The exhibit is memorable for the loving touch of the long-time Oklahoma City resident's camera on its subjects, including vaudevillians, children in India, women, and shapes, ranging from umbrellas to Stromboli volcano.
"We took things that were already printed for which we also had the negatives," said Ellen Jonson. She is co-organizer with Randy Floyd, Randy Floyd Architects, of the exhibit.
George Oswald and Don Marcum, the Visual Arts Committee for IAO, made the final selection. The exhibit was made possible by the donations of the friends of L. Diane Jackson.
One of the most striking images is the determined endurance of "Woman Selling Beans, India." It's also a study in textures, as a flood of flat bean pods spreads from between the woman's legs, while a pile of long thin green beans is as high as her elbow. In the left foreground, a basket woven of thin branches is full of lumpy Crowder-like pea pods. The textures are further set off by the flowing texture of her sari.
Next to the bean seller image is "Woman in Bar