Kay Jackson is an artist whose work depicts endangered species, environmental concerns, and other modern subjects, using techniques from the Old Masters and ancient peoples. She explores how art has always been used in attempts to understand the mysteries and beauty of nature. Her Endangered Species series uses an ancient Egyptian gilding technique in which a wooden panel is covered with layers of gesso (chalk and animal hyde glue), which are molded to form a relief through the pastiglia technique. This gessoed wood is then painted with bole (clay mixed with glue), coated with gold leaf, and, finally, burnished with agate to create a reflective surface. Parts of the reflective surface are removed to reveal the paint below, a technique called sgraffito. Jackson uses her art to demonstrate how critical animals are to human survival, reminding us that some of the oldest known artworks are early depictions of animals. In this piece, her use of ancient techniques to depict the modern environmental crisis of endangerment reminds us of the lengthy history of art-making and the natural world in relation to well-being.

Tori Erisman ‘22

For More Information about Kay Jackson, See Below:

https://www.kayjacksonart.com/