My Life & Artwork - July, August, & September 2021

October 6, 2021 Teressa Jackson

Much has happened since my last blog update! I am now reporting to you from Costa Mesa, California. Read on for more about that…

I had artwork in two exhibitions that opened in July - “Xscape” at FOUND:RE Contemporary and “Agua Sagrada,” a virtual exhibition with Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson. “Xscape” remains on display until November 14, and I have been fortunate enough to sell the painting that was juried into that show as well as the one I supplied to replace the first piece. There is a third painting on display there now, also available to go home with a lucky arts enthusiast.

I also visited my family in Oregon in July. We had a lovely time together after far too long apart. My sister and her sweet family indulged my love for rockhounding adventure, and my mom and I visited the Oregon coast, including the Neskowin Ghost Forest and Newport. My human niece and nephew have grown so much in two years, and are such lovely young people. I can’t believe they still think I’m kind of cool. I also got to meet my new dog niece, Ulu!

In August, Aaron accepted a job in Orange County, California, and my life turned into full-time home selling and packing. There was time to crank out a couple of paintings amid the chaos, as well as to get in some quality time with my friends Ursula, Kalisha, and Sarah. I am very grateful to all three of those ladies for helping to keep me sane and take care of odds and ends amongst the chaos. Thankfully, the home sale went better than our wildest dreams could have imagined, making the hard work feel worthwhile.

On September 3, Lola dog and I pulled out of Phoenix in the Uhaul and made our way to the Golden State. The trip was made even more exciting when some issues with our planned new residence arose and Aaron literally found a new place for us to live less than 24 hours before we unloaded. There were a few harried phone calls during that drive, that’s for sure!

We had fun taking Lola to meet the ocean for the first time. That desert dog had no idea what to make of the waves, but she did enjoy some good rolling in the sand. Unfortunately, we won’t be visiting the Huntington Dog Beach again anytime in the near future, as it is part of the impacted area from the oil spill that recently occurred. Huntington Beach and Newport Beach are the two closest beaches to our home (a mere 10 minute or so drive), and are closest to the spill. It’s a bummer, but more than anything, it’s truly heartbreaking to think of the wildlife impacted by this disaster.

Another Raices Taller virtual exhibition, “All Things Paper,” went up on September 4, and is on display until October 16. I am grateful to have three paintings in that exhibition, and encourage you to see the diverse array of works the artists have created for the show, all of which are on paper.

Valley Coffee Company opened around the corner from FOUND:RE Contemporary in Phoenix in September, and I am thrilled to be part of a beautiful wall installation of Arizona-inspired artwork in their shop. My painting Prelude to the Pursuit was selected through an opportunity facilitated by Artlink, an arts organization that has been instrumental to my success as an artist in the Phoenix area. I will certainly miss their support.

Most of September revolved around getting settled and learning a new place. Understandably, I’ve not been as productive as I would have liked during these past few months, but I’m happy to say I’m feeling back to the swing of things again, for the most part. The biggest thing we are still trying to figure out now is where we can go have some rockhounding adventures. :-)

In all, I created six paintings during this time, three of which are still available for purchase. Additionally, I designed and opened pre-orders for my 2022 art calendar, which can be ordered through November 15, 2021.

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Ursula and I took a jaunt out to see the Salt River during her visit. It’s bittersweet to bid this landscape farewell.

Little Bird, Big Dreams 16x12”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper Juried into and available for sale via Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s “All Things Paper” virtual exhibition, 9/4-10/16/21. — *Little Bird, Big Dreams*
16x12”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper
Juried into and available for sale via Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s “All Things Paper” virtual exhibition, 9/4-10/16/21.

See Me in the OC 8x6”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper SOLD. — *See Me in the OC*
8x6”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper
SOLD.

Sequilibrium 14x10”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Paper Juried into and available for sale via Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s “All Things Paper” virtual exhibition, 9/4-10/16/21. — *Sequilibrium*
14x10”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Paper
Juried into and available for sale via Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s “All Things Paper” virtual exhibition, 9/4-10/16/21.

Virga Vision 3x2”, Watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Virga Vision*
3x2”, Watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Cloudburst 3x2”, Watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Cloudburst*
3x2”, Watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

Sonoran Slumber 3x2”, Watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Sonoran Slumber*
3x2”, Watercolor on Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

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My Life & Artwork - April 2021

May 5, 2021 Teressa Jackson

Me with Network at the Shemer Art Center exhibition — Me with *Network* at the Shemer Art Center exhibition

April was a great month for opportunities to exhibit!

My painting Network was juried into the Arizona Watercolor Association’s spring exhibition at the Shemer Art Center in Phoenix, which opened on April 13 and runs through May 20. The opening reception on April 15 was very busy, and there are many great water media paintings of all styles included in the show. Definitely worth a visit!

I got out my brushes and returned to the muse of my neighborhood’s Little Free Libraries, this time incorporating some of the equally muse-worthy lovebirds that dart about through the trees on my street. What better name could I choose but Love Story? This piece, along with two others, was juried into Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s exhibition Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres, which features art by women from around the globe. Raices Taller is located in Tucson, but in keeping with COVID-19 precautions the exhibition is entirely virtual and can be viewed on their website.

My painting Transmission, which I completed in February, was accepted to exhibit at Portland on the Park residences in Phoenix through late-August. This is a very interesting concept in which the residents of the development help select artwork for display and also contribute to a fund that is used to purchase some of the pieces for a permanent collection at the site. You can read more about this program at artlinkphx.org/inresidence.

Me with two of my paintings at Rachel Walters’ shop

I also delivered a few of my pieces to Tucson to hang at Rachel Walters Collection’s amazing new shop. Rachel creates gorgeous, handcrafted fashions that can be purchased at her shop or via her website. I’m so grateful to have met her and to be able to inhabit a part of her beautifully curated space. Her shop features some wonderful treasures by other local creatives as well. It’s fun to have a reason to go to Tucson more frequently; I definitely miss living in the Old Pueblo!

