Library puts faith in young artist
By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn IN A HURRY-Denise Jones, 24,a junior at California State University Long Beach and T.O. resident is finishing up a mural for the new Agoura Hills Library. The five-week project was finished just in time; Jones left Tuesday for Florence, Italy for 10-months.

One thinks of an artist’s studio as quiet and serene, a place where creativity flows and the mind is allowed to ruminate.

But inside the new Agoura Hills Library, where artist Denise Jones is painting a unique, 20-foot wall mural, loud construction rattles the brain and the smell of varnish thickens the air.

"I’m here painting now," said Jones, practically shouting from her cell phone at the library building site. "Bet you couldn’t tell."

As electric tools pounded the floors and walls, the paintbrush in Jones’ normally steady hand vibrated at times, but the 24-year-old Thousand Oaks resident has stuck to her tight schedule. Jones completed the project on time last Saturday, and a good thing, too, because on Tuesday she was scheduled to catch an airplane for Florence, Italy where she plans to study art for the next 10 months.

Although other construction remains, the mural stands finished and ready to enjoy. The 17,000 square-foot library and adjacent 12,500 square-foot Agoura Hills City Hall are in their final stages of completion and will be open to the public Oct. 27.

"We’re planning on that now and we’re very excited about it," said Greg Ramirez, assistant to the city manager.

The building also includes a 4,500 square-foot city council chambers and multipurpose room. In addition to a large children’s area, the library will feature two study rooms, a computer room and a lounge area with fireplace.

Jones leaves behind the best work of her young career, a mural inside the children’s section that depicts a sweeping panorama of local nature. Beautiful skies and majestic mountains loom in the background, while birds, deer and other local animals peek out from behind tall grass and stately oak trees.

"This is huge, not only because it’s large, but because people will see it for years to come and it will be a representation of my work," Jones said.

Interested in art since the fifth grade, Jones went to Cal State University in Long Beach to receive a bachelor’s in fine art. Her trip to Europe is part of that program. After she graduates, she hopes to get a master’s degree from the New York Academy of Figurative Painting where her study will concentrate on the human form.

Jones painted a mural inside a dentist’s office on Chesebro Road in Agoura Hills. Raya Sagi, manager at the Las Virgenes Library in Agoura Hills – which will move to its new site on Agoura Road – visited the office as a patient and saw the painting. She recommended Jones to the Friends of the Library and the library design committee.

More than a month after presenting her proposal for the library mural, Jones hadn’t heard back from the committee.

"They delayed so long I was afraid I wasn’t going to get the commission," Jones said. "Then they called me. My first reaction was to kneel down and thank God."

Jones beat out several other candidates and started the $11,000 job immediately. She did a mock-up version first, then took her acrylics to the wall and started to paint there. The project took five weeks to complete.

Jones graduated from Thousand Oaks High School and it was her art teacher, Jerry Sawitz, who recommended her for the dentist office job.

"She doesn’t just paint intellectually, but from her heart," Sawitz said.

"When she paints, it’s her. There is no holding back. She is very, very talented, but also a hard worker."

With her trip to Italy in the offing, Jones said the library commission couldn’t have come at a better time.

"I’d received a scholarship, but that would only cover about one-eighth of the expenses," she said.

When the library committee accepted her proposal, Jones took that as an answer to her prayers.

"When it came through, it felt good. I felt like I was doing the right thing by going."

With her trip to Italy in the offing, Jones said the library commission couldn’t have come at a better time.

"I’d received a scholarship, but that would only cover about one-eighth of the expenses," said Jones, who’s a member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "I didn’t know how I’d come up with the rest of the money, so I had been fasting and praying to ask for confirmation whether I should really go to Italy or not."

When the library committee accepted her proposal, Jones took that as an answer to her prayers.

"When it came through, it felt good. I felt like I was doing the right thing by going."