Helen Jones’ artwork now adorns the walls of some of Chattanooga’s oldest and most prestigious companies — something she never set out to accomplish.
During her college years at Indiana University, Jones pursued a business major with a focus on merchandising and marketing. Even then, she said, she was never “the artist type.” She was more of the clean-cut, conservative, professional kind of girl.
Her artistic talent, though, was developing, despite the fact she barely cared or noticed. Just for fun, she participated in a painting competition during her freshman year and ended up taking home a first-place ribbon.
“It just didn’t mean a thing to me at the time,” Jones said during an interview in her home studio in Ooltewah.