Aside from more weekend fun rockhounding in the desert, the big adventure highlight of the month was the opportunity to visit Bryce Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend, and Sedona with my dear friend Jenny and her sister Kat. It was around my fifth visit to Bryce Canyon, a place that is truly jaw-dropping and a definite contender for “best national park” in my book. Lots of good times were had with these two fun and adventurous ladies, and I look forward to the next time we get to explore together.

Finally, I finished the month with a visit to Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Arizona, with my friend Kalisha. It was a fantastic time to visit, with many of the cacti blooming and the temperatures still hospitable. We visited on Kentucky Oaks Day, and even managed to find an equine photo opportunity in the gardens in commemoration of the fillies’ big day back home in Louisville.

I completed two commissioned canine portraits in April. I was hired by a friend’s husband to create these pieces and it was a great deal of fun to bring them to life. He gave them to her as a birthday gift (per her suggestion) and she seemed absolutely thrilled with the end result. I really enjoy creating such meaningful gifts, thinking of how they will be treasured and enjoyed. It’s truly an honor!

I created four total paintings in April. Two of these pieces were the commissioned dog portraits, one was Love Story, and the fourth I titled Palo Verde Parade. Palo Verde Parade is a tribute to Arizona’s state tree which is totally doing its big burst of yellow blooming thing right now. It’s a gorgeous if slightly allergy-inducing sight and I couldn’t resist celebrating them.

Palo Verde Parade is still available for purchase via my website and Love Story is available through Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop. Don’t hesitate to contact me if I can work on a commission for you or if you need help with framing one of the pieces you see available for sale!

Me and Kalisha with the horse (statue) we found!

Gryffin's Gaze 11x14”, Watercolor on Aquabord SOLD (commission). — *Gryffin's Gaze*
11x14”, Watercolor on Aquabord
SOLD (commission).

Super Scout 11x14”, Watercolor on Aquabord SOLD (commission). — *Super Scout*
11x14”, Watercolor on Aquabord
SOLD (commission).

Love Story 11x14”, Gouache on Aquabord For sale via Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop as of this blog post. — *Love Story*
11x14”, Gouache on Aquabord
For sale via Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop as of this blog post.

Palo Verde Parade 8x10”, Gouache on Aqua Coldpress Black Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Palo Verde Parade*
8x10”, Gouache on Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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2020 Reflections

January 20, 2021 Teressa Jackson

Detail of Quarantine Queen, completed April 2020 and featured in the September 3, 2020, Tucson Weekly — Detail of *Quarantine Queen*, completed April 2020 and featured in the September 3, 2020, *Tucson Weekly*

I might be an artist, but I’m a weirdly analytical one. As a numbers nerd, I always enjoy a little look back at the beginning of a new year, even if I have to hold my nose like I do when I gaze at the stink that was 2020.

Despite the many challenges I do not need to revisit here, 2020 turned out to be my most successful sales year to date as an artist – I actually blew all my other years away. I’m certainly still far from being anything other than a starving artist, but it feels good to make progress on further establishing myself and to know that my work is resonating with people. In all, I created 44 paintings during 2020 and sold 23 of the paintings I created during the year. I sold an additional 33 paintings created in previous years, for a total of 56 paintings that found their forever homes.

My printed merchandise also had a successful year. I sold 65 packs of cards and thirty 2021 calendars. I received proceeds from a variety of items purchased with my designs on them via Redbubble (p.s. - I’m generally open to adding additional artwork on there. If you are looking for a specific design, just email me and let me know: me@teressaljackson.com). I also collected royalties for sales of my photography on AdobeStock. The approach around here is all about multiple streams of income!

In more of a qualitative realm, I changed artistic styles a bit during 2020, straying from realism and returning to some of my traditional loves of bright color and bold pattern, an approach that dates back to my high school years, if not before. I’d like to think I’m incorporating more of myself into this work, and that this is resonating with people. Regardless, I’m having fun creating it!

Despite the pandemic, I did enjoy a few opportunities to show my work. Before the coronavirus hit, I had a solo exhibition at Industrious Scottsdale Fashion Square and had a painting in Salon Forty Eight, a group exhibition at Mood Room in Phoenix. Unfortunately, my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson that had been scheduled for March 2020 was postponed, and remains postponed indefinitely. During the pandemic, I participated in three virtual exhibitions: Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s Corazones Unidos and Regalitos shows and the Arizona Watercolor Association’s COVID Virtual Show.

Last but not least, I did enjoy some media exposure in 2020. I was featured in a ShoutoutArizona feature and had my Quarantine Queen painting featured on the cover of and reviewed in the September 3, 2020, Tucson Weekly.

Personally, it was a sometimes (many times?) challenging year. Like most people, I felt stressed, depressed, disheartened, unmotivated, and dehumanized at various points. The Arizona summer was the hottest on record, making it nearly impossible to enjoy time outdoors which is the only real reprieve from a pandemic that seems to exist and one of my greatest joys even in “normal” times. Our dog Lola, adopted in January 2020, provided us with a lot of laughs, a few curse words, many hugs, and abundant cuddles. We purchased a home in Phoenix that gave us more of our own space, a yard, and a neighborhood that has served as a bit of a muse for me.

In closing, I’m not sure what the final score is for 2020. It was actually very good in some ways, but the absolute worst in others. I suppose I will just be grateful that I made it through, that there was some good, and focus on what is ahead of me. That’s all I can really try to control, anyway.

I’d love to hear what the highs and lows of 2020 were for you. I’d also be interested in your thoughts on why this year was such a successful year for my art sales. Let me know in the comments section!

My Life & Artwork - July 2020

August 3, 2020 Teressa Jackson

This should be brief. I certainly didn’t do much that was exciting during July, between record-breaking temperatures in Phoenix (118 degrees!) and COVID-19 restrictions. Unless, of course, you think grocery shopping is exciting.

My dog Lola enjoyed playing with the giant palo verde beetles that emerged from the ground in early July, and I enjoyed laughing at her antics. I paid homage to them in my painting Big Bug Emergence (SOLD).

The sky teased us off and on, and we finally got the first rain in about four months in late July. It was meager but still enjoyable, and I managed to spot a rainbow.

