Jeffrey Catherine Jones

Jeffrey Catherine Jones KINGSTON - Jeffrey Catherine Jones, celebrated artist whose work is best known from the late 1960's through 2000's was born Jeffrey Durwood Jones, in Atlanta, Ga. and died May 19, 2011 at home at the age of 67. Jones moved to New York City in 1967, and rapidly developed a reputation as an exquisite illustrator and graphic artist, painting over 150 book covers and creating the full-page comic strips Idyl for National Lampoon Magazine and Im Age for Heavy Metal. In the 1976, Jones joined Michael Kaluta, Berni Wrightson, and Barry Windsor-Smith in The Studio, a group of artists who helped redefine modern book and comic book illustration. In 1976 Jones was awarded the Yellow Kid award from the Italian International Comics and Cartooning Exhibition. By 1986, when Jones received the World Fantasy Award in Art for Best Artist, he had moved away from commercial art to pursue fine art painting. Jones most recently received the Spectrum 2006 Grand Master Award. Jones has been called a genius whose works appeared both effortless in execution and blinding in their beauty. World-renowned illustrator Frank Frazetta called him "the greatest living painter". Jones began gender reassignment therapy in 1998 after which Jones lived as Jeffrey Catherine Jones. Her studio was in the Catskill Mountains where she painted local landscapes. She continued drawing until her death. Jones' work has been in continuous publication and her work is shown and enjoyed around the world. The documentary Better Things: Life & Choices of Jeffrey Jones is in production from Macab Films. She is survived by her daughter Julianna Jones Muth, and three grandchildren, Nikolai Muth, Adelaine Muth, and Merryn Arms. A memorial to celebrate Jones' life and recognize her death, will be held on Friday, May 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Simpson-Gaus Funeral Home, 411 Albany Avenue, Kingston, N.Y. 12401. To submit online condolences to the Jones family, please visit www.Simpson-Gaus. com Memorial contributions may be directed to the Hero Initiative, 11301 Olympic Blvd., #587, Los Angeles, Calif. 90064.