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 - November 2019

December 3, 2019 Teressa Jackson

November was a fun and beautiful month here in the desert! I kicked it off with a Intuitive Farm-to-Table Plant Based Cooking Class at The Farm at South Mountain. Kalisha attended with me and we crafted some beautiful and tasty dishes with veggies from the farm and around the Phoenix area. The Farm at South Mountain is very near my apartment, and I look forward to returning there to explore more. It seemed a bit like a slightly more upscale “Huber’s” type place (that reference will only make sense to people from the Louisville area).

I enjoyed the amazing weather with hiking at Usery Mountain Regional Park, a visit to Desert Botanical Garden on their monthly “free” day, and a trek up the Hieroglyphics Trail just west of here in Gold Canyon. The Hieroglyphics trail was a special treat, with gorgeous scenery, spectacular clouds, and a plethora of petroglyphs at the trail’s end. I’m always awed by these markings and being able to put myself in the same place as people 1,500 or so years ago. There were some nice pools of water there, which I’m sure were the one of the draws for the ancient peoples.

Aaron and I decided to get out of town for Thanksgiving, and rented a cottage in Oak Creek Canyon just outside of Sedona. It was a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery. Sedona is a bit cooler than Phoenix, so we expected to need to dress more warmly. I had spotted a little snowflake on the weather forecast, but I was not prepared for the amount of snow we were greeted with Friday morning! Several inches covered everything and it was so beautiful. We hung out in the snowy scenery all morning and then made our way back to Phoenix. The trip involved snow, rain, and even some hail, and I later discovered that Highway 89A where we were staying in Oak Creek Canyon closed shortly after we left. It was hard to believe that a couple of hours later when we were staring a palm trees and blue skies.

I created 13 paintings this month. These ranged from some quick sketches and miniature pieces to large detailed work. Six of my miniature paintings headed to two different art exhibitions this month at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson and 9 The Gallery in Phoenix. As many galleries do this time of year, the shows focus on small, affordable works for the holiday shopping crowd. The show at 9 The Gallery, entitled “Tiny Works V,” is my first at a gallery in Phoenix, and I look forward to attending the reception on Friday, December 6.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t throw in an extra ask that you please consider supporting your favorite small business local starving artist this holiday season! My website has items from $3.99 on up, and I recently rolled out free shipping on every item in my online shop. Don’t forget you can also get my designs on stuff like t-shirts, pillows, notebooks, journals, mugs, tote bags, clocks, and more on my Redbubble profile. If you don't see an artwork of mine on Redbubble that you would like to purchase in this manner, please let me know and I can easily add it. Thanks for considering supporting me when you shop!

Shop for art on my website now ›

“La Luz de Viejo” 9x12”, Watercolor on Claybord For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “La Luz de Viejo”
9x12”, Watercolor on Claybord
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“The Smith Building” 3x3”, Watercolor on Paper Currently on exhibit/for sale at The Gallery — “The Smith Building”
3x3”, Watercolor on Paper
Currently on exhibit/for sale at The Gallery

“Low Tide Spectacular” 3x3”, Watercolor on Paper Currently on exhibit/for sale at The Gallery — “Low Tide Spectacular”
3x3”, Watercolor on Paper
Currently on exhibit/for sale at The Gallery

“Fruita del Desierto” 3x3”, Watercolor on Paper Currently on exhibit/for sale at The Gallery — “Fruita del Desierto”
3x3”, Watercolor on Paper
Currently on exhibit/for sale at The Gallery

“Encanto Ebb” 3x2”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Encanto Ebb”
3x2”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Las Olas” 3x2”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Las Olas”
3x2”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Conspicuously Hidden” 2x3”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Conspicuously Hidden”
2x3”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

Original photo (also original photo for “The Middle Way” (below)

“Fibonacci Display” 2x3”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Fibonacci Display”
2x3”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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

“Javelina Selfie” 5x7”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Javelina Selfie”
5x7”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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

“Gold Canyon Trail” 5x7”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Gold Canyon Trail”
5x7”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - June 2018

July 4, 2018 Teressa Jackson

It's definitely summer in the desert! I'm pretty sure that every day of June was over 100 degrees. And while people here in Tucson seem to relish complaining about it as much as people universally love to gripe about weather, I actually haven't minded it too terribly much.

My desert wildlife sightings have most certainly continued this month, and I got to check some previously empty boxes. New sightings included two bears (YES, BEARS) while hiking at Chiricahua National Monument, wild horses while tubing the Salt River, and two bobcats at my apartment. I've also spotted plenty more rabbits, lizards, and a javelina. I have still not seen a scorpion or a gila monster in the wild, but perhaps they're next. Oh, and before you lecture me about being cautious (which I am), I promise you that all of these critters were more afraid of me than I was of them, something that so many people seem to just not understand.

After a couple of months of saguaro cactus blooms (and some are actually still blooming!!), my giant prickly friends began to produce fruit this month. The fruit is green on the outside, but eventually bursts open to look almost like a red flower with its pulp showing. The birds have been seen delighting in this sticky, seed-filled treat, and the local Tohono O'Odham Nation has been harvesting it for their traditional uses. The saguaro fruit harvest and the arrival of the summer rains signal what their culture considers to be the beginning of a new year.

The monsoon season officially began on June 15, better known as my 42nd birthday. Unfortunately, we were in Phoenix that weekend, and while Tucson got a hefty storm, we got mostly sprinkles. I hear that we may get rain again next week, though. ((fingers crossed!))