I continued my artistic exploration with black paper, enjoying the different feel of the pieces that utilize this new surface. I focused a lot on my neighborhood and fun memories for my artwork this month. I created one series playing on the concept of the many Little Free Libraries found around my neighborhood. The three paintings in the series are titled Fowl Language, Pulp Fiction, and Speed Reading, incorporating elements from the desert to correspond with those themes. I enjoyed coming up with all the little details found throughout these pieces, and it appears that they resonated with my fans, too, since two of the three have sold.

I’m now working through a series of desert “critters.” So far, these include the rooster who lives on my street, a Colorado River toad in monsoon, and a javelina helping itself to a meal of my potted plants (javelina not included here as it was completed 8/2). These pieces are back on white paper, but continue with my return to gouache paint (opaque watercolor) from my longtime use of transparent watercolor.

It’s been fun to explore different themes and artistic approaches as I decide what will adorn the walls in my rescheduled exhibition at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, now set for [stop the presses - this is back to being TBD]!

Of course, I was extremely pleased with my productivity, and that of the ten paintings I made this month, six have sold and found their way to a little “show” of their own in their new homes. THANK YOU so much to everyone who supports my artistic endeavors. These sales were certainly the highlight of an otherwise rather dreary month!

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Big Bug Emergence 5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Big Bug Emergence*
5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

The Mayor of Mulberry 5x7”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper SOLD. — *The Mayor of Mulberry*
5x7”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper
SOLD.

Where the Prairie Dogs & the Antelope Play 3x2”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Where the Prairie Dogs & the Antelope Play*
3x2”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

Cotton Candy Sky 3x2”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Cotton Candy Sky*
3x2”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Copper STate Sunset 3x2”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Copper STate Sunset*
3x2”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Fowl Language 8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Fowl Language*
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

Pulp Fiction 8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Pulp Fiction*
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

Speed Reading 8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Speed Reading*
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Monsieur Monsoon 5x7”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Monsieur Monsoon*
5x7”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Living in the Weird Wild West 8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper SOLD. — *Living in the Weird Wild West*
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
SOLD.

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My Life & Artwork - June 2020

July 2, 2020 Teressa Jackson

June is always a time of celebration for me. It’s my birthday month, and I typically try to celebrate to the fullest… eat lots of good food, take a trip or two, see some friends, and enjoy being on this Earth. Of course, everything looks a little different this year, but I did manage to still do a little celebrating turning the big 4-4.

My wanderlust got the best of me, and I took a little road trip to Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah. Bryce Canyon is located at around 8,000 feet above sea level, so the temperatures there are much cooler than Phoenix. The drive was about seven hours, and you’ll be happy to know that over the course of five days, I didn’t eat at a restaurant once and managed to only use a public restroom three times. I never thought I would be reporting on such things, but such is life in the time of coronavirus.

I enjoyed some wonderful weather (60’s and 70’s) and gorgeous hiking. The park was definitely less crowded than it would typically be, which made it all the more enjoyable for me. I also visited Kodachrome Basin State Park and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park while in the area. Kodachrome was a unique landscape featuring an abundance of rock spires and even a slot canyon cave. Escalante was irresistible to me because I have a slight obsession with petrified wood. The landscape there was very different from Petrified Forest National Park and the Bisti Badlands in New Mexico. I visited Bisti for my 43rd birthday, and it also contains petrified wood.

Ahh, that sweeping northern Arizona landscape, on the way to Bryce

Those creative Bryce hoodoos inspired me to make a little hotel room art, and I created a couple of small paintings while I was there in a brief reprieve from the painting that was my focus for most of June (and part of May), Home Sweet Homestead. This piece was the largest I’ve created in years, measuring 30x18”. I was happy/sad to finish it in time to create one more painting this month, this time on black watercolor paper. The black paper really gives a completely different look and approach, and I’m finding it to be very enjoyable as a change of pace.

The only other excitement I encountered during June was at home. We had new windows and a sliding door installed, a major improvement from 74-year-old casement windows. I also finally got the new studio/office setup I had wanted for months and I absolutely love it. My desk converts from sitting to standing, which really helps the neck strain I experience when painting for long periods of time. I honestly think it makes me want to work more - I call that a big success!

My new workspace - sitting. New window above my desk and new sliding door to the right; note the trim was not finished yet at the time this photo was taken.

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Serpentine Shade 6x4”, Watercolor & Gouache on Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Serpentine Shade*
6x4”, Watercolor & Gouache on Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Steller View 6x4”, Watercolor, Ink, & Gouache on Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Steller View*
6x4”, Watercolor, Ink, & Gouache on Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Home Sweet Homestead 30x18”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Home Sweet Homestead*
30x18”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

The Skylark Umpire 8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *The Skylark Umpire*
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - May 2020

June 2, 2020 Teressa Jackson

Blooming Saguaro at McDowell Sonoran Preserve

My art production may appear to be a little slower than usual, but I believe I am working just as much! My latest works have been larger and more time consuming than many of my previous ones. Not included in this blog’s photos, I began an 18x30” piece on May 19, which is still in process. When complete, this will be the largest painting I have created in many years!

I have also been spending more time planning my artwork. I admit to often being lazy about creating preliminary sketches and studies, but some of the new work I have been creating really necessitates this activity.

I began the month of May working on a 16x20” watercolor on Aquabord piece entitled Phoebus Cartel, pictured at the bottom of this blog. I recently learned that an alliance called the Phoebus Cartel (sounds nefarious, right?) was formed in 1925 to reduce the lifespan of… wait for it… lightbulbs. This was reputedly to force people to buy them more often, although some dispute this and say that the shorter lifespan bulbs use less energy. I’m honestly not sure which is correct, but like most things, I am guessing the truth is likely somewhere in the middle. Lightbulbs lasted around 2,500 hours in 1925, but the cartel limited them to 1,000 hours.

Blooming Cholla at McDowell Sonoran Preserve

This got me thinking on the idea of planned obsolescence, and the idea of things becoming obsolete in general. And that got me to… endangered moths! Yes, that’s right. Endangered moths. The two moths featured in this painting are the prairie sphinx moth (left) and the Patagonia eyed silkmoth (right). The prairie sphinx moth or Wiest's primrose sphinx (Euproserpinus wiesti) is a species of moth found in areas of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. It is classified as critically endangered and included on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Patagonia eyed silkmoth exists in just one U.S. location, in an Arizona cemetery comprising less than half an acre. In Sonora, Mexico, it lives on two “sky islands,” which are higher elevation areas that are ecologically different from the lowlands surrounding them.

