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 - August 2020

September 3, 2020 Teressa Jackson

And just like that - August is here!

As I mentioned last month, it’s been hot, hot, hot here in the Valley of the Sun. Honestly, though, I hadn’t realized just how hot it had been until I saw that we had hit 50 days of 110 degrees or above this year, obliterating the previous record of 33 days in 2011. Thank you, Willis Carrier, for the gift of cool indoor air!

We did finally get a monsoon storm this month, and it was pretty epic, with 60 mile per hour winds that nearly took out the large ash tree in my backyard and caused a couple of cactus casualties in my front yard. Cleanup was a bear.

Much like July, August was low-key due to heat and quarantine life. Lola and I enjoyed our early morning walks, and Aaron and I spent the month visiting a lake a weekend. We have now visited Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Bartlett Lake, all of which are about an hour’s drive from our house. While I enjoyed them all in different ways, the gorgeous scenery at Bartlett Lake made it my favorite and I have officially given it the Best Lake Award.

I got a haircut for the first time since February, and sadly, that now seems like big news. I figured since it had been six months I should get at least that many inches cut off, and chop, chop, chop, I felt like a new woman.

The prickly scene at Usery Mountain Regional Park

The high temperature FINALLY dipped below 100 degrees and I went to Usery Mountain Regional Park for a little hike on the last day of August. It was still pretty warm, but nice to get out in the desert and see how my prickly friends were doing.

As for art, I had two paintings accepted into an upcoming online juried exhibition hosted by Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson. The show is entitled “Corozones Unidos” (Hearts United) and will run from Sept. 12 to Oct. 24 at raicestaller222.com. One of those paintings, Quarantine Queen, was reviewed by the Tucson Weekly and will be featured on the September 3, 2020, issue cover! I’m so grateful to the Tucson Weekly for the coverage and to Raices Taller for their continued hard work to represent local and regional artists. I’ve had the great fortune to show my work with them several times over the past couple of years.

I created five paintings this month, continuing to focus on desert creatures and my neighborhood surroundings. I’ve decided to include more of a description of each painting alongside each piece in this month’s blog, so please check them out below and learn more about the thought behind them. All of this month’s paintings remain for sale as of this blog posting.

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About this painting:

I spent some time this month admiring and learning about hummingbirds, and one of the fascinating things I discovered is that they require spiderwebs to build their nests. These cute little thieves would find their nests coming unglued and their precious TicTac-sized cargo tumbling to the ground if it wasn’t for the hard work of the arachnids around them.

As I put this scene together, I thought about how many ways that we are all networked - from the hummingbirds’ reliance on the spiderweb to the spiderweb itself to the tree roots and the antennae on the mountain in the distance, there’s a lot of give and take to this world. May we always remember that our actions always have impact beyond ourselves!

Network 10x16”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — Network
10x16”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

About this painting:

I recently discovered that a type of parrot, the rosy-faced lovebird, also known as the rosy-collared or peach-faced lovebird, lives in my neighborhood. I first spotted them at a bird feeder about a block from my house. Now that I’m tuned into them, I have seen them in trees and amongst the blooming Mexican sunflowers. I even counted 19 of them one recent morning!

These critters are native to southwestern Africa but flourish in the Phoenix climate. A sizable number of them apparently live wild in the city and surrounding area. Of course I had to pay tribute to these sweet little creatures in a painting, and dreamed up this scene located in the fictitious locale of “Love Street, Parrotzona.”

Love Street, Parrotzona 10x8”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Love Street, Parrotzona*
10x8”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

About this painting:

I have a pair of hummingbirds who camp out in the large ash tree in my backyard. They’re such amazing creatures, many of whom make huge migratory journeys. I couldn’t help but envision all that they must see along the way and how those sights have changed over the years, becoming more and more developed.

My tree (which is likely over 70 years old) took a beating in the monsoon storm we had during August and around a third of it either crashed to the ground or had to be removed, but thankfully these wee winged ones made it through just fine. They continue to party out there, getting drunk on sugar water and enjoying their redecorated space.

Mile Marker 2,265 8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Mile Marker 2,265*
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

About this painting:

The rosy-faced lovebird, a type of parrot that is native to Africa, thrives in my Phoenix neighborhood. It’s thought that these brightly-colored birds found their way into the wild here as escaped pets. Ironically enough, they love the Mexican sunflowers that grow in abundance here; these same flowers were exported to Africa as an ornamental plant and fertilizer and are now found in abundance in many locales there. It’s a small world after all.

The Immigrant 5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *The Immigrant*
5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

About this painting:

In April 2019, I said “hasta luego” to Tucson and moved up I-10 to the Phoenix metro. I knew I would miss the wildlife outside my door, stunning views, nice people, and amazing culinary scene. Apparently, the javelina decided they were going to miss the culinary scene of my porch and on my last evening in town they had a little adios fiesta and chowed down on my potted plants. This fun and “totally Tucson” memory inspired this painting, entitled Sonoran Salad Bar. I know that salad bars are a big no-no during this whole COVID situation, but I don’t think the javelina care about social distancing, hand washing, or much else other than filling their bellies.

Sonoran Salad Bar 5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase. — *Sonoran Salad Bar*
5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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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 - 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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