My Life & Artwork - February & March 2021

April 18, 2021 Teressa Jackson

My painting among the works displayed at the Phoenix Airport Museum

I started out February with a fun day of celebrating my friend Kalisha’s 40th birthday. We indulged in a truly “wild west” activity of horseback riding in the desert at Saguaro Lake Ranch and then had a little “far east” sushi lunch. The weather was perfect and the company was pretty sweet, too!

I got some great news early in the month, learning I had been selected to exhibit in the 21st Artlink Phoenix Juried Exhibition. The show includes 85 inspired works from over 725 that were submitted for consideration. My painting Quarantine Queen is enjoying her stay at FOUND:RE Contemporary (a dream venue for any artist!). The exhibition opened to the public on February 20 and runs through July 11, 2021.

I finally made it to Sky Harbor Airport on March 20 to see my painting Midcentury Magnate on display at the Phoenix Airport Museum. I was pretty excited to see it in such an incredible venue, but even more excited for the reason that brought me to the place – being able to finally welcome a visit from my mother after fourteen months apart.

Mom and I had a wonderful time around the Phoenix area. We visited Bartlett Lake, Phoenix Mountain Preserve, and Boyce Thompson Arboretum; went to FOUND:RE to see the exhibition; and even did a little rock hounding out in Tonopah. I think we both enjoyed every minute of it!

Aaron and I spent most every Saturday and Sunday of February and March out rockhounding in the desert, knowing that the desert will soon heat up to inhospitable levels for several months. We searched for (and found) fire agates, banded agates, Payson “diamonds” (double-terminated quartz crystals), Apache tears, beautiful colors of jasper and chert, and fossils.

I put many of those finds to good use, embarking upon a rock garden installation in the backyard. I am still working to complete the display, but so far I think it’s a fun way to enjoy our treasures and enhance our abode. I also added a little raised bed garden which has provided us with kale, spinach, arugula, and tomatoes.

I created some larger artworks during February and March, and the overarching theme seemed to be portraits - portraits of cacti, canines, and a couple of winged creatures. I enjoyed indulging my penchant for details in many of these pieces. It seems no matter how much I tell myself I will “keep it simple,” it’s just really hard for me to do so. Regardless, I think I stretched my artistic muscles a bit on these pieces and tried some new approaches. Check them out at the bottom of this blog post!

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Transmission 24x18”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Paper Juried into Portland on the Park Exhibition through late-August 2021. — *Transmission*
24x18”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Paper
Juried into Portland on the Park Exhibition through late-August 2021.

Commodity Corridor 24x18”, Watercolor and genuine copper leaf on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — Commodity Corridor
24x18”, Watercolor and genuine copper leaf on 140 lb. Arches Hot Pressed Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

I've Got My Eye on You 10x8”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — I've Got My Eye on You
10x8”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Relativity 10x8”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — Relativity
10x8”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

Anticipation 12x16”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — Anticipation
12x16”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - December 2018

January 21, 2019 Teressa Jackson

Me at the reception for “Tesoros Pequeños”

I opened the month of December by attending the reception of “Tesoros Pequeños,” an art show I was accepted into at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery in Tucson. Because the theme was small and precious works of art, I made some “icons” featuring desert rarities, complete with copper halos. I wasn’t completely sure how successfully I thought that they turned out, but it was an attempt at something different, which I need to push myself to do more often. I ended up selling one of the pieces and I hope its new owner loves it - it was definitely my favorite of the three. The other two are now up for sale in my online shop.

I changed up my style and technique for some other pieces I created in December, too (specifically, “Sunset over Sombrero Peak” and “Sibling Rivalry”). I feel like I’m in a bit of a “searching” stage, trying to figure out what direction I would like my art to go next. I have a tendency to default to realism, and need to push myself to explore other approaches. I also feel I want to explore some different subject matter and color schemes.