My dog Lola and I also provided a video “tour” of Phoebus Cartel, and it can be viewed here or on my YouTube page.

The other painting I completed in May, also pictured at bottom, was entitled Mi Pequeño Desierto. My husband and I recently purchased a home in a charming and somewhat historic part of Phoenix, and the front yard was a big selling point for me. I love being able to look out on my own little piece of desert beauty with plants of various shapes, patterns, colors, and configurations. I began this piece with that space as inspiration, but of course I made it even more my own in my mind. This painting measures 8x12” and is painted with gouache paint on watercolor paper.

In this era of quarantining and social distancing, as well as an increasingly hot desert (helloooo summer!), my adventures in May weren’t too adventurous. We planted a lemon and a fig tree in our backyard, hung a hummingbird feeder, installed a new mailbox, and took care of some other odds and ends in the home improvement realm. I also took advantage of a slight dip in temperatures and hit the Whiskey Bottle, Turpentine, Black Mills Trails at McDowell Sonoran Preserve one morning in Scottsdale, Arizona. The blooming chollas, yuccas, and saguaros were truly incredible!

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Phoebus Cartel 16x12”, Watercolor on Aquabord For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Phoebus Cartel*
16x12”, Watercolor on Aquabord
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Mi Pequeño Desierto 8x12”, Gouache on Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Mi Pequeño Desierto*
8x12”, Gouache on Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - February, March, & April 2020

May 15, 2020 Teressa Jackson

Catching up with Jay at Fate Brewing Company

Uh oh! I’ve fallen off of the blog wagon again!

This year has indeed rocked and rolled right along, so let’s see if I can catch you up now. :-)

I kicked off February by catching up with my friend Jay, who was visiting from the Louisville area. It was really fun to see him and to give him a personal tour of my artwork hanging at Industrious Fashion Square. February was pretty consumed with house hunting, as our lease was ending in April and we knew if we were going to buy a house that we would need to get started early. The Phoenix housing market was crazy, with properties selling in a matter of a few days or even a few hours. We increased our budget not once but twice due to the soaring cost of living in the Valley. Finally, toward the end of the month, a house that we had loved but for which we were previously outbid became available again, and we were under contract.

The first week of March, I packed a suitcase and headed to the Caribbean island of Antigua. One of my best friends had invited me to tag along on an all-inclusive family vacation and who was I to turn her down? We had a phenomenally fun time soaking up too much sun and enjoying too much all you can eat buffet and inclusive open bar goodness. Antigua is a beautiful place and I will certainly return someday!

Of course, upon my return, it began to become clear that I would not be returning someday SOON, nor would I be traveling anywhere other than the grocery store anytime in the near future. The coronavirus had hit the United States and over the next few weeks more and more closures happened.

One of those closures turned out to be Agua Caliente Park’s Ranch House Gallery, which of course was the site of my solo art exhibition for which I had been diligently working, prepping, planning, spending, and stressing for over a year. Just a few days before I was to hang my work, it was called off. Of course, I completely understood the decision, and I also know that with the stay at home orders going into effect, little to no people would have seen my work had I been able to move forward with the show.

I ran a sale on my artwork to try to recoup some of my losses and sold quite a few pieces. It was extremely gratifying and humbling to still receive the support of so many at a difficult time for essentially the whole world. I also made a few videos showcasing my work and my artistic process (and featuring the adorableness that is my dog Lola), which can be seen on my YouTube page.

I became somewhat worried our house purchase or move would be impacted by the state of the world, the country, and the economy, but thankfully, they were not. We officially moved to our new home on April 7, and I admittedly fell off of not just the blog wagon, but also the video wagon. I have, however, made some art, remodeled a bathroom, planted a couple of trees, decorated, settled in, and generally just enjoyed having a larger space of my own during an otherwise difficult time.

I’ve also probably driven my Facebook friends a little crazy. I have made it my mission to point out the beauty of the world to them each day for the past two months. I know things seem dire right now, but the fact of the matter is that feeling terrible about it 24 hours a day/7 days a week doesn’t really help. So I hope that my posts have brought a little bit of cheer to those who need it. It’s been a fun exercise for me to document what catches my eye and my heart on the daily.

A gorgeous scene I captured on a hike at South Mountain

I’ve done a little hiking, but not as much as I would have liked. I got distracted with house madness, but also, it’s been rather busy in the outdoor spaces around here. And then it started to get hot. So… aside from trips to South Mountain, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and Phoenix Mountain Preserve, Lola and I have walked our new neighborhood in the mornings. It’s really quite scenic around here and I enjoy it a lot more than our previous location in Tempe. The area of our home is somewhat historic, with houses built in the mid-1940’s. I’ve especially enjoyed exploring the Phoenix Homesteads Neighborhood that is located just west of us, which has an interesting history, lots of trees and greenery, and some beautiful abodes.

Of course I have created some art during this time, including a couple of fun dog portrait commissions as a surprise birthday gift for my friend Stephanie (I was hired by her thoughtful husband). I’ve also made some art that is a bit of a departure from my more recent work, including an oil painting which was probably my first time using that medium since 1994, and a watercolor I titled Quarantine Queen, which was my first self-portrait in a long while. Most of the art that I created these past three months was larger in size than I have typically produced over the past few years.

I’m not sure what the future holds for much of anything right now. I hope that at some point I will still get to still have my solo exhibition. I watch with interest as many art galleries are moving to virtual exhibition formats. I feel the wanderlust stir in my belly as I long for a new adventure or two. Arizona is opening back up in a lot of ways, but the world is different, and we are all having to learn how to navigate it. In the meantime, I’m thankful for the gift of being a creative who can stay busy and entertained at home, and for those who take interest in and appreciate what I create. Things would undoubtedly be more difficult for me without both of those gifts.

Stay safe, healthy, and as sane as you can, my friends! Sending you much love! And now, here’s the art I have made these few months. :-)

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Spring Ombre (February 2020) 14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Spring Ombre* (February 2020)
14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

The Waves of Waladli (March 2020) 12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board SOLD. — *The Waves of Waladli* (March 2020)
12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board
SOLD.

