exhibitions at Visit Pittsburgh, 29th Annual Women’s Works, and she was featured in Powerful Women show at Vango Art Gallery. Her paintings have appeared in several film productions including “Archive 81” (Netflix Series), “Love and Other Drugs” (Feature Film), and “Fences” (Feature Film). (For a full list of credits please visit: ) Jolene uses a variety of painting techniques honed from her work in movies, television, and theater. Balancing her time working in the industry and being an artist in her own right, she finds herself in a constant state of reorientation, seeking harmony between these two driving forces in her life. Her work, in both arenas, is often in a state of flux until she feels like it has reached some form of balance or true north. Her creative process echoes the way she navigates life; dismantling the images in her mind's eye through to their origin and then recreating it with layers of meaning. The organic backgrounds coupled with the tight, controlled lines reflect the two aspects of life where the human desire to control what aspects we think we can converge with unknown chaos of all that is.