GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Visiting Artist Lecture Series, sponsored by 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, will welcome Sculptor Preston Jackson to campus on March 25.
Jackson, who is the artist creating the Miles Davis Memorial Statue coming to downtown Alton, will present at noon in the Hatheway Cultural Center Gallery.
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“The Art Department is especially pleased to have Preston on campus for a presentation of his work,” said Art Coordinator Chris Brennan. “He has impressive credentials and will undoubtedly provide a highly informative talk, and in particular, it will be fascinating to hear about his experience with planning and creating public art.”
Jackson’s training is in the field of metal fabrication, both steel and foundry cast metals, as well as in painting, according to his website, www.prestonjacksonart.com. The materials used most often in his pieces are cast bronze, steel and stainless steel.
His work tends to be narrative in nature, with emphasis on relating the details and personalities of our past. Jackson's work deals with his concerns about social interaction between various groups of people and is geared toward the betterment of society.
The intent of Preston’s work is to cause the viewer to see things they may not have considered before, or perhaps to examine them from a different, more universal perspective, according to his biography. Even if the audience does not see things from his viewpoint, Jackson hopes to trigger some recognition of his intention, and allow viewers to address it on their own terms.
“In music, chords and scales connect and relate naturally,” Jackson said. “This also applies to the visual arts in the form of line, value, space, etc. These are the elements of creativity. It is the skill of the artist to select informative and interesting combinations.”
The Decatur, Illinois native has been awarded two Regional Emmys and was chosen as a 1998 Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, the highest honor given to individuals in the state. He is also a professor emeritus of sculpture at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, and owner of The Side View Gallery, home of the Contemporary Art Center in Peoria, Illinois. His work can be seen prominently across the state.
Jackson’s presentation will give an overview of his work, both sculptures and paintings, and will include photos of the Miles Davis statue in progress, as well as the Cahokia Mounds cast bronze doors.
For more information about the series and other upcoming artists, visit www.lc.edu/visitingartists.
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