Sable (March 2020) 14x11”, Watercolor on Aquabord SOLD (Commission) — *Sable* (March 2020)
14x11”, Watercolor on Aquabord
SOLD (Commission)

Original image (compilation of multiple photos)

Max (March 2020) 14x11”, Watercolor on Paper SOLD (Commission) — *Max* (March 2020)
14x11”, Watercolor on Paper
SOLD (Commission)

32nd Street Kahuna (April 2020) 10x8”, Oil on Canvas SOLD. — *32nd Street Kahuna* (April 2020)
10x8”, Oil on Canvas
SOLD.

Quarantine Queen (April 2020) 16x12”, Watercolor on Aquabord For sale - visit my online shop to purchase. Also available as prints, cards, and merchandise on my Redbubble site. — *Quarantine Queen* (April 2020)
16x12”, Watercolor on Aquabord
For sale - visit my online shop to purchase.
Also available as prints, cards, and merchandise on my Redbubble site.

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Happy 2020: A look back at a busy year and a full month!

February 5, 2020 Teressa Jackson

My work on display at Industrious Fashion Square

Mom and me at the top of Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona

It’s hard to believe that it’s the year 2020. As kid, I probably thought I would be a gray-haired grandma by this faraway year. The pigment does seem to be slowly disappearing from my locks, but I don’t think I will ever fulfill the other prophecy, and that’s ok (no offense to gray-haired grandmas everywhere - you’re awesome!).

First, I’ll start off with a look back at 2019. During the year:

I created 93 paintings
I sold 27 paintings
I showed my artwork in 8 exhibitions; 6 were located in Tucson, 1 in Tempe, and 1 in Phoenix
I was selected for a solo exhibition at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson which will be held 3/21/2020-4/22/2020
I moved to Tempe, Arizona
I took trips to New Mexico, Oregon, and both Puerto Peñasco and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

My work and me at the opening of Salon Forty Eight — My work and me at the opening of *Salon Forty Eight*

It was a fantastic year and I look forward to more of the same in 2020. I’m already off to a good start. Aaron and I rang in January with a trip from my mother, who now lives in Oregon. Mom and I had a lovely time seeing sights around the Phoenix area and took a short trip to Sedona, where it was chilly but beautiful.

It was time to take down my art from Industrious Tempe, but I got another Industrious opportunity from their Scottsdale Fashion Square location. So, January involved taking down one show and planning and installing another. The folks at Industrious are so nice and their spaces are gorgeous. I’m grateful for continued opportunities with them!

I also was able to participate in an art exhibition at Park Central in Phoenix put on by Artlink, an Arizona arts organization of which I am a member. The show was called “Salon Forty Eight” and is being shown concurrently with Artlink’s 20th Annual Juried Exhibition. The opening reception was a fun evening and had a phenomenal turnout!

Later in the month, we gave in to the doggie-shaped hole in our hearts and adopted 1-year-old Lola from Maricopa Animal Care and Control. Lola is a spunky and sweet Jack Russell Terrier mix, and even if I wish she had an “off” button a few times a day, she’s cute and cuddly enough to make you forgive anything slightly maddening she’s doing.

Between mom’s visit and Lola’s arrival, I have to admit that it was not a very productive start to the year, art wise. However, I am very pleased with the paintings I did produce, changing things up a bit in terms of my style and subject matter because hey, it’s a new year!

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“Principe de la Primavera” 14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Principe de la Primavera”
14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Siren” 10x14”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Siren”
10x14”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Astro Mutt” 5x5”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Astro Mutt”
5x5”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - December 2019

January 20, 2020 Teressa Jackson

Wow, where did 2019 go?

I began December by attending the opening reception of “Tiny Works V” at The Gallery in Phoenix. I had three paintings included in this juried show. I also had three paintings in “Regalitos” at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson, but unfortunately had to miss the reception for that exhibition.

Aaron and I decided to take a little trip south of the border to Puerto Vallarta this month. Direct flights from Phoenix are quite reasonable and only about 2 hours long. We love Mexico and were certainly not disappointed with the scene in Puerto Vallarta. It is truly a charming historic city with delicious food (including many vegetarian friendly options!), walkable neighborhoods, and beautiful beaches, of course! Highlights were eating some of the best empanadas ever and a trip out to the Marietas Islands and the “hidden beach” that is located there. I felt incredibly safe in Puerto Vallarta and the city is firmly on my “will return” list.

The rest of the month was largely spent painting, working, and being a little bit boring. I tried out a new painting surface, Crescent Watercolor Board, and was overall pleased with the results. I used it in “Aloe View” and “Arizona Gold,” both of which are pictured below and still available for sale. I will definitely buy this surface again. It acts more like paper, but doesn’t curl. However it does stain more readily than Arches paper. It’s a nice in-between when looking at the qualities of Arches paper versus Aquabord.

Other than that, honestly, it has been one of those “I don’t know where the time goes” months. :-) My mom flew out to visit at the end of the month, but since her visit included the new year, I’ll report on it in my next blog.

I hope that 2020 holds many good things for you, and I expect it to provide me with some awesomeness, too!
xoxoxo ~TJ

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Sun setting along Playa Muertos, Puerto Vallarta

“Inherent Heart” 5x5”, Watercolor on Paper SOLD. — “Inherent Heart”
5x5”, Watercolor on Paper
SOLD.

“Verdant Vortex” 5x5”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Verdant Vortex”
5x5”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Aloe View” 12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Aloe View”
12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Arizona Gold” 12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Arizona Gold”
12x9”, Watercolor on Crescent Watercolor Board
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Bouquet” 5x5”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Bouquet”
5x5”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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Industrious Scottsdale Fashion Square Solo Art Exhibition • Teressa Jackson

January 6, 2020 Teressa Jackson

I am excited to be the first artist of 2020 to adorn the walls at the beautiful Industrious workspace at Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. My paintings will be on display at Industrious Fashion Square from January 7, 2020, until March 16, 2020. If you are viewing my artwork in person at Industrious and would like to buy a painting, please make the purchase online by selecting the piece below and show your e-mailed receipt to the staff at Industrious. Yes, you may take the painting with you at the time of purchase!