My nephew posing on Christmas morning with the portrait of him I painted

Towards the end of the month, we had a holiday potluck for my art class. Larry Wollam, my drawing and painting instructor throughout 2018, hosts this event annually. It was a lot of fun to see people from my drawing class who I hadn’t seen since transitioning to Larry’s painting class. I’m missing Larry already as our classes are currently on hiatus until approximately March due to an impending surgery he was facing. I hope all goes well and he is on the mend quickly. He certainly taught me so much in 2018 and was a big part of making the year a success for me artistically. What luck that the classes were right around the corner from where we live.

I created some commissioned pieces for the holidays for my friend Heather, and I also created some pieces to give to my family for Christmas. These types of projects are especially difficult because of the expectations that come along with them, but they are also a good opportunity to challenge myself and be a part of someone’s special moment. I hope everyone loves their creations for years to come.

I also did some hiking in December, enjoying the beautiful, mostly mid-60’s weather in Tucson. This is definitely the time of year to live in the desert. I hiked the Finger Rock Trail on Christmas Day. It was a gorgeous way to spend the holiday and made me feel less lonely since Aaron ended up having to go to Mexicali for work. A couple of days later, I spent some time hiking along the international border at Ramsey Canyon Preserve and Coronado National Memorial with my new friend Ursula, who is also an artist and nature lover.

My friend Kalisha came down to visit from Tempe for New Year’s Eve, and we had a wonderful time catching up while painting pottery. Our pieces both turned out really fun, and it was so nice to see her. It had been far too long.

I’m looking forward to seeing where 2019 takes me and my art. As gorgeous as it is here, I’m definitely itching for some different scenery to help inspire and expand my artistic horizons. Happy New Year to you, wherever you are and whatever it holds for you. Make it great!

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“Sunset over Sombrero Peak” For sale as of this blog posting 5x7” — “Sunset over Sombrero Peak”
For sale as of this blog posting
5x7”

“Painted Desert²” On exhibit at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery until February 23, 2019 14x11” — “Painted Desert²”
On exhibit at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery until February 23, 2019
14x11”

“The Source 1” Gifted to my mother 10x8” — “The Source 1”
Gifted to my mother
10x8”

“The Source 2” Gifted to my sister’s family 10x8” — “The Source 2”
Gifted to my sister’s family
10x8”

“Sibling Rivalry” For sale as of this blog posting 5x7” — “Sibling Rivalry”
For sale as of this blog posting
5x7”

“Baby Blue” SOLD (commission) 5x7” — “Baby Blue”
SOLD (commission)
5x7”

“Warm Fuzzies” SOLD (commission) 5x7” — “Warm Fuzzies”
SOLD (commission)
5x7”

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My Life & Artwork - October & November 2018

November 28, 2018 Teressa Jackson

I’ve had a fun-filled couple of months. Time for an update!

In early October, Aaron and I took a trip up to the White Mountains in northern Arizona. We stayed in Show Low and ventured up to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, one of my favorite places in the state. On our final day there, we awoke to SNOW! I thought I’d left all that behind in Kentuckiana, but higher elevations in the mountains help create that white stuff here, too. The drive to and from Show Low was just gorgeous, winding through mountains, cactus forests, ponderosa pines, and the Salt River Canyon, which reminded me of a miniature Grand Canyon. I think that the drive from Tucson to Holbrook might just be one of the prettiest and most diverse stretches of scenery you could find almost anywhere.

We continued to get unseasonable rain in October, which made for some beautiful sunsets and a couple of spectacular rainbows. The temperatures dropped significantly at the beginning of October and it was apparent that summer was ending. We definitely began to remember why we chose to live in Tucson!

With the holiday season approaching, I created an opportunity to buy t-shirts, mugs, bags, clocks, notebooks, and other items featuring my artwork on Redbubble. I receive a portion of the sales and you get cool, unique, useable, giftable stuff! I loaded several images of my artwork to the site, but if you have an interest in me making other designs available, please feel free to contact me.

Also related to the holidays, I began working on some commissions that will be given as Christmas gifts. These are always more work than the art I create on my own, but it is also really fun and rewarding to see someone else’s vision take shape and to think about how much it will be enjoyed by the recipient.

I entered three of my paintings in a fundraiser/art show for a local non-profit, The Drawing Studio. The show, entitled “Small Wonders,” featured works that were all 12” in size or smaller. When we arrived at the opening reception, my work was nowhere to be found. I was confused, and for a moment I thought that my art had been deemed unworthy. It turned out that, unlike most art shows, purchases could be taken immediately and mine had already been sold. That was a fun boost!

I had a few other art successes in November. I created two of new lines of blank notecards (Sonoranscapes & Tour of Tucson), which are available on my website (please note that everything on my site is currently 20% off when you use the code HOLIDAY at checkout!). These new cards are also available in Tucson at a lovely shop called Creative Tribe in the La Encantada Mall. Additionally, I entered three paintings in a juried art show entitled “Tesoros Pequeños” (Little Treasures) at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in downtown Tucson. The exhibition will open this Saturday, December 1, with a reception from 6-9 p.m. If you’re in Tucson, come on down!

I took a quick trip several hours north to Monument Valley in early November. It was a bit chilly, but the landscape was beautiful and I enjoyed getting away to some different scenery. During my trip there, I also visited Valley of the Gods, Bears Ears National Monument, and Mexican Hat in Utah. Gorgeous places!

We closed down November with a Thanksgiving visit from Aaron’s dad. It was a lovely visit and he certainly enjoyed the break from the Kentucky chill. We ventured around Tucson and took a trip up to Mt. Lemmon Sky Center, the University of Arizona’s observatory, where we nearly froze (9000+ feet above sea level = C.O.L.D.) and saw lots of interesting star formations and planets. Such a neat experience.

And now, the roundup of what I created, some of which is still available for purchase (and don’t forget - everything on my site is currently 20% off when you use the code HOLIDAY at checkout!

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Las Novias de Pez My gift to the happy couple — Las Novias de Pez
My gift to the happy couple

Ku's Escape For sale as of this blog posting — Ku's Escape
For sale as of this blog posting

Volcán Verde de Luz SOLD — Volcán Verde de Luz
SOLD

Cactus Army of One SOLD — Cactus Army of One
SOLD

Great Basin National Park, Nevada: 5/3/17, 10:45:29 For sale as of this blog posting — Great Basin National Park, Nevada: 5/3/17, 10:45:29
For sale as of this blog posting

Monument Valley, Arizona: 11/7/18, 7:54:55 SOLD — Monument Valley, Arizona: 11/7/18, 7:54:55
SOLD

Monument Valley, Arizona: 11/6/18, 14:56:23 SOLD — Monument Valley, Arizona: 11/6/18, 14:56:23
SOLD

West Mitten Watcher For sale as of this blog posting — West Mitten Watcher
For sale as of this blog posting

Sonoricons: Mexican Gray Wolf Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop during the month of December 2018 — Sonoricons: Mexican Gray Wolf
Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop during the month of December 2018

Sonoricons: Crested Saguaro Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop during the month of December 2018 — Sonoricons: Crested Saguaro
Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop during the month of December 2018

Sonoricons: Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop during the month of December 2018 — Sonoricons: Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope
Available for purchase at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop during the month of December 2018

Painted Desert² Available for sale as of the date of this blog posting - will be added to my shop on 12/1/18 — Painted Desert²
Available for sale as of the date of this blog posting - will be added to my shop on 12/1/18

Vivi Nymph 1 (8x10”) SOLD (Commission) — Vivi Nymph 1 (8x10”)
SOLD (Commission)

Vivi Nymph 2 (5x7”) SOLD (Commission) — Vivi Nymph 2 (5x7”)
SOLD (Commission)

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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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