Jonna White Original Signed “Above Magens Bay” in Monumental Custom Gold Frame

Details

Description

A spectacular original, non-editioned mixed-media artwork by celebrated St. Thomas artist Jonna White, Above Magens Bay presents a fantastical Caribbean … Read more A spectacular original, non-editioned mixed-media artwork by celebrated St. Thomas artist Jonna White, Above Magens Bay presents a fantastical Caribbean estate overlooking the brilliant turquoise water and sweeping white shoreline of one of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ most recognizable destinations.

Viewed through an elaborately ornamented villa window, the composition unfolds like a dream. Classical statues line a sunlit balustrade, fountains rise from an exuberantly patterned terrace, flowering gardens tumble toward the sea and a dramatically windswept tropical tree frames the luminous bay beyond. Decorative birds, small animals and jewel-toned architectural details are hidden throughout the scene, rewarding close inspection and giving the work its wonderfully eccentric personality.

White’s intensely colored, deeply embossed mixed-media treatment gives the surface extraordinary dimension. Saturated cobalt, turquoise, coral, citron, emerald and burnished-gold tones are layered across substantial deckle-edged paper, creating an almost sculptural effect beneath the glass. The tactile surface and irregular paper perimeter distinguish the work from an ordinary decorative reproduction.

The artwork is titled Above Magens Bay in pencil along the lower-left margin and personally signed Jonna White in pencil at lower right. No edition number, fraction or artist-proof designation appears within the exposed margins. This example is cataloged as an original, signed and non-editioned mixed-media artwork rather than as the separately produced print edition of the composition.

The original artwork measures an impressive 28 inches wide by 41 inches high. Its extraordinary custom presentation expands the overall dimensions to 40.5 inches wide by 53.5 inches high, giving the finished piece the scale and visual authority of a major designer installation.

An unusually generous surround measuring approximately 6.25 inches wide on every side incorporates broad antiqued-gold moulding, luxurious champagne-toned silk matting, a separately mitered silk-covered liner and a slender gold inner fillet. High-quality protective glass, professional mounting and a fully finished framed backing complete the presentation.

This is an exceptionally high-quality custom treatment—not a stock frame or standard paper mat. The wide gold-finished moulding, tailored silk surfaces, layered fillet, oversized glass and professional construction were specifically selected to balance the artwork’s exuberant color with the elegance of a grand traditional interior. Commissioning comparable custom framing at this size and quality today would represent a substantial four-figure investment.

From an interior-design perspective, Above Magens Bay is a true room-making piece. It possesses the colorful confidence of a Palm Beach villa, the eccentric sophistication of a storied Caribbean estate and the transportive glamour of an interior assembled through years of travel and collecting.

The combination of classical architecture, tropical gardens and crystalline blue water makes the work particularly compelling in a Palm Beach living room, coastal-traditional entry hall, colorful grandmillennial dining room or theatrical Hollywood Regency interior. Its saturated palette works beautifully with lacquered furniture, patterned upholstery, chinoiserie, rattan, mahogany, brass, botanical textiles and collected blue-and-white porcelain.

Although grand in scale, the artwork retains an inviting sense of warmth and fantasy. It would bring a vacation-at-home quality to a Nancy Meyers–inspired interior or an eclectic coastal house that favors color, comfort and personal storytelling over restrained minimalism.

Positioned above a console, fireplace, sideboard or substantial upholstered piece, the artwork can anchor an entry hall, living room, dining room, garden room, coastal bedroom or destination property. The painted window creates the illusion of an additional architectural opening, making the composition especially effective where a dramatic view or transportive focal point is desired.

Bold, romantic and unapologetically colorful, Above Magens Bay presents an unusual opportunity to acquire an original Jonna White work featuring one of her most recognizable Caribbean compositions. Its pencil title, authentic hand signature, non-editioned status, impressive scale and exceptional designer framing distinguish it from the editioned versions more commonly encountered on the secondary market.

ARTIST NOTE

Jonna White (1947–2024) was an American artist closely associated with St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Beginning her professional career in 1968, she became known for richly colored, deeply embossed artworks and paintings inspired by tropical landscapes, classical architecture, botanical subjects and Caribbean life.

White operated her namesake gallery in Charlotte Amalie and created and sold her artwork for more than four decades. Her distinctive compositions frequently combined recognizable island views with imagined architectural interiors, ornamental gardens, animals and unexpected narrative details.

ORIGINALITY AND EDITION NOTE

This example is cataloged as an original, hand-signed embossed mixed-media artwork on deckle-edged paper. It is not identified as a conventional decorative print, poster or photographic reproduction.

No edition number, fraction or artist-proof designation appears within the exposed margins. The work is pencil titled by the artist at lower left and signed Jonna White in pencil at lower right.

The artwork has not been removed from its high-quality custom framing. Its medium is described from its clearly visible embossed mixed-media surface, tactile relief, deckle-edged paper and absence of edition markings.

COMPARATIVE GALLERY DOCUMENTATION

A preserved 2016 screenshot from the Jonna White Gallery documents a separate print edition of Above Magens Bay measuring 28″ × 41″ that was offered at an unframed retail price of $1,600 with complimentary U.S. shipping.

That archived listing does not document the format or medium of the present artwork. It is retained strictly as historical market context for the composition: even the gallery’s print edition of Above Magens Bay carried a premium $1,600 price before framing.

The present signed work is materially distinct from that print edition. Its deeply embossed mixed-media surface, deckle-edged paper and absence of any edition designation identify it as a separate, non-editioned format. The comparison is particularly meaningful because the historical $1,600 price applied only to an unframed print edition and did not include the exceptional custom presentation accompanying this artwork.

PROVENANCE

Acquired approximately 15 years ago and displayed in the same private, smoke-free residence for more than a decade. The artwork has been thoughtfully maintained and protected behind high-quality glass throughout that period.

CUSTOM FRAMING NOTE

The presentation is a significant component of the artwork’s decorative and replacement value.

The approximately 6.25-inch-wide surround includes oversized antiqued-gold moulding, champagne-toned silk matting, a separately constructed and mitered silk liner, a narrow gold inner fillet, high-quality protective glass, professional mounting and a fully finished backing.

This type of layered designer framing requires considerably more material and specialized labor than standard framing. Commissioning a comparable presentation for artwork of this size today would conservatively represent a substantial four-figure investment. The complete piece is offered as a finished, designer-ready installation.

KEYWORDS

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