My Life & Artwork - September 2019

October 2, 2019 Teressa Jackson

Buckle up kids, this might be a long one!

As I reported last month, Aaron and I kicked off September with a trip to the beach in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico, a 4-hour drive from the Phoenix metro. We stayed in an area we had not visited that was located to the east of the town, and the beach there was the most beautiful one we have encountered in the area. The tides in Puerto Peñasco are some of the most dramatic in the world, and they were especially so with the new moon in the sky. One night, I watched the water retract at sunset faster than water leaving a bathtub, leaving beautiful patterns in the sand. It was incredible!

The area was largely undeveloped (even our condo building was still being built) and there were no neighboring properties. It was a peaceful getaway, but we did awaken in the middle of the night the night before Labor Day to no electricity. It never came back on. Such is Mexico, I guess! We headed for the border and even with a quite early departure, the wait to enter the U.S. was about 2 hours.

I was accepted into the juried “Share Our Walls” exhibition at the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild in Tucson, which opened September 8 and runs until October 6. The reception was toasty with a broken air conditioner in the gallery, but the show was full of cool works of art and I was honored to have my work displayed along with them.

In addition to the SAWG show, the collaborative artwork that my friend Ursula Schneider and I created was accepted into the “Colaboraciones” show at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson. I also received an e-mail early in the month from a collaborative workspace called Industrious Tempe that will be opening at the end of October, asking if I would like to display my artwork there. It looks like it will be a beautiful space and I can’t wait to see my work adorn their walls.

Me with “La Corona” at the SAWG reception

Unfortunately, I missed the reception for the Raices Taller show because my friend Kalisha and I took a weekend trip to Flagstaff after I won tickets to the Northern Arizona Food and Wine festival . It was a great excuse to get away to the cooler elevations and have a little “girls trip.” We had a wonderful time and I’m so grateful for the friendship of my fellow Louisville to Arizona transplant.

“Fall” began to arrive here, and high temperatures dipped to the 90’s and even the 80’s. My cabin fever had indeed about exceeded its level of tolerability, and I hit the trails. I visited the always-magical Desert Botanical Garden mid-month, took day trips to Payson and Prescott, and hiked at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa.

The trip to Payson included stops along the Salt River, Saguaro Lake, and finally the Tonto Natural Bridge, the largest travertine natural bridge in the world. I had longed to visit Watson Lake in Prescott for a couple of years, and it did not disappoint. It is a manmade lake that abuts the Granite Dells, composed of gorgeous rock formations. I hiked the entire perimeter of the lake and I’m quite sure I’ll be back to do it again and again.

The always-gorgeous Desert Botanical Garden

At Usery Mountain Regional Park, I spent time really looking at and admiring the many personalities and configurations that saguaros display, and photographed many of them. Four of these characters became my final paintings of the month, a series I’m playing with naming “Cacticatures,” a play on the word caricature.

As I have the past couple of years, I’ve designed a 2020 calendar featuring some of my favorite paintings of 2019 and it’s currently on pre-sale. Sales will be closed after November 3, and I don’t plan to order any extras because I certainly can’t use more than one myself. I anticipate shipping the calendars out to customers on December 1. So, if you’re so inclined, get one while you can.

The 10 paintings I created in September and the photos that inspired them are included following a few photos from this month’s adventures. Where will I find my next inspiration?

And with that, I bid you a happy October! Perhaps I will find some changing leaves up a mountain somewhere. I do miss bright orange and red maples, but the magic of nature lives everywhere in different forms. I’ll appreciate what I have at my doorstep. Cheers!

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Dawn along the Salt River, with Four Peaks on the horizon

September 2019 Artwork

“Sonoran Anemones” 12x12”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition. — “Sonoran Anemones”
12x12”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

“Glochidia Generator” 7x7”, Watercolor on Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Glochidia Generator”
7x7”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“T View” 20x8”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition. — “T View”
20x8”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

“Tierra de Tortolita” 10x4”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase. — “Tierra de Tortolita”
10x4”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

“Cache” 10x4”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition. — “Cache”
10x4”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

“Adios Amigos” 5x7”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper SOLD — “Adios Amigos”
5x7”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
SOLD

Tentative series title: “Cacticatures” Each panel measures 3x9”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper This series is on hold for upcoming exhibition. — Tentative series title: “Cacticatures”
Each panel measures 3x9”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This series is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

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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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My Life & Artwork - April 2019

May 3, 2019 Teressa Jackson

The first day of April was moving day! Thank goodness movers did the heavy lifting, and my back was spared the agony. It’s amazing how long it can take to move, even when you don’t feel like you have much “stuff.”

