Featured Artist: Dennis Jones
Dennis Jones is a photographer that is well known for his up close and personal shots of eagles, electric shots of lightning, and much more. He is an active member of the Top of WV Arts Council (TWVAC) and has been a member of the group for many years. Dennis is a retired electrical engineer from American Electric Power (AEP) and currently resides in the Weirton area. He is President/Executive Director emeritus of the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center where he served for 12 years. He also serves on the Salvation Army’s advisory board, which he has been a part of for over 5 years.
Dennis strives to capture the beauty of nature, focusing on scenes in our local Ohio Valley area. He has an eye for colorful morning sunrises, the mysteries of the moon, and spectacular thunderbolts, all captured in our local area. He also enjoys practicing wildlife photography, including many scenes of the eagles and reflections at the Backwaters of Tomlinson Run in New Cumberland, West Virginia. “To me, art is visualizing and creating and, in my case, capturing the beauty in our local area,” said Dennis.
“The Arts Council complements the Top of WV CVB very well as it testifies to a community in good standing and culture and provides a good reason for people to visit” said Dennis, “It is an honor to be part of this group because of its well-organized structure and connection to the area’s people and culture. And it serves as a venue to share people’s individual expressions.” He hopes to see the TWVAC displayed periodically in galleries in other areas soon as well.
Dennis’ works can be viewed in Weirton Medical Center’s atrium, at Top of West Virginia’s Summit Art Gallery, at the Weirton Area Museum & Cultural Center, at Mary H. Weir Public Library, on Facebook, and in many other galleries throughout the Tristate area. His photographs are also frequently featured on WTOV9 News. He often creates collaborative pieces with Savannah Schroll-Guz under the name VanDenStar Studio.
