James Oliver Gallery presents Soul Objective, a two-person exhibition featuring Cavin Jones and Angelique Scott, opening June 21st, 2025. ​ Join us for the Opening Reception on Saturday, June 21st from 6-9pm. Hear from the artists on Thursday, July 10th at 7pm for an Artist Talk.
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The artists of Soul Objective work in painting, ceramics, and collage to convey spirituality and connection through material application and exploration. Jones focuses in on the figure with a precise hand and sets bright scenes for reflection through the use of gold leaf, paint, and mixed media. Scott's objects and vessels are ornamented with icons and materials descending from
Afro-diaspora, holding a strong sense of sanctity. Each artist has created these personal relics in relation to their significance and transformation throughout history, and discover how they are recontextualized in the modern day. View this exhibition through July 26th, 2025 at James Oliver Gallery.
Cavin Jones, L'Homme(Timothy), Novacolor on Canvas, 60 x 48"
Cavin Jones, The Blue Pyramid, Mixed Media on Canvas
​Cavin Jones is a Philadelphia native who works within the mediums of painting and collage. Jones earned his BFA from the Tyler School of Art and MFA from Washington University in St. Louis. His work has been exhibited locally as well as nationally since the early 1990s. Alongside creating murals, curating, and publishing artist books, Jones has worked as a teaching artist with organizations such as Mural Arts and The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.
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Jones' series of paintings seen in Soul Objective are heavily influenced by Pre-Renaissance alters and paintings he encountered on a trip to Florence, Italy in the early 2000s. These reflect his aesthetic ideas regarding painting, as well the spirituality of human beings. In reference to art history, gold has been used to highlight those of power and religious significance. Jones' use of gold in painting not only emphasizes the figure, but acts as contrast: visually dark yet reflecting the light. His models are subtly brought in on his process, influencing his color palette with their articles of clothing. Scale, color, texture, and composition cue viewers to identify and engage with his subjects. This body of work ultimately serves as a means of communication, reflecting upon the spiritual-being within the physical body.​​​​​​
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Angelique Scott's exhibition, Ceremonies for a Sacred Life at Friends Artspace. Photos courtesy of Ethan Hickerson.
​​Angelique Scott is a Caribbean-American artist, educator, and activist whose artistic practice is rooted in intergenerational traditions of care and craftsmanship. Currently based in Philadelphia, she draws from Afro-diasporic material culture, working with clay, fiber, cowrie shells, and indigo. Creating functional and decorative objects, Scott incorporates hair, satin, and cotton into her compositions. Her work is grounded in Afrocentricity and Africana womanism as frameworks for embodied understanding. For Scott, her studio-based practice investigates and maintains spirituality, wellness, and communal healing through craft.
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Scott received her BFA in Art Education and Craft & Material Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, with a concentration in ceramics and fiber arts. She has recently received her MFA in Ceramics from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University. Scott has travelled as artist in residence nationally and internationally, attending Haystack Mountain School of Craft, Vermont Studio Center, Penland School of Craft, and the Skopelos Foundation in Greece. She has served on the Board of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts as the youngest on-site liaison, helping to co-organize the largest clay conference in the United States. Scott additionally works as a teaching artist, conducting workshops and creating accessible large-scale public programming.​​​​
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Angelique Scott, Offering Bowl 1, 2022
Glazed ceramic, wire, beading, 6 x 6"
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