P.S. - Here’s a link to shop ALL my available art (not just pieces at Industrious).

Industrious Scottsdale Fashion Square
Exhibition Catalogue

sale

Blue Sky Reveries

$400.00 $500.00

In 1887, the Chiricahua Apaches were held as prisoners of war in Alabama. They were kept along the Mobile River, on swampy ground, in dense pine woodlands. Longing for the light, they ached for their Arizona home. Some of the men climbed to the tops of the trees just to see the sky.

The Sonoran Desert is a place of light, above, beyond, and before anything else. The open skies and the otherworldly landscape drew me in when I first met it, and my mind relaxed and felt free. Coming from the Midwest where it was rare to have the ability to see for miles, when I am in the desert, I feel like someone took the lid off of my cage.

Sometimes the light is subdued, like it was this February day as I hiked along the spine of Brown Mountain in Tucson Mountain Park. It is, of course, often relentless. Even on a cloudy day, though, there is almost always a patch of blue in that expansive Arizona sky if you look hard enough – and I love that.

Living in Arizona, I often found myself encountering that bit of “blue sky.” Sometimes I made a point of looking for the azure above; Other times, I found it in the people around me. I can only imagine how elusive these both must have seemed to the Chiricahuas in that gray swamp, so far from their ancestral home.

Now living in Southern California, I admit that sometimes I forget to look for the blue sky. It’s true that there are more clouds here, but there’s still a lot of sunshine, too - both literal and figurative. Looking back to this painting is a good way to remind myself of that.

This original painting measures 10.5×16” and comes in a white mat, bringing the final measurement to 18×24”. It was created using watercolor paint on acid free, cold press heavyweight 100% cotton Arches watercolor paper. It ships free.

Colors of original painting may be slightly different than what you see on your monitor screen. Artist signature, year of creation, and artwork title are included on back of painting. Copyrights remain with artist.

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Artist’s Statement

Safety and magic rarely intersect. I am often cautioned against hiking alone, but I never lack company when in the presence of saguaros, hoodoos, mountains, trees, and bees. The moments I spend by myself in nature are as important as the paint I use to coat my brushes, filling me with beauty, inspiration, wonder, and peace. Back in the studio, photographs never quite capture the enchantment or grandeur of my experience. My personal challenge as an artist is to create scenes that convey my perception of the world and transport the viewer to that magnificent moment made permanent.

Teressa at work in her Tempe, Arizona, studio

About the Artist

Teressa Lynn Jackson was born in Enid, Oklahoma, and grew up in the Louisville, Kentucky, suburb of New Albany, Indiana. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from Louisville’s Bellarmine University in 1998. Following graduation, Teressa spent a summer studying Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in Italy with the State University of New York. Prior to returning to her creative roots, Teressa enjoyed a fulfilling 15-year career in the Louisville-area not-for-profit sector.

In fall 2016, Teressa sold her home and most of her possessions and spent a year traveling, connecting with beautiful places and experiences and using those adventures to inform and relaunch her lifelong need to create. In late 2017, Teressa and her husband made their new home in the Sonoran Desert. Ms. Jackson’s work has been shown in a number of juried and non-juried art exhibitions over the past twenty-five years, and she has been the recipient of several awards for her artwork.

A full artist curriculum vitae can be viewed on my “About the Artist” page.

My Life & Artwork - October 2019

November 2, 2019 Teressa Jackson

128 of the 275 paintings I’ve created in the past 3 years

View of downtown Phoenix from the Phoenix Mountains

You know what?

I feel like I really kicked some butt in October! I made some paintings with which I am quite pleased and I was consistently productive. I branched out to some different types of scenes and I feel that they were successful and also good learning experiences. I made four rather large (for me) paintings, as well as three smaller ones. So, I am going to celebrate for a moment. {cue the champagne bottles popping… ha ha ha}

In all seriousness, putting yourself out there all the time is hard, it’s vulnerable, and it can be discouraging. My artistic career depends on sales, so I have to do it, whether I like it or not. When people cheer me on, it’s definitely a source of energy, and I’m really thankful for all who do. It truly means a lot more to me than you realize.

Some of the items for sale at the Día de los Muertos festival

I left my hometown, changed my life, and began re-focusing on my art more fully three years ago as of the final days of October. As of the last day of October 2019, I completed my 275th painting since embarking on that adventure. I’d say that’s also cause for celebration!

October in the Phoenix area was mostly beautiful, with high temperatures in the 80’s and 70’s. I did some hiking at South Mountain, which is the nearest spot to where we live, as well as in the Phoenix Mountains that lie just north of here. Aaron and I toured the “Mystery Castle,” an interesting home constructed mostly of found and salvaged materials in the 1930s located in the foothills of South Mountain. Kalisha and I attended a Día de los Muertos festival in Mesa, an event packed with color, art, people, music, and good food.

I also hung my art exhibition at Industrious Tempe, which opened on October 21. My art will remain on their walls for the next several months, and I was really pleased with how the display turned out. They have a beautiful space themed around the desert landscape and colors, and I think my art was a nice complement to it.

I’ll close with a couple of shameless plugs. My 2020 calendar pre-sale will close on November 3, and I don’t intend to order any extra to have on hand. So, if you would like one, please get your order in today! I also added some new designs to my Redbubble profile, and you can order my art on items such as t-shirts, pillows, notebooks, coasters, phone cases, mugs, tote bags, pouches, clocks, prints, and more! If you don't see an artwork of mine on the site that you would like to purchase in this manner, please let me know and I can easily add it. Thanks for considering supporting me - a real, live, actual human being - when you shop!

