ARTIST STATMENT:
Fred Jackson has sketched the outdoor landscape since a young age with his father, an artist; “Some dads play catch with their sons, my dad took me outdoors to draw”. Fred’s interest in art and nature guided him to the design field of landscape architecture, where for 30 years he practiced as a landscape architect. Fred now pursues painting full time. Fred began oil painting the landscape about 10 years ago with a desire to explore a personal expression of nature. Fred participates in many prestigious national Pein Air Events across the country, including Wayne Plein Air PA, Gloucester Invitational Plein Air VA., Plein Air Easton MA, Door County Invitational WI, Paint Annapolis MD, The Olmsted Invitational Plein Air Atlanta GA, and may others. He does about 8 Plein Air events a year. Fred’s paintings have won numerous awards and honors. He has gallery representation at Gallery 222 in Malver, PA., Bryan Gallery, Jeffersonville and Stowe VT. The Gallery at Map River Valley Arts, Waitsfield VT, and Church Street Gallery, West Chester PA.
As a plein air painter, I am most inspired by the felt moods and patterns that the natural and cultural landscapes evoke in me. Fred’s unique landscape painting style is loose, bold, and expressive. He often paints thin washes of dark transparent colors combined with passages of opaque thick paint. The paintings have a variety of marks made from bold brush strokes and pallet knives with thick paint. The paintings are strong compositions with a representational structure and abstract painterly marks with expressive color. My painting process is not formulaic. I prefer to work intuitively and improvisational, sometimes with no predetermined result in mind. By painting this way, I hope to capture the fresh energy of the experience.
Education:
Bachelors Of Landscape Architecture B.L.A., SUNY College Of ESF, Campus Of Syracuse University, NY
Gallery Representation:
Gallery 222, Malvern Pa.
Church Street Gallery, West Chester, Pa.
Bryan Gallery, Jeffersonville and Stowe, VT
The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts, Waitsfield , VT
Juried Plein Air Events:
2024: Suffolk Plein air Festival
2024: Adirondack Plein Air Festival, NY
Award: Third Place Best In Show
2024: Vermont Plein Air, VT
2024: West Reading Plein Air, PA
Award: First Place Best In Show
2024: Gloucester Invitational Plein Air, VA.
Award: Third Place Best In Show
Award: Third Place Best Quick Draw Painting
2024: Wayne Plein Air, PA.
2024: Olmsted Invitational Plein Air
Award- Artist Choice
2023: Hudson Valley Plein Air, NY
Featured Artist and Painting Demonstration For Public
2023: Ocean City Plein Air, Maryland
Award For: 2nd Place- Best In Show
2023 Door County Plein Air, Wisconsin / Invitational Artist
2023 West Reading Plein Air, Pennsylvania / Juried Artist
Award for : “Best In Show”, “Artist Choice”, ”Peoples Choice”
2023 Gloucester Plein Air, Virgina / Invitational Artist
Award For: “ Best New Artist”
2023 Wayne Plein Air, Pennsylvania / Juried Artist
Award of Merit “Knox Covered Bridge”
2023 River Towns Plein Air / Juried Artist
Award for Best Special Category “Columbia Crossing”
2022 Hudson Valley Plein Air / Juried Artist
Award for : Second Place Best In Show
Award for: Second Place Best Quick Draw
2022 Bath County Plein Air / Juried Artist
Award for: Best In Show Peer Review
Award for: Gordon F. Ferguson Memorial Award
2022 Adirondack Plein Air / Juried Artist
2022 Easton Plein Air / Maryland / Juried Artist
Award Of Merit Quick Draw
2022 National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum: Lukens Steel Painting on exhibit
2022 West Reading Plein Air / Pa. / Juried Artist:
First Place Best In Show Painting
First Place Best Quick Draw
First Place Artist Choice, Body of Work
2022 Annapolis Plein Air / Maryland / Juried Artist:
First Place Quick Draw Painting
2022 Wayne Plein Air / Pa./ Juried Artist:
Award of Merit
2021 Hudson Valley Plein Air / New York / Juried Artist:
First Place-Best State Park Painting
2021 Tupper Lake Plein Air / N.Y. / Juried Artist
2020 Annapolis Plein Air / Mayor’s Award Community Artist: (First Place Best in Show)
2019 Wayne Community Plein Air Show / Wayne PA (Third Place in Community Show)
Gallery Shows:
2024 Faculty Show, Wayne Art Center
2024 Wild Pink Show, The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts, Waitsfield VT
2023 Heart Of The River Show, Gloucester, VA
2022 Solo Show, Gallery 222, Malvern PA