OWNER , JACKSON FINE ART JACKSONFINEART . COM
In February , Jackson Fine Art kicked off 2020 with a special exhibition of female artists , curated by myself and original owner Jane Jackson , that celebrated 30 years of business at 3115 East Shadowlawn in Buckhead . That same month , I turned 50 and surprised my guests at the birthday party with a wedding . It was a new year for the gallery and a new beginning for my family . Two weeks later , the world shifted and Covid hit . Schools closed , the gallery closed — the world was facing an unprecedented time of uncertainty and all seemed to be closing in . We all shifted quickly with everyone else ... children at home and staff working remotely , connecting daily . Luckily , we have a number of employees already working in 3 different states , and adapted quickly to collaborating at a distance , by phone and on Slack .
One of our artists , Sheila Pree Bright , created an artwork in honor of Atlanta ’ s missing children 40 years ago , titled The Rebirth of Us , an exquisite photograph with a blue tinted portrait and 30 bright yellow sunflowers crowning the subject ’ s face as a memorial to those families that lost their loved ones . This poignant statement , “ the rebirth of us ” has become a personal mantra for me in moving forward at the gallery . We have to Re-Birth our way of thinking and we need all of US to do that . This is how I began to look forward to the next 6 months , to focus on an outlook of hope , empathy , encouragement , support , connection and love in all parts of life . In the spirit of encouragement , we sent out an email to all of our artists to let them know that we were in this together . To connect , we sent our collectors a campaign titled “ In Photography There is Light ” to inspire and encourage positivity through photography and the captured image . With hope , we provided a safe environment for the staff to return , wearing masks and distancing . At first it seemed scary , but we have no choice , we had to keep everyone in our lives safe . We launched a campaign to support our artists financially as well as Grady ’ s frontline workers and exceeded our goal , placing over thirty prints to benefit their photographers and the medical workers sacrificing their time and health to heal and care for others . This past August , we opened a show with the powerful voice of James Baldwin and the brilliant photography of
Steve Schapiro , exhibiting civil rights photographs from The Fire Next Time to acknowledge a time of turbulence in the past . Contemporary Atlanta photographer Shelia Pree Bright ’ s # 1960Now , hanging in the adjacent gallery , draws undeniable parallels between the civil unrest of Baldwin and Schapiro ’ s time and the social justice movements of this summer . The visitors from this exhibition came from all walks of life and it was inspiring to contemplate this unique time and educate ourselves on what is happening today and now .
As we move now into November , I do have hope for the future . I have hope because I have seen the “ Rebirth of Us ,” and I have seen how art can make a true difference in the lives of others .
It is the artists that create , the collectors that support , and the enthusiasts that love the art that make me endlessly grateful to be able to live and work in a community that continues to inspire , even in times of challenge and transformation .