We hadn’t seen our actual apartment in Tempe, and I was a little anxious about it. Our place in Tucson had been such a nice spot to call home. I was pleasantly surprised to arrive to an entirely renovated, brand-new unit. I couldn’t ask for anything nicer. The view isn’t quite what it was in Tucson, but it’s not bad, either. We have a nice view of Bell Butte (which they kindly adorned with a “T” for “Teressa” …. er…. maybe for “Tempe,” which makes for a good sunset backdrop since it’s directly west of us.

Mid-April, I got some fantastic news! I was selected to exhibit my artwork in a solo show at Agua Caliente Park’s Ranch House Gallery in Tucson from March 21 to April 22, 2020. It’s good that I have nearly a year’s notice, since I have 88 LINEAR FEET of gallery space to fill. I had applied for this opportunity last year without success. This year, I was one of just ten artists to be selected to show during the course of the year. It will be my first solo exhibition in over twenty years! I’m very excited, and have already started creating paintings with this space in mind.

Some lovelies from Desert Botanical Garden

It’s cactus flower season, and the desert is popping with the most gorgeous, lush blooms. I’m not sure why cactus flowers seem magical, but they totally are. With that in mind, my friend Ursula and I spent a day at the Desert Botanical Garden, one of my favorite slices of desert paradise. I’m lucky to live just about 15 minutes from it now that I’m in Tempe, and a great place to soak up some artistic inspiration.

I tried out a new painting surface this month. I hadn’t ever used Aquabord before, but it caught my eye at Jerry’s Artarama and I bought a few pieces of it. It’s basically a clay-coated surface for watercolor painting. After sealing the painting, it can be framed without glass. It has definitely been an adjustment to paint on this surface, as it handles the paint in a very different way from paper. I certainly still like paper, but Aquabord will definitely be an ongoing addition to my painting arsenal. I have now created several pieces on the surface (see below!) and I’m in love with the vibrant colors I am able to produce. I think these will be really nice additions to my body of work for the show at Agua Caliente, too.

And just like that, April whooshed out the door and May arrived. I have a feeling that March 21, 2020, will be here faster than I would prefer. Hi ho, hi ho! Have a great May, friends!

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“Pusch Ridge Rainbow” SOLD (Commission) 7x5” on watercolor paper — “Pusch Ridge Rainbow”
SOLD (Commission)
7x5” on watercolor paper

“I Don’t Bite” SOLD 5x7” on watercolor paper — “I Don’t Bite”
SOLD
5x7” on watercolor paper

“Winter Watcher” For sale as of this blog posting 3.5x5” on watercolor paper — “Winter Watcher”
For sale as of this blog posting
3.5x5” on watercolor paper

“Perched Plumage” For sale as of this blog posting 3.5x5” on watercolor paper — “Perched Plumage”
For sale as of this blog posting
3.5x5” on watercolor paper

“Ice Cream Dream” For sale as of this blog posting 5x7” on Aquabord — “Ice Cream Dream”
For sale as of this blog posting
5x7” on Aquabord

“The Ringleader” SOLD 7x5” on Aquabord — “The Ringleader”
SOLD
7x5” on Aquabord

“The Incubator” For sale as of this blog posting 5x7” on Aquabord — “The Incubator”
For sale as of this blog posting
5x7” on Aquabord

“Prelude to the Pursuit” This piece is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery 11x14” on Aquabord — “Prelude to the Pursuit”
This piece is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery
11x14” on Aquabord

I have not yet titled this piece. I’m also not completely sure it’s finished! This painting is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery 12x12” on Aquabord — I have not yet titled this piece. I’m also not completely sure it’s finished!
This painting is on hold for exhibition and sale at my solo show at Agua Caliente Ranch House Gallery
12x12” on Aquabord

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My Life & Artwork - April 2018

May 2, 2018 Teressa Jackson

Well, April sure has been fun and interesting!

The saguaros are blooming and it's spectacular (photo from Saguaro National Park West)

The desert has been in full bloom and it's been pretty spectacular. The palo verde trees are trimmed with yellow flowers, the yucca are popping out big stalks of white blooms, and the cacti are bursting with all sorts of amazing petal configurations. I'm enjoying every minute of nature's celebration. While April was mostly beautiful, May is looking toasty, with the first of the year's triple-digit temperatures set to hit this weekend.

Aaron and I did several interesting things this month, including attending a Mexican street food festival, stargazing at Kitt Peak National Observatory, glass blowing at Sonoran Glass School, and chowing down at the Pima County Fair. We especially enjoyed the glass blowing experience, and will very likely return for more fun with molten materials at some point in the future.

