News — Blake Jones

Blake Jones’ whimsical, wide-eyed characters are woven into the fabric of Chicago life, multiplying like rabbits in galleries and public spaces across the city and beyond. 

The Texas-born painter and designer is a Vertical Gallery mainstay, headlining showcases including ‘Doublespeak,’ ‘Life Sketchbook,’ ‘Love Notes’ and, most recently, 2024’s ‘B-Sides,’ an interactive celebration of his lifelong passion for music. Now Blake’s one of 13 artists exhibiting with us at Aqua Art Miami 2025, running December 3-7. The latest installment of our web-exclusive Artist Spotlight series has all the scoop.

Vertical Gallery: Aqua Art Miami is coming up fast. How are you feeling?

Blake Jones: I’m excited. I've been to [Miami Art Week] a few times, and I know the work people present there is bright, fun and poppy. A lot of my work is done in pastel blues and pinks, but for this show, I tried to avoid that as much as possible, and focused on brighter, pop-aesthetic colors. 

I’m showing 12 pieces [at Aqua]. Originally I was going to do all these life and leisure scenarios, like groups of characters going to the zoo or visiting museums. I sat down and drew a few of them, but they were just fragments of ideas. I realized “This isn't gonna work for Miami. I need to do something bolder to stand out.” 

Nothing held strong enough until I sat down and did these 12 pieces. Conceptually, they are the same — I’m still going off the whole idea of life and leisure. Only now the compositions are uniform, and they’re all directly inspired by my own experiences, like this bar in Amsterdam that we went to, or sitting on the beach in Mexico. They're all over the place, but everything feels cohesive. 

Does your bunny character feature in all 12 pieces?

No, there are six dogs and six bunnies. You know it's not just one bunny character, right?

No, I did not know that.

A lot of people think there's just a pink bunny and a blue one, but in my head, every single one of them is completely different. That's how I've always approached it. The bunny in the library in this new series is not the same one at the movies. Those are two different memories — two different stories. 

Is each individual character’s story semi-autobiographical?

Not always. I have a piece that I sent to Australia a few years ago, with a little dog character who’s in detention. He's wearing a shirt that I had when I was in middle school, when I was getting detention. The piece is specifically based on that memory. The dog’s a stand-in for me. 

But one of the pieces I’m doing for Miami is inspired by a movie I saw a few weeks ago, [writer/director Shih-Ching Tsou’s] ‘Left-Handed Girl.’ There's a character that rides a moped around, and I'm drawing one of my bunnies riding that moped, in the same helmet and everything. It’s not a parody — it’s an homage to that character. So it's not really me specifically the way the other [piece] is, but it still is an inspiration to me, because that movie was amazing. I loved it so much.

Where did the bunny come from, anyway?

When I first started, my work was very stream-of-conscious. There'd be, like, 100 characters on a page. People might like one character, but not the others, and it was really hard to please anybody, including myself. Eventually, people started telling me “The bunny’s cool.” At first it was just a blob with two ears — no body, or anything like that. But I kept drawing it, and it just naturally evolved. 

The bunny looks a lot different now than it did two or three years ago. I might draw it one way 50 times, and then with number 51, I might make the eyes bigger or the little tuft of fur smaller. When I get tired of drawing the bunny, I start drawing other characters, which is how the dog snuck up on me. I’ve tried doing a cat, but it hasn't come to fruition yet. I've drawn maybe 100 different versions of a cat, and none of them have resonated with me.

What do you hope the Miami audience takes away from this work?

I just hope it catches their eye, because it’s really bright and bold. A lot of it's very warm. I hope people see that it's different from what they've seen from me before. It’s a little more vibrant… there's more detail in it than what I had in the ‘B-Sides’ stuff, and more texture. But it's not so far away from that work, either. It still connects with people.

Don’t miss the opportunity to add work by Blake Jones (@blake_jones) to your collection! Email sales@verticalgallery.com to receive our Aqua Art Miami collector preview. 

Vertical Gallery is very excited to return to the Miami Art Fairs! We will be returning to the AQUA Art Fair this year with an all-star group show featuring: ADi (AU), 2CHOEY (TH), Jake and Josh (US), Steve Seeley (US), Flog (FR), Laura Catherwood (US), Louis (Masai) Michel (UK), Collin van der Sluijs (NL), Sergio Farfán (US), and Blake Jones (US).

