LaDonna Wilson Jara, a Kentucky native and graduate of Western Kentucky University, will be exhibiting her work at Greener Groundz. 

Jara grew up on a farm in south central Kentucky.  Her years at WKU were eyeopening.  She described her college experience saying, “My four and a half years of formal education provided me with the basic skills, knowledge and experiences to jumpstart what I have always wanted to do – express ideas through art.  Some of the ‘tools of the trade’ were the art staff in the early 90’s, a course of studies in Art History in Italy, the library, and knocking around ideas with the gang of misfits that always hung out in the smoking lounge.”

At Western she majored in graphic design and minored in sculpture, though the medium featured in this show is acrylics on canvas.  According to Jara, “The subject matter deals mostly with figures expressing everyday situations and emotions. Other paintings included are based on a study of fruit trees which have been abstracted.”

Living several stints outside of Kentucky further served to broaden her experiences.  She spent nine months in Chicago where she was involved with a women’s artist group, worked in  a foundry and with a silk dye operation and volunteered at a latino gallery.  Afterward she spent three years working in the Czech Republic.

After returning to Bowling Green she began work at WKU for ESLI.  She spent the summer volunteering in Ecuador where she met her future husband.  The two are now married and have a daughter.  “I have made a complete circle and my family is living in my hometown.  All roads lead to Meshack Creek.” she said.

Though she has continued to create art, her time has been spent attending to her family and only recently has she begun to once again show her work publicly.  The Greener Groundz exhibit is her first solo exhibition and will run through the end of July.