Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1509833
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM October 18-24, 2023 UCW 11 Who is Antoinne Duane Jones? at is the question on everyone's mind as his upcoming Arts Council exhibit takes place on Oct. 20. A Fayetteville State University alumnus, father of three, culinary connoisseur, ex-teacher and award- winning photographer, Antoinne Duane Jones has spent nearly the last twenty years of his life capturing the essence of the people in front of his camera. From the sets of television shows to the yearbooks of children, Antoinne Duane Jones has left his mark as a prolific photographer and entrepre- neur. He has written his own book, filled with the lessons and habits that have helped him grow his business and become successful in his endeavors titled, "e Down Entrepreneur: A Blueprint to Business Rejuvenation." A jack-of-all trades in his own right, Antoinne was even a teacher at Jack Britt High School for five years before starting his career in Fayetteville when his wife and mother suggested he pur- sue his passion of photography. "When I was little, I would always be buying those little, small three but- ton cameras from Walmart and just be taking pictures of everywhere I went," said Jones. Since then, he's gone on to grow his brand from Fayetteville to Atlanta, all while focusing on his favorite job of being a parent. Speaking on his pas- sion, Antoinne noted how fulfilling it felt to be able to help support the growth of the next generation. To this end, he has even helped create an amazing new opportunity for the future students at Fayetteville State University: a scholarship. Jones is one part of a brand-new scholarship program for students at Fayetteville State University that is being announced at his exhibit and book signing event. An astonishing 40% of the pro- ceeds from his exhibition and book signing will also be going directly to the funding of tuition to scholarship awardees. "To be able to come back, and give back, to the place I call home, it's amazing," he said. Being an alum of the historically black college, FSU, I asked Anto- inne what his thoughts were on how his experiences there shaped and molded him as an artist. "Being able to be around people who look like you, speak like you, and have had similar experiences to you, I think is so important. It al- lows us to be able to feel that sense of community and be able to go out into the work force and society and represent the positive impact those historically black colleges have had on our lives," said Jones. e exhibit, being aimed as a cel- ebration of those who supported him coming up, is split into three parts. With aspects of a potentially dark future of our own design, the ad- vanced technologies of the Wakanda nation and superhero cosplays, An- toinne Duane Jones plans to show us photorealism, conscious consump- tion and a passion for photography two decades in the making. "I wanted to still be able to ex- press my creativity while also being able to tell people something about the direction we're heading on our planet, you know, the 'what if ' of if we keep treating our planet this way," Jones said. "I asked myself, 'what would prom look like for my great- granddaughter'." SAM OLSEN, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. (910) 484-6200 FEATURE The homecoming of photographer Antoinne Duane Jones by SAM OLSEN Antoinne Duane Jones will be holding his exhbi- tion, 2079: e Exhibition, at the Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County opening Oct. 20. (Photo courtesy