VIEW THE SHOW HERE

ADi is an Australian contemporary artist renowned for creating totemic wooden assemblages that explore society's fixation on popular culture, brand recognition, and nostalgia. His distinctive works, often referred to as "false idols" or pop cultural artefacts, reimagine traditional religious iconography, positioning modern cultural symbols as new-age deities in place of the ancient worship of nature and gods. His practice uniquely intersects sculpture and designer toy art, extending into modern interior and object design, offering a fresh take on the cultural artefacts of our time.

2CHOEY is a Bangkok based self-taught artist. With a background is in Urban Architecture, 2CHOEY was an art director in an ad agency. He soon started selling paintings and realized he enjoyed painting more than working in advertising. 2CHOEY’s signature characters, ‘Fingies’, reinterprets pop culture icons within the framework of hands, fists and fingers in his playful and very unique style. Vertical presented his first USA solo show in 2023, and also presented a solo show at the Urban Art Fair in Paris.

Flog discovered a passion for drawing at an early age. He studied graphic design at the Pivaut Nantes school and made it his profession, finding his balance in producing work from illustration to the publishing world. Inspired by graffiti and pop culture, Flog's mixed media technique- aerosol spray, acrylic, and oil on road signs or canvas- reveals precision in the details. Flog’s show with Vertical at SCOPE Miami sold out in 2023. He has also had sold-out shows in Paris, Rome, and Taiwan.

Jake and Josh are a dynamic duo of twin artists who have captivated audiences with their unique blend of creativity and sibling synergy. Their work often explores the intersection of playful storytelling and creative line work, resulting in thought-provoking pieces. Their intricate attention to detail and meticulous craftsmanship invite viewers to immerse themselves in the layers of meaning within each work.

Laura Catherwood is a Chicago-based painter focused on delicately emotive illustration of plants, animals, and quiet creatures. The sense of an intimate, mysterious narrative in her work invites contemplation and extends empathy to the viewer. With soft textures and sensitive gestures, she diagrams our ambiguous feelings toward the natural order of things.

Louis (Masai) Michel is a UK-based painter, sculptor and muralist. He uses his art in the form of murals, paintings and installations as a way to highlight climate change and species equality. The subject or species, is created in the style of a cuddly plush toy, thus highlighting that if one doesn't preserve the existence of the species depicted, only toys and souvenirs will remain. Within the composition of the species are intricate details exploring cultural fabrics, popular culture and elements of conservation. 

Collin van der Sluijs is a renowned painter and illustrator from Maastricht, The Netherlands, where he lives and works. He is widely recognized for his extraordinary dream-like depictions of everyday stories that question our personal pleasures and struggles, as well as society at large. Collin’s exceptional work has been published in magazines and books, and shown in galleries across the world—in The Netherlands, Germany, France, England, Belgium, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, and USA.

Sergio Farfán blends the experiences from his hometown in Peru with the life he’s lived in Chicago to create works that focus on the struggles, dreams, and emotions that people go through in their life. Farfán began to draw as a form of therapy as he struggled through his anxiety. Whatever was troubling him or whenever he just wanted to forget what was going on in the world around him, he found refuge in his art and would draw his favorite cartoon characters he would see on TV.  

Steve Seeley is an artist whose work draws inspiration from a wide range of pop culture sources including superheroes, celebrities, cartoons and comic books. Technically gifted, his artistic practice spans multiple media with a fresh sense of experimentation. His work has been exhibited throughout the US and is held in private collections worldwide.

Blake Jones is a Chicago based artist. Blake’s use of graphic line work and bright color palettes illustrates narratives of complex worlds inhabited by his own iconic characters, objects, and landscapes. Blake’s work has been exhibited in multiple mediums and forms such as print, paintings, gallery exhibitions, sculptures, and murals.

Aqua Art Miami at the Aqua Hotel
1530 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Vertical Gallery Room 107

VIP Preview:
Wednesday, December 4 | 3pm-10pm

Public Hours:
Thursday, December 5 | 12pm - 9pm
Friday, December 6 | 11am - 9pm
Saturday, December 7 | 11am - 9pm
Sunday, December 8 | 11am - 6pm

A collector's preview will be sent out Saturday November 30th. Email us to be added to the preview list. Note: Some works will be available in-person only. If you need a VIP pass for the fair, please email us.

Vertical Gallery, Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery, is very proud to present ‘B-Sides,’ an immersive multimedia showcase featuring illustrator, designer and muralist Blake Jones. 

