Robert C. Jackson’s Whimsical World

March 25, 2025March 27, 2025 ~ jama ~ 15 Comments

Tall stacks of Oreos, mountains of donuts and macarons, balloon dogs eating pizza and hot dogs. Not necessarily the first things that come to mind when describing still life art.

Yet for contemporary realist painter Robert C. Jackson, delectable, nostalgic and surprising subjects are often on the menu. Goodbye predictable tabletops, fruit bowls, ho-hum vases of flowers. Hello soda crates, laughing watermelons, vintage toys. Jackson has turned the still life genre on its head and is obviously having a lot of fun doing it.

*Bob Jackson in his Kennett Square studio.*

Jackson (b.1964, Kinston, NC) moved to Delaware with his family when he was about 11. He was always good at drawing, but never thought of art as a profession. Instead, he graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Electrical Engineering. In his senior year, his girlfriend (and future wife) gave him a set of oil paints for Christmas.

Not having the slightest idea what to do with them, he enrolled in an introductory art class and soon discovered how much he loved painting. Although he did consider a masters degree in painting, Electrical Engineering prevailed as the more practical choice.

Continue reading →

Gertie Young’s Magical Realism

February 25, 2025February 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 10 Comments

When I first saw UK artist Gertie Young’s “Tea with Nana,” I thought: beautiful, enchanting, lyrical, joyful.

Sometimes you stumble upon a painting and you just know. Here is something different, distinctive. You can’t stop looking at it, you feel connected to it, and somehow it feels like coming home.

*Gertie Young in her South London studio.*

Born in Nottingham, England, Young (b. 1950) has been painting since childhood. She invented comics, pretend photos, imaginary maps and dream paintings. At the age of 18, she moved to South London to study at Hornsey School of Art. She fell in love with the city and has lived there ever since, continuing to paint while working at various jobs until her retirement in 2016, when she began to paint full time.

Her art is a unique visual language based on a mixture of observation, emotional memory and imagination. She’s inspired by holiday travel, household objects, walking and gardening.

Continue reading →

nine cool blue things on a special tuesday

November 5, 2024August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 6 Comments

1. Happy November and Happy Election Day! We’re going full-tilt 💙BLUE💙 for maximum good luck in today’s critical race. First, behold several blue beauties from Vermont artist-author-illustrator Ashley Wolff’s A Year of Birds Challenge.

Each day in 2022, Ashley painted a different bird, an awesome opportunity for her to study one of the most varied and fascinating groups of animals on earth. Love seeing so many new-to-me species rendered in luscious, vibrant gouache.

Each 5″ x 7″ signed painting is a OOAK original, and Ashley is donating 20% of the proceeds to wildlife conservation. Why not treat yourself or a special someone to one of these gorgeous pieces? 🙂

To see many more birds (of various plumage colors), visit Ashley Wolff’s Etsy Shop. For info about her children’s books, workshops, and other projects, visit her Official Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Continue reading →

karen fields: of color, canines, and coastlines

May 28, 2024May 27, 2024 ~ jama ~ 4 Comments

Ruff ruff! The sun’s out and the water’s fine. Let’s dip into some of Karen Fields’s happy-making paintings.

Based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, Karen’s been interested in art since childhood. When she was little, she’d watch her dad at his drafting table in his attic studio. When he wasn’t looking, she’d use his shape templates to create drawings of her own.