I took a day trip to Phoenix to visit the Desert Botanical Garden, Jerry's Artarama (art supply store - $$$), and my friend Kalisha. I also trekked all the way across Tucson to Saguaro National Park East, since I hadn't been there in over a year. It takes nearly an hour to get there, and although it's certainly nice, I confirmed that I am a bigger fan of Saguaro National Park West, which is a much closer trip from my apartment (about 20 minutes). And, I couldn't resist paying a visit to the blooming corpse flower at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, one of only a handful that will bloom in captivity this year. I thought that it smelled like dirty socks.

What else... oh yes, ART! :-)

I had a really lovely month in this realm. I began April by putting the finishing touches on a special piece for my dear friend's nursery, one which contains a lot of meaning and love. So while I never in my life thought I would paint a raccoon playing a guitar surrounded by fireflies, I ended up rather enjoying the challenge and the result.

Next up, I was commissioned to paint a dog portrait by a Tucson local who discovered me on Instagram. This was a really fun project because her dog Stella is a total doll, and I met a lovely person in the process (a.k.a. Stella's mom). It was also pretty fun to see the internet pay off in terms of both art sales and people meeting. So yay for the internet!

I was then commissioned (is there a theme here?) to paint a piece for my second cousin to give as a gift to a friend. My cousin Kim lives here in Tucson, and wanted to give something special to a friend who lives in Kino Bay, Mexico. We came up with one of my "reverse mermaid" scenes set in Kino Bay, with some special touches (i.e. heart necklace, paddle board, and wine glass) to make the piece unique to her friend's life and interests.

Some of these cactus flowers are just gigantic (photo from Tucson Botanical Garden)

My mother hired me to paint a portrait of her mother in front of her parents' hardware store as a gift for my uncle's birthday, and this project was next on the agenda. This was a bit of a departure from my recent work, but harkened back to pieces I've created in the past. It was fun to do and especially heartwarming to see all the lovely memories people posted on Facebook when my mom shared the piece on there. Apparently my grandparents' hardware store was full of special memories for a lot of people who grew up in Mason, Ohio.

Last, I took a quick break from commissions (yes, I have another one in the works) to create a piece inspired by spring in Southern Arizona, featuring the blooming ocotillos. These thorny, dead-looking sticks get happy, grow leaves, and bloom a few times a year, and this month has been one of those times.

But wait - I'm not done yet! (Sorry this is a long one...)

April was almost over, but I had another fun surprise in store. Another Tucson artist, Addy Cottle, contacted me via Instagram and asked if I would be interested in showing my work with her at Epic Cafe on Tucson's historic Fourth Avenue. Of course the answer was "yes," and I spent the last few days of April framing art and preparing to display my creations.

The corpse flower at Tucson Botanical Gardens

Addy and my show will run through the end of May, and while I know that many of my blog readers won't be in a geographically feasible place to see it, I appreciate the many well wishes I have received. I'm excited to have an opportunity to show my work publicly and connect with new people in Tucson.

I can't wait to see what happens in May. Stay tuned for my next blog!

And now, this month's creations. The only one of these still available for purchase is the last piece, and it's currently only available for sale by visiting Epic Cafe. If it doesn't sell during my show, it will be back online for sale starting June 1.

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Coonie's Reprise (special gift for my friend's nursery)

Gates Pass, Tucson, Arizona: 3/27/18, 9:13:07

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My Artwork - January 2018

February 1, 2018 Teressa Jackson

I started 2018 by changing things up a bit. I produced just three paintings, but all were larger than the typical 5"x5" pieces I've been making over the past year.

The ever-popular saguaro cacti were featured in a special request painting I made, and I felt that their stature deserved to be featured in a format with more height - so 5"x7" it was. These guys met with enthusiastic approval and packed up for their new Kentucky home - I'm just hoping they survive the winter temperatures. ;-)

I've been doing some volunteer work for the Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA), and produced two paintings that were inspired by the furry friends they help there. These paintings are both 8"x8", and 20% of their sale price will be donated to HSSA. They both remain available as of the time I hit "publish" on this blog post (shop here!).

This month featured some unique challenges for a family member, and addressing those meant that I wasn't able to create as I would have otherwise. However, my flexible work and life proved to be a really great benefit at a time like this, when I was glad to be able to be where I needed to be and do what I needed to do.

I've returned to Tucson now. I'm starting a drawing class at the nearby Northwest Art Center, run by Pima County Parks & Recreation. It seems like it's going to be a great class, and the instructor has only been teaching it for 45 years (!!). He does some amazing realism work and although that's not exactly my goal, I do look forward to honing my techniques and hopefully learning to enjoy drawing more. Drawing has just never been my favorite thing, but it's also a necessary component to most of the work I produce. It's also the first drawing class I've taken in 20 years, which makes me feel a bit over-the-hill. Oh time, you're just so slippery!

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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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September 2019 Artwork