Nat and Thelma Jackson

I was commissioned to create this portrait through a grant from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art for a Black Lives Matter exhibition. I was one of 60 artists chosen, with 20 exhibiting artwork in 3 separate museum locations in the fall of 2021. My subject was Nat and Thelma Jackson because they are iconic members of the Olympia community, having spent their lives working for social justice and education. The artwork was donated to the City of Lacey in 2022 and will be installed in the Lacey Community Center, which is located on land that once belonged to the Jackson family. 

Fun facts: Nat is the "Jump Rope King" and holds jump roping records in his age category. He advocates for fitness and health in aging. Thelma is a local historian and has just published a book, "History of Blacks in Thurston County; 1950-1975." I learned so much while working with the Jacksons on this project, and I hope to inspire others to examine the history of race in their local area.