bettina barbara jones was born in Washington, D.C. on May 2,1952. She grew up on the East Coast and began her professional painting career at age sixteen, when her works were picked up by James Hunt Barker Galleries in Nantucket, Mass.

Her mother, a painter and collector of folk art allowed bettina to have an early contact with this type of art. At the advice of her godmother, bettina dropped her middle and last name when dealing with her art. bettina remembers, "As a rebellious teenager, this was probably the only time I instantly took the advice of an adult."After receiving her BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University, bettina worked as an art director and illustrator in New York City.

From her teens to her re-location to Hawaii in 1978, she spent time in the Caribbean and was influenced by the islands primitive artists. While bettina's work is viewed as unique and out of the mainstream art circles, her paintings are found in private collections in the United States, Europe and Asia.

"I have always painted with a whimsical cartoonist's view. I still love cartoons, comics, and animation. When I first saw the work of folk artists, I instantly connected to the spirit of their works. It is honest, pure and from the soul. The art of storytelling comes through my paintings. Most of my works make people smile and humor definitely has a place in fine art. Other paintings are meant to teach or give pause to reflect on our status as human beings and how we relate to others ( man as well as nature ) in this world."

bettina