We finally made plans to visit "Arizona's beach" this month. Indeed, there is ((almost)) oceanfront property in Arizona. Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point, is located just over 4 hours from Tucson in Mexico, at the northernmost tip of the Sea of Cortez. Also known as the Gulf of California, the Sea of Cortez was clear, blue, and very warm. The landscape there is still very much the desert, with rocky mountains and dusty sparse landscape surrounding the water's edge. Aaron and I drove to Puerto Peñasco and felt completely safe driving through Mexico and while on our little getaway. It's so nice to be so close to the sea - we'll definitely be back!

My last little treat in June was the realization that Kate, one of my closest friends who lives in southern Indiana, was going to be in Sedona. I couldn't resist making plans to see her, and I spent a fantastic day with her and her family at Slide Rock State Park, where there are natural water slides carved into the rock.

And yes - despite all this traveling and activity - I was much more productive with my artwork this month! Hooray! I changed some things up and have listed my drawings for sale on my website as well as some options for framed art. I'm still deciding if it's 100% finished, but I'm pretty sure I have completed the first painting from my watercolor class with instructor Larry Wollam (also my drawing teacher), and I'm very pleased with how much I've learned in just a couple of months. I haven't listed it for sale yet, as I am considering entering it into an upcoming juried exhibition in town. Wish me luck!

Some of the pieces I made this month are sold, but several are still available, too. So if one tickles your fancy, you'll sure make my day if you shop now ›

**Armory Park, Tucson, Arizona: 5/19/18, 14:59:51 (available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting)**

Denver, Colorado: 5/30/18, 18:24:21 (available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting) — Denver, Colorado: 5/30/18, 18:24:21 **(available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting)**

Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado: 5/28/18, 9:01:36 (available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting) — Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado: 5/28/18, 9:01:36 **(available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting)**

Duck Statue Still Life (available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting) — Duck Statue Still Life **(available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting)**

Denver, Colorado: 5/31/18, 9:46:28 (SOLD)

Denver, Colorado: 5/31/18, 9:11:12 (available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting) — Denver, Colorado: 5/31/18, 9:11:12 **(available for purchase as of the date of this blog posting)**

This piece is not yet titled nor for sale. This is the first painting I completed in my watercolor class.

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Valley of the Sun

April 27, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Kalisha and me at Hole in the Rock at Papago Park

Two weeks ago, I meandered through the desert, past the beautiful blue waters of Lake Havasu, and into the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix has definitely lived up to its nickname, as UV rays have been in plentiful supply here, and there certainly hasn't been a single drop of rain.

I even got to experience a day at what they refer to as the "century mark" when the mercury climbed to 100 degrees on Sunday. You always hear people say that it's not as bad because it's a "dry heat." They're telling the truth. I'd take a million 100 degree days at 6% humidity over 90 degrees with 90% humidity back home. Heat is infinitely more tolerable when you don't feel like someone wrapped a wet blanket around your head. Sorry, Ohio Valley.

While I feel I've barely scratched the surface of what this city has to offer, I've definitely enjoyed my time here. I had visited Scottsdale several years ago, but didn't really get to do or experience much on that trip. I honestly had no idea how large the city was until I got here. With a metro area of around 4.5 million people, it's around 3 times the size of my Louisville hometown.

It's been especially fun to spend some time with my friend Kalisha, who relocated to Phoenix from Louisville at the first of the year. She was kind enough to tour me all over the metro area, and I truly got a more local perspective thanks to her. We attended a self-defense class, visited the farmer's market, saw the city sprawl from up high at South Mountain Park, gazed at Camelback Mountain, hopped up to the hole in the rock at Papago Park, went to a Young Nonprofit Professional Network event, and devoured a few delicious meals.

Blooming saguaro at Desert Botanical Gardens

Kalisha also scored me a free pass to the Desert Botanical Garden. As a self-described "plant nerd," I think was probably the highlight of my time in Phoenix. Other stops included the Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera exhibit at the Heard Museum, the Rose Garden at Mesa Community College, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West. I took a day trip to Sedona and hiked in Oak Creek Canyon, and stopped at Montezuma Castle National Monument's gorgeous cliffside dwelling on the way back to the city. I enjoyed lunch and olive oil tasting at Queen Creek Olive Mill (olives!!). South of Phoenix, I visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, a multi-story structure built in the 1300's by Ancestral Sonoran Desert People.

I also was really happy that my return to the Sonoran Desert unexpectedly coincided with the saguaro cacti's annual bloom. The white flowers, which open at night and only last through the following day, are Arizona's state flower.

One of the things I enjoy about being somewhere on a more extended timeframe is the chance to just spend time like a normal person. I ate some great Mexican food, spent a lot of time with my paintbrushes, shopped a little, enjoyed my Tempe neighborhood, and put some new tires on my car. After nearly 16,000 miles of traveling, it was time!

There remains plenty I haven't seen, done, or experienced in Phoenix, but I've learned to let that go and not wear myself out. Sometimes you have to walk the line between tourist and pretend local... between vacation and real life.

Where to next? I'm really excited to hit the road this morning and head toward one of our nation's least visited national parks, Great Basin National Park in Baker, Nevada. I'm very excited about the diversity of this remote park, which includes mountains, a glacier, ancient bristlecone pine trees, and a cave. Time to put some wear on these new tires!

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