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It took a printmaking teacher and a roundabout path to get one artist to where he is today.
Jim Malone, 73, grew up wanting to become a teacher. Then he wanted to become an engineer. Then he wanted to become an artist.
“I was interested in science, engineering – all these things kind of entered into the mix,” Malone said. “I kept feeling I wanted something where I can use all these elements, all these interests, and art seemed to be the only thing.”
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Malone graduated from the State University of New York at Oswego in 1968 with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. From there, he went to Texas Christian University for his Master’s in Fine Arts. He also picked up a job at the Fort Worth Art Museum, now known as the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, on the side.
However, he didn’t complete his MFA degree.
“I was meeting professional artists from New York and Los Angeles and it seemed like I was learning more at the Museum than I was in school,” Malone said.
Malone stayed in Fort Worth since the MFA attempt and has had several showings since then.
Will Grella, the assistant director at Artspace111 in downtown Fort Worth, said he has seen Malone’s art work since Grella was 16 years old. He also said the topics Malone focuses on hit close to home for him.
Malone is known for his landscapes featuring the Big Bend National Park in a variety of different mediums, such as graphite or collages.

“I spent a lot of time going there when I was younger, so I like anything that’s a representation of that,” Grella said. “But I think Jim is unique in capturing that.”
Malone sees his personal representation of landscapes as “a souvenir of experiences” and simply a way to express himself after he’s finished exploring.
“I’m trying to get at what I think and what I sense about the world onto something that someone else can look at,” Malone said.
Malone’s latest exhibit – called Scene/Not Scene – will be featured at Artspace111 from until Nov. 26. His work has new paintings and objects on topics ranging from Big Bend National Park to Einstein.
Artspace111 is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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