Prof. Creates Oil Painting for 2008 Olympics

Prof. Michael Jones creates oil painting for 2008 Olympics.

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Legal Studies Prof. Michael E. Jones has created a painting to represent the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team in the 2008 events in Beijing, China.

The original 40-by-30 inch oil-on-canvas has been reproduced on 150 limited -edition posters. The poster, Jones says, “seeks to blend traditional Chinese painting principles with modern art.”

In this work, he explains, “There are two basic modes of expression: words and images. Chinese painters from the past frequently felt compelled to inscribe poetry on their paintings. I elected to follow this approach by working an inspirational poem into this poster. The poem also serves as an important source for the symbolic lines, shapes, colors and calligraphy depicting the three sports of a triathlon.

“The essential feeling and meaning of ‘being’ a triathlete is hopefully captured by the poster’s poetry and visual imagery. The color red is meant to excite. The color black is meant to calm. A triathlete competes in harmony with nature. The birds in flight signify good fortune for all the competitors in Beijing.”

This is not the first time that Jones, himself a triathlete with international credentials, has created an Olympic triathlon painting. He completed the first in 2001. The idea of creating it came to him when, while serving as chief judge of triathlon trials in Dallas, he noticed that there were no posters for the sport in evidence.

That work, done in an impressionistic style, also was reproduced in poster form.