‘B-Sides,’ Jones’ first solo exhibit at Vertical following a series of group show appearances and collaborative efforts, channels the artist’s lifelong passion for music into an array of canvases, drawings and bespoke objects celebrating the sensory delights of collecting records. ‘B-Sides’ runs October 4-26; Jones will attend the show’s opening reception, taking place at the gallery (2006 W. Chicago Ave. #1R) on Friday, Oct. 4 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  

‘B-Sides’ transforms Vertical’s West Town space into an ersatz record shop, highlighted by more than 100 original drawings packaged inside polyethylene LP sleeves and displayed in bins fabricated by Chicago designer Jacob Polhill. The exhibit also incorporates hand-painted cassette players, custom neon signs and myriad other totems and talismans familiar to music retail habitués the world over. 

“‘B-Sides’ pays homage to the musicians who blew my mind when I was growing up, as well as the new music I’m discovering today,” Jones explains. “When you flip through the drawings, each one includes a QR code that goes to a 8.5-hour playlist I created for the show. I also designed fake record label logos and graphics, and I’m projecting short animated videos inspired by old-school MTV music videos. This is still an art show, but it’s branded like a real record store to make it more cohesive and more interactive.”

While ‘B-Sides’ retains many of the hallmarks of Jones’ recent projects (including his vivid color palette, striking line work and menagerie of anthropomorphic characters), its emphasis on interactivity harks back to the Texas-born artist’s earliest endeavors. “When I was in my teens and 20s, I used to love doing installation work and making my own little videos, but I haven't done that stuff since I moved to Chicago seven years ago. In fact, a lot of people here have no idea that’s what I used to do,” Jones says. “‘B-Sides’ brings me back to that more experimental, DIY mindset. It’s about the stuff that I'm into as a person. I want the show to feel like a pop song — the kind that’s undeniable when you hear it. Most of all, I want people to have fun.” 

Jones came of age in La Porte, Tex. and studied design at the Art Institute of Houston. Prior to ‘B-Sides,’ he headlined solo exhibits in Chicago, New York City, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and partnered with brands including UVD Toys, Collective Arts Brewing and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.

Email us at sales@verticalgallery.com for the collector's preview.

Vertical Gallery is excited to present their 11-Year Anniversary Group Show. Thank you to everyone that has supported the gallery over the years. The show runs April 5 – 27, 2024 with an opening reception on Friday April 5, 5:00-8:00pm. The show features an international roster of artists: Akio Harada (JP), Arne Spangereid (NO), Blake Jones (US), Chris Uphues (US), Euan Roberts (UK), Ezra Brown (US), Flog (FR), Graham Franciose (US), Hama Woods (NO), Louis (Masai) Michel (UK), Mau Mau (UK), Oscar Joyo (US), Pipsqueak Was Here!!! (NL), Richard Ankrom (US), Sweler (AU), Troy Scat (US), and Yusuke Toda (JP).

Akio Harada (JP): Showing with Vertical for the first time, Akio’s layered animal shaped work depicts human emotions while navigating between imagination and reality. His work features sharp silhouettes with multiple layers of paint, creating work that is both flat and deep.

Arne Spangereid (NO): Showing with Vertical for the first time, Arne is a celebrated artist known for his intriguing fusion of classical techniques and modern expressions. By blending old masters, impressionism, and cartoon art, he crafts playful interior scenes featuring unconventional elements.

Blake Jones (US): Blake has been showing with Vertical since 2020, including a solo show and curating a group show. Blake’s use of graphic line work and bright color palettes illustrates narratives of complex worlds inhabited by his own iconic characters, objects, and landscapes.

Chris Uphues (US): Chris has been showing with Vertical since 2014. His imagery as a designer, artist and street painter is inspired by facets of pop culture, such as comic books, animation, and video games.

Euan Roberts (UK): Showing with Vertical for the first time, Euan’s artistic practice is focused on analyzing the human condition, distilling feelings of humor, hope, suffering, joy, love and longing via his distinctive cast of animal avatars and visual metaphors.

Ezra Brown (US): Ezra encapsulates his many experiences, emotions, and feelings using his character ‘Happy the Clown’ as a reflection of himself to portray his message. His character is used to cope with events in the world around us today. This is his second group show at Vertical.

