Biography
Joe Jones (1909–1963) was one of Missouri’s most important artists of the 20th century — a self‑taught St. Louis painter whose work under the WPA Federal Art Project brought national attention to Missouri’s labor, landscape, and social realities. Born into a working‑class family, Jones began as a house painter before turning to art full‑time, developing a bold, expressive style rooted in the lives of ordinary people.
By the mid‑1930s, Jones had become a nationally recognized figure, exhibiting in major museums and appearing in national publications. His work blended social realism with a distinctly Midwestern sensibility, making him one of the defining voices of Missouri’s WPA era.
Missouri Works
Jones produced numerous paintings under the WPA Federal Art Project, many of which depicted laborers, farmers, and industrial workers in and around St. Louis. His work was displayed in Missouri schools, public institutions, and traveling exhibitions that brought art to communities across the state.
Although Jones did not complete a Missouri post office mural, his WPA paintings — especially his labor scenes — became some of the most iconic images of Missouri life during the Great Depression.
New Deal Program Involvement
Jones worked extensively under the WPA Federal Art Project, producing paintings that emphasized:
- labor and working‑class life
- Missouri’s industrial and agricultural identity
- social realism with a regional focus
His contributions reflect the WPA’s mission to democratize art and support local culture during a period of national hardship. Jones’ work remains central to the story of Missouri Regionalism and the New Deal art movement.