Born on 1/24/42 in Louisville, KY, Gail died in Fort Myers, FL of breast cancer related causes.A ceramic artist living on Sanibel, Gail taught at BIG ARTS & maintained her own studio, Full Circle Pottery. Like her art, Gail was a unique soul, beloved teacher and she left a powerful legacy. Always exploring new ideas & techniques, she brought boundless energy to every class. Her work was shown at numerous galleries & shows, including the N.C.E.C.A. juried CLAY National. Gail graduated with a B.S. from Simmons College in Boston, married her first husband Eric Essene & together they lived in Berkeley, CA, Cambridge, England and Canberra, Australia. A free spirit & adventurer in life, Gail mountaineered from California to Corsica. She moved to Ann Arbor, MI in 1970 and was a member of the Potter's Guild and the Ann Arbor Art Assn & was best known for her raku, sculptural fountains & crystalline glazed platters.After marrying John D. Jones in 1981 & moving to St. Charles, IL in 1988, Gail taught at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center & was an IL Artisan. They moved to Sanibel in 2004 & as a FL Craftsman, Gail was an active member of the FL Artist Group, the SW FL Crafts Guild, & VP of the local chapter of the Ntn'l League of American Pen Women. In her final year, Gail returned to sculptural work with poignant exploration of ancient forms through her latest Sacred Voices series.An avid camper, Gail shared her love for the outdoors with her children & grandchildren. She was famous for great parties, from Halloween to an annual Derby Day party on Sanibel.Gail is survived by her loving husband John; her daughter Michelle Haroldson, son-in-law Jeff & grandsons, Kai and Soren, of Excelsior, MN; her daughter Ren Essene of Washington, D.C. & Missoula, MT; stepdaughter Angela Koch, her husband Victor and daughter Jennifer; and grandchildren Isabella, Serena & Balthazar. She was preceded in death by parents Marie & Irvin Bensman, M.D.There will be a retrospective show & celebration of Gail's life at BIG ARTS at 7 p.m. on Friday 1/14/11. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Fine Line, 6N158 Crane Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174, or BIG ARTS Gail E. Jones Memorial Fund, 900 Dunlop Rd., Sanibel, FL 33957.