Graham Franciose (US): Showing in his second group show at Vertical, Graham’s whimsical, and sometimes emotional, illustrations share a glimpse of a story. A moment between the action, leaving the exact circumstances and narrative up to the viewer. There is sense of familiarity and honesty within his characters and scenes, as well as a sense of mystery and wonder.

Hama Woods (NO): Hama’s work shows a deep respect for nature and its immediate connection to humanity. Hama’s stencil intuitively reflects and introduces a sociological approach to greed and human consumption, and its direct impact on our natural environment. She has been showing with Vertical since 2019, including her sold out show in May 2022.

Louis (Masai) Michel (UK): Louis uses his art in the form of murals, paintings and installations as a way to highlight extinction, climate change and species equality. His solo show at Vertical in May 2021 featured interactive remote-control robot chickens — letting viewers experience the show and explore the gallery setting in real time from the comforts of home.

Mau Mau (UK): A renowned British graffiti artist, Mau Mau has been showing with Vertical for many years – including two solo shows. His work is politically and environmentally focused, usually with a mischievous fox as its hero. The artist has traveled across the globe, including the UK, USA, Jamaica, Thailand and Australia, painting on everything from shipwrecks and surfboards to billboards and city walls.

Oscar Joyo (US): Oscar is a Malawian-born, Chicago-based artist known for expressive portraiture that features his unique combination of photo realism and tribal patterning. His practice fuses both traditional and digital mediums to explore imagery and themes connected to Afrofuturism and afrosurrealism. He has been in many group shows at Vertical over the years.

Pipsqueak Was Here!!! (NL): With two sold-out solo shows at Vertical (September 2018 and October 2020) and multiple group shows, Pipsqueak has become a Vertical fan-favorite. Using children and animals in their work, they make us aware of the tender relationship that exists between nature and human nature. They aim to invoke contemplation and discussion about issues in the world today and let us look at the way we humans treat our globe.

Richard Ankrom (US): Richard reacts to his mundane surroundings, redefining found objects and environments. Since 2012, his figurines series creates a more intimate scale, creating BDSM masks for household trinkets. He takes sentimental goods that target nostalgic consumers and change them to make them individual and surreal by dipping or pouring them several times with synthetic rubber and tucked zippers. This is his first time showing with Vertical.

Sweler (AU): Sweler has participated in multiple group shows at Vertical over the years and every work has sold out. Influenced by the street art graffiti scene, his whimsical world of characters create their own unique stories. 

Troy Scat (US): Troy is a fine artist, illustrator, and tattoo artist from Chicago, now residing in LA. Frequently using realism portraiture, he’s created his own visual aesthetic. He has participated in multiple group shows at Vertical.

Yusuke Toda (JP): Returning to Vertical for his second group show, Yusuke’s work combines Japanese culture and pop art. His feature character named "yum" expresses how we and the environment around us are living in harmony together. Yusuke has been globally recognized for his dynamic blend of traditional and modern styles, with exhibitions selling out and receiving significant attention within the art world.

And a special print release from Flog:

Flog (FR): Flog has developed his unique graphic signature through his "People of Glass" series, a universe of transparent characters filled with colors. Against the contrasting background of an increasingly hard and gray world, the “People of Glass” share their colors subtly by interacting with each other or their environment. Flog has been showing with Vertical since 2022, including his sold out solo show at the SCOPE international art fair in December 2023.

Vertical Gallery is very pleased to present a duo show with Chicago's Steve Seeley and Blake Jones. The exhibition runs February 4 - 25, with an opening day reception on Saturday Feb 4, noon-6pm.

Steve Seeley (b. 1979) is an artist living in Berwyn, IL. His art has been shown at galleries and institutions both throughout the U.S. and internationally. He is a founding member and co-owner of POP!NK Editions, a fine art screen printing company located in Chicago. Additionally, he enjoys collecting unique and obscure things and has dabbled in the world of writing comics. His free time is spent with his wife Jenny, their two cats, and their awesome dog Egg.

Blake Jones (b. 1988) is a Chicago based artist. Blake’s use of graphic line work and bright color palettes illustrates narratives of complex worlds inhabited by his own iconic characters, objects, and landscapes. Blake’s work has been exhibited in multiple mediums and forms such as print, paintings, gallery exhibitions, sculptures, and murals.

‘Love Notes’
A duo show with Steve Seeley and Blake Jones
February 4 – 25, 2023
Opening day: Sat Feb 4, noon-6pm
Vertical Gallery, 1016 N Western Ave., Chicago