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“Furtive” 7x5”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Furtive”
7x5”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Avian Arcadia” 7x5”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Avian Arcadia”
7x5”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Dichotomy” 7x5”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Dichotomy”
7x5”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Barnum Hill Beam” 10x14”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Barnum Hill Beam”
10x14”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Enchanted Timber” 14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Enchanted Timber”
14x10”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Accumulation” 16x20”, Watercolor on Aquabord For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Accumulation”
16x20”, Watercolor on Aquabord
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Fort Lowell Firmament” 20x16”, Watercolor on Aquabord For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Fort Lowell Firmament”
20x16”, Watercolor on Aquabord
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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Industrious Tempe Solo Art Exhibition • Teressa Lynn Jackson

September 17, 2019 Teressa Jackson

I am excited to be the first artist to adorn the walls at the beautiful new Industrious Tempe workspace on Mill Avenue. If you are viewing my artwork in person at Industrious and would like to buy a painting, please make the purchase online by selecting the piece below and show your e-mailed receipt to the staff at Industrious. Yes, you may take the painting with you at the time of purchase!

P.S. - Here’s a link to shop ALL my available art (not just pieces at Industrious).

Industrious Tempe
Exhibition Catalogue

"T" View

$175.00

This 8x20" watercolor, entitled "‘T’ View," was inspired by a sunset I caught right outside my door in Tempe, Arizona.

Painting is created with watercolor paint on Arches 140 lb. watercolor paper. It is offered for purchase unframed and ships FREE.

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sale

Blue Sky Reveries

$400.00 $500.00

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sale

Painted Desert²

$350.00 $400.00

I took the photo that inspired this painting in the Painted Desert at Petrified Forest National Park. This original painting measures 14x11” and is sold in a white mat that brings the overall size to 16x20”. The painting was created using watercolor paint on acid free, cold press heavyweight 100% cotton 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper. It ships FREE.

About this piece:
When I was a child, I had a book of the U.S. national parks. I was always enchanted with the idea of the petrified forest, but didn’t see it until I was almost 40 years old. Those transformed logs didn’t disappoint, but what also captivated and surprised me was the brightly colored, undulating landscape of the Painted Desert, also preserved in the park. I returned a couple of months ago and took more photos, the result of which is this painting. If you know me, you know I love irony, and the fact that I painted the “painted” desert is pretty satisfying to me in that respect, too. :-)

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Artist’s Statement

About the Artist

A full artist curriculum vitae can be viewed on my “About the Artist” page.

Watercolor Oasis • Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery Exhibition • 3/21/2020-4/22/2020

September 17, 2019 Teressa Jackson

To avoid groups congregating in enclosed spaces, it has been determined that the Ranch House at Agua Caliente Park, where my solo art exhibition was to be held from March 21, 2020, to April 22, 2020, will be closed. As with many of the closings currently taking place, the duration of this closure is as yet unknown.

I ask that if you have had an eye on any of my pieces, whether they were to be in my exhibition or not, please consider making a purchase. You have no idea how much it would mean to me. To sweeten the deal, I’m offering 20% off everything in my shop through March 31, 2020, with code “LOVE” – everything also already ships at no charge and most come framed and ready to hang.

I want to express my sincere thanks to Pima County Parks and Recreation for selecting me for this exciting opportunity. I appreciate their support as well as the gravity of this decision. They do wonderful work!

Stay safe, healthy, and happy, my friends. I’m sending you much love!

xoxoxoxo

Teressa

With a goal to inspire others to explore the raw beauty of nature, artist Teressa Jackson captures the charm and color of the desert experience through stylized realism.

Watercolor Oasis

I was honored to be selected to show my artwork in a solo exhibition at Agua Caliente Park’s Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, Arizona, from March 21 to April 22, 2020. The title of this exhibition is Watercolor Oasis. The exhibit will span 88 linear feet of gallery space and includes 48 of my original works. I was one of ten artists to be selected to show at this venue in 2020.

This page features the artwork included in that exhibition. Of course, these paintings are best admired in person in the gallery space, so please plan to visit my show, too, if you are able!

Watercolor Oasis
Exhibition Catalogue

IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE! These paintings comprise my solo exhibition at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, Arizona. The exhibition runs from March 21 to April 22, 2020. If you purchase any of these works, please note that they will NOT ship to you until after the close of the show on April 22. Feel free to contact me with questions: 502-593-2596 or me@TeressaLJackson.com.

sale

Arizona Gold

$125.00 $165.00

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sale

The Middle Way

$500.00 $600.00

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sale

Siren

$250.00 $600.00

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sale

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico: 11/16/16, 12:37:57

$25.00 $50.00

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sale

Sunday Afternoon in the Park

$250.00 $400.00

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sale

Dream Home de Chelly

$100.00 $250.00

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sale

Painted Desert²

$350.00 $400.00

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sale

Old Pueblo Oasis

$175.00 $250.00

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sale

Enchanted Timber

$175.00 $250.00

Add To Cart

sale

Furtive

$30.00 $60.00

Add To Cart

"T" View

$175.00

Add To Cart

sale

Blue Sky Reveries

$400.00 $500.00

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Artist’s Statement

About the Artist

Teressa Lynn Jackson was born in Enid, Oklahoma, and grew up in the Louisville, Kentucky, suburb of New Albany, Indiana. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from Bellarmine University in 1998. Following graduation, Ms. Jackson spent a summer studying Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in Italy with the State University of New York.

Ms. Jackson enjoyed a fulfilling 15-year career in the Louisville-area not-for-profit sector prior to returning to her creative roots. In fall 2016, Teressa sold her home and most of her possessions and spent a year traveling, connecting with beautiful places and experiences and using those adventures to inform and relaunch her lifelong need to create. In late 2017, Teressa and her husband made their new home in the Sonoran Desert. Ms. Jackson’s work has been shown in a number of juried and non-juried art exhibitions over the past twenty-five years, and she has been the recipient of several awards for her artwork.

A full artist curriculum vitae can be viewed on my “About the Artist” page.

My Life & Artwork - August 2019

September 16, 2019 Teressa Jackson

After returning from my trip to Oregon that I reported on last month, I don’t seem to have done very much of anything exciting in August. I stayed busy with a lot of contract fundraising work, hid from the Arizona heat, and painted. The last day of August, we headed for Puerto Peñasco (a.k.a. Rocky Point), Mexico, for Labor Day weekend. I’ll report out on that trip in my September blog, and spend some extra time with my paintbrushes instead of doing it now.

I undertook an experiment to cure my own olives this month. On my morning walks, I had started noticing the olive trees producing fruit at a vacant office building. I figured they wouldn't mind if I made use of a few. The process involved soaking the olives in a lye water mixture for twelve hours, then soaking them in a water bath for the next five days (changing the water two to four times a day), brining them in salt water for a week, and then putting them in a final brine with spices. They turned out well and I’m enjoying snacking on the fruits of my labor when I’m craving something salty (which is often!).

I didn’t produce a large quantity of artwork in August (five in total), but I did create some paintings that were large in size and rather time consuming. I’m slowly building up inventory for my show in March-April 2019 at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, trying to hold back the larger pieces if I can. Most smaller pieces I am continuing to put in my online shop, as I do need to make a few dollars now, too. :-)

One special piece I created was a collaboration with friend and fellow artist, Ursula Schneider, for the upcoming show at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop. The final piece was titled “Nourishing Community” and featured my watercolor work paired with Ursula’s ink and poetry. I was really pleased with how it turned out, and it was a fun and interesting new approach!

Ursula’s poetry reads:

Nourishing Community
Tall, strong, piercing defenses
Offer shelter for the vulnerable
Ubiquitous needles thread disparate dogmas
The robust can patiently endure the minimal wounds
Inflicted by the fragile
In the hope of humanity’s solidarity

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“Date Night” 20x16” on Fabriano 300 lb. paper This piece is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, AZ, from 3/21/2020 - 4/22/2020. — “Date Night”
20x16” on Fabriano 300 lb. paper
This piece is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, AZ, from 3/21/2020 - 4/22/2020.

“Nourishing Community” by Ursula Schneider & Teressa Jackson 10x14” watercolor on 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop until 10/21/19. — “Nourishing Community”
by Ursula Schneider & Teressa Jackson
10x14” watercolor on 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper
Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop until 10/21/19.

Work in process - this is what the piece looked like after I completed my portion and prior to Ursula’s additions

“Spirit Master” 20x20” on Arches 300 lb. paper This piece is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, AZ, from 3/21/2020 - 4/22/2020. — “Spirit Master”
20x20” on Arches 300 lb. paper
This piece is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery in Tucson, AZ, from 3/21/2020 - 4/22/2020.

“Pollinator Paradise” 6x4” watercolor on 300 lb. watercolor paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Pollinator Paradise”
6x4” watercolor on 300 lb. watercolor paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Monstrosus” 5x7” watercolor on Arches 300 lb. watercolor paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Monstrosus”
5x7” watercolor on Arches 300 lb. watercolor paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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Return to Goblin Valley

July 28, 2019 Teressa Jackson

I am pleased to announce that my painting “Return to Goblin Valley” has been accepted for exhibition in Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop’s “Historias e Identidades (Histories and Identities)” show. The exhibition will open with a reception on Saturday, August 3, 2019, from 6 - 9 p.m and runs through September 7, 2019. Raices Taller is located at 218 E. 6th Street in Tucson, Arizona. Unfortunately, I will be on a trip to visit family in Oregon during the opening, but I encourage anyone who is able to attend. Their receptions are always a wonderful time full of lively fun!

And now, I share a story about this painting and why a landscape scene from Utah’s Goblin Valley relates to my own personal history and identity.

“The Artist is no other than he who unlearns what he has learned, in order to know himself.”

–E. E. Cummings

Return to Goblin Valley
by Teressa L. Jackson

The photo from which I painted, taken in 2017 when I revisited Goblin Valley with my mother

We pull up to the rim and peer down at the city of bulbous creatures that awaits us. Our imaginations take off like the lawnmower our father had once used to manicure our Midwestern yard. On the dividing line between child and woman, my sister Dee and I both fall back into old familiar territory for a sweet afternoon.

There are passageways and rooms, solitary figures and looming families. “This is my house!” I shout, but I don’t mind if Dee joins me in it. We had spent nearly our entire lives in a standard white post-war Cape Cod house, but in the couple of years leading up to this day, our father’s thin, towering 6’7” frame was no longer a part of that home.

When Dad left southern Indiana in pursuit of that elusive perfect job, Dee and I remained behind, learning to navigate airports a couple times a year. In our tween years, we were young enough for these trips to be frightening and old enough to find them exhilarating. In the late 1980’s, there were no mobile phones and no internet. We were disconnected, roaming free, changing planes through O’Hare’s hurried urban masses and disembarking in his new home, the Rocky Mountain wonderland of Salt Lake City.

The first few years we made this repeated cross-country journey, we enjoyed adventures that must have seemed exotic to our friends back home. We rode snowmobiles in the Rocky Mountains, learned to ski in the powder, breathed in the Grand Canyon, and smelled the sulfur of bubbling cauldrons and steaming geysers at Yellowstone.

Soon we entered the world of high school spectacle and our gravities shifted. We traded shared vistas and road trips for landline telephone custody battles. A year apart in school, Dee’s friends were what I considered “nerdy-popular.” I hung with the skateboarders, feeling a different exhilaration at punk rock shows and along Louisville’s Bardstown Road corridor.

That day at Goblin Valley seemed distant and almost forgotten most times over the decades that followed, but occasionally still surfaced as one of my fondest memories. As age forty loomed, my childhood years spent among desert, mountains, and sweeping views beckoned to me. I needed to return to these places – to rekindle my creativity, reawaken my sense of adventure, and reconnect with my original self.

I’ve spent the last three years becoming reacquainted with that young woman who visited Goblin Valley for the first time. I’ve revisited that wonderland and met new ones across the Southwest and beyond. My father and I haven’t spoken in nearly ten years, and it’s unlikely that we will ever do so again. However, I remain grateful for the foundation he laid through those early adventures and the way those places permanently shaped me.

I am, once again, the girl I left behind in that valley.

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Industrious Scottsdale Fashion SquareExhibition Catalogue

Industrious TempeExhibition Catalogue

Watercolor Oasis

Watercolor Oasis Exhibition Catalogue

Return to Goblin Valleyby Teressa L. Jackson

Industrious Scottsdale Fashion Square
Exhibition Catalogue

Industrious Tempe
Exhibition Catalogue

Watercolor Oasis
Exhibition Catalogue

Return to Goblin Valley
by Teressa L. Jackson