Fred Jackson
BIOGRAPHY:
Fred Jackson has been sketching landscapes outdoors since childhood with his artist father. His passion led him to a 30-year career in landscape architecture, and he now paints full time. He started oil painting a decade ago, driven by his appreciation for nature and creativity. Fred regularly participates in major national Plein Air events and is represented by several galleries, including The Square Pear Gallery (Kennett Square, PA), Bryan Gallery (Jeffersonville and Stowe, VT), The Gallery at Mad River Valley Arts (Waitsfield, VT), Church Street Gallery (West Chester, PA), and Warm Springs Gallery (VA).
Biography
Artist Bio
Fred Jackson is a painter whose work explores landscapes and urban scenes with a particular focus on the streets, buildings, and hidden alleys of small American towns. Drawing inspiration from places like West Chester, Pennsylvania, his paintings reveal the quiet geometry of everyday architecture—where light, shadow, color, and scale create unexpected moments of discovery.
Working primarily from direct observation, Jackson is less interested in literal documentation than in interpretation. He emphasizes bold color relationships, simplified forms, and expressive brushwork to convey the character and rhythm of a place. Alleys, back streets, and overlooked corners become stages for exploring structure, atmosphere, and spatial tension.
Through his paintings, Jackson invites viewers to slow down and notice the visual poetry embedded in familiar surroundings, finding beauty and complexity in spaces often passed by without a second glance.
Artist Statement
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Painting outdoors is a blast for me—I get fired up by everything from wild nature spots to bustling city scenes. I love working fast and loose, with bold colors and chasing strong shapes that capture the vibe of each place, even if things get a little abstract. Though I study my composition, I mostly just go with my gut, painting in the moment and letting every brushstroke show the excitement I feel. That fresh energy is what plein air painting is all about for me, and it’s why I’m so hooked!