Jerry Jackson - Meet the Artist

The context of the assemblages is rooted in the historical preservation of my childhood memories and youth in the rural South. The works often mimic events in my life and relationships between family and friends. Although I have moved beyond this rural lifestyle, I find it important to capture the elements that are quickly eroding from our society. We have become a fast paced society with totally disposable elements that seem to control our lives with a negative effect. I find it especially important to capture these elements for my daughter. It is important for her to understand her family history and the importance of the events that helped shape her life.

Recent work has moved beyond the use of actual family members and is currently being based on photographs and writings of people who I do not know. Stories about the unknown subjects are strictly fictional and are influenced by my life and family. This has enabled me to expand concepts and aesthetic challenges. The context is important, but only for myself. I do not feel that it is necessary for the viewer to experience my emotions . My main concern for the viewer is that they experience an aesthetically pleasing and compositionally successful image. It is up to the viewer to make up his or her own story about each work.

Many of the works also include influences from travels to Estonia, Finland and Russia. During my travels I discovered many similarities between the people in these countries and those from my past. I am immensely intrigued by the simplicity of the lifestyles of the people of these countries. Their sense of pride, heritage and respect for others is overwhelming. These are the same elements that I hope to portray in my work.

Most all the works are constructed with found objects. Antique stores, thrift shops, and long forgotten attics provide most of the materials. This always provides a challenge to connect the found objects with the subject matter.

EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. 1996
Exchange Student, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia. Spring, 1995
Bachelor of Fine Arts, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 1983
Associate of Arts, Wingate University, Wingate, NC 1980

JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2001
28th Annual Competition for North Carolina Artists, Fayetteville Museum of Art, Fayetteville, NC (Best in Show)
National Juried Fine Art Exhibition, Goldsboro Arts Council, Goldsboro, NC (Best in Show)

2000
National Juried Fine Art Exhibition, Goldsboro Arts Council, Goldsboro, NC (second place)
Raleigh Fine Arts Society Juried Exhibition, Meredith College, Raleigh, NC
Raleigh Artists Association Juried Exhibition, City Art Gallery, Raleigh, NC
Waterworks Juried Exhibition, Waterworks Gallery, Salisbury, NC (Best in Show)

1999
Second Biennial Juried Art Exhibition, Arts Council of Wilson, NC (six exhibitors)
Southport Associated Artists 19th Annual Art Exhibition, Southport, NC (Best in Show)
National Juried Fine Art Exhibition, Goldsboro Arts Council, Goldsboro, NC (third place)

1998
Southport Artists Association Annual Art Exhibition, Southport, NC (3-D merit award)
Border Biennial, Museum of York County, Rock Hill, SC (purchase award)
Farmville Council of the Arts Fine Arts Show, Farmville Council of the Arts, Farmville, NC - (Best in Show)
Annual National Juried Exhibition, Goldsboro Arts Council, Goldsboro, NC
Pitt County Arts Council Juried Show, Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC (merit award)
Wilson Active Artists Association 33rd Annual Art Show, Wilson Arts Council, Wilson, NC (second and honorable mention awards)

1997
Farmville Council of the Arts Fine Arts Show, Farmville Council of the Arts, Farmville, NC - (Best in Show)
Wilson Active Artists Association 32nd Annual Art Show, Wilson Arts Council, Wilson, NC

1995
31st Annual Fine Art Show, Beaufort County Arts Council, Washington, NC (second /3-D)
37th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC (second and honorable mention /3-D)

1994
1st Annual Area Artists Show, Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC (honorable mention)
Onslow County Council for the Arts Juried Exhibition, Jacksonville, NC (Best in Show)
36th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC second/3-D and third/graphics)

1993
35th Springs Art Show, Lancaster, SC
Wilson Active Artists Association 28th Annual Art Show, Wilson Arts Council, Wilson, NC (first/3-D)
29th Annual Fine Art Show, Beaufort County Arts Council, Washington, NC (honorable mention and purchase award)
35th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC (Best in Show)
Pitt County Arts Council Juried Show, Ayden, NC (first and third/ 3-D)

SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2001
East Carolina University Alumni/Student Ceramic Exhibition, NCECA Conference, Jodi Lassiter Gallery, Charlotte, North Carolina

2000
Jerry Jackson: Assemblages, Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC
Jerry Jackson: New Works, Permanent Grin Gallery, Raleigh, NC

1998
Permanent Collection Gallery, Community Council for the Arts, Kinston, NC
Remember Now, Cruz Gallery, Tarboro, NC
Inaugural Exhibition, Painting & Sculpture, Cruz Gallery, Tarboro, NC

1997
Jerry Jackson/New Works, Farmville Council of the Arts, Farmville, NC
Observations: Below the Surface/Works by Jerry Jackson and Richard Mercer, Arts Council of Wilson, Wilson, NC
Allegory: Jackson, Mann and Tillander, Visual Arts Center, TCC at Olde Towne, Portsmouth, Virginia

1996
Mudfling '96, Wingate University, Wingate, NC
Charles Chamberlain and Jerry Jackson: Recent Sculpture & Other Works, Rocky Mount Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC

1995
Jarventaustan Taidenayttely, Loppi, Finland Silent Whispers, Ruttilli Gallery, Tartu, Estonia
Jerry Jackson, Ben Owen, Joe Winter, Community Council for the Arts, Kinston, NC
Edge II, Mississippi State University, Jackson, Mississippi

1994
Sammas Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia

JUROR OF EXHIBITIONS
Jacksonville Art Council's Artists League's Juried Exhibition. Jacksonville, NC, 2001 (regional)
The Schwa Show, Inaugural Exhibition for Emerge Gallery. Greenville, NC, 2001 (regional)
Roanoke Rapids Arts Council Annual Juried Exhibition. Roanoke Rapids, NC 2000 (local)
National Juried Art Exhibition, Community Council for the Arts. Kinston, NC, 1999 (national)
Juried Art Exhibition, Farmville Community Council for the Arts. Farmville, NC, 1999 (local)
Snowhill Artists Association Annual Juried Exhibition. Snowhill , NC, 1999 (local)
Jacksonville Art Council Spring Juried Exhibition. Jacksonville, NC, 1998 (local)

TRAVEL
1995 Finland, Estonia (five months)
1994 Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Russia (five months)

EMPLOYMENT
Cultural Arts Administrator, Rocky Mount Arts Center. Rocky Mount, NC