The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of a special exhibit of the works of Franklin Jones. His work can be viewed on the main floor of Cyrenius H Booth Library in Newtown, where it will be on view concurrently with SCAN’s Annual Spring Juried Art Show, through May 14.

Mr Jones is a highly regarded artist locally as well as internationally. The rare show is offering local audiences the opportunity to view the world through Mr Jones’ talented eyes.

Franklin Jones was born in Needham, Mass., in 1921. After high school he began work as an editorial artist for the local newspaper, and during World War II he served as a public relations artist with the US Marines. After the war he did illustrations for Open Road for Boys and Child Life magazines, as well as book illustrations for World Book of Chicago and several pulp magazines.

In 1953 he was invited to join the teaching staff of the Famous Artists Schools in Westport, and soon became assistant director of the school. In 1975 he and his wife moved to the Berkshires so he could devote full time to painting.

Franklin Jones has been highly acclaimed for his paintings of rural New England and he has received the American Watercolor Society’s highest award, its prestigious Gold Medal of Honor and membership in the Dolphin Fellowship.

Additional honors have included first prizes in shows sponsored by New Britain Art Association, Connecticut Watercolor Society and the Ellsworth National Exhibit in Simsbury. In the Ellsworth exhibit he was also presented the award for Superior Achievement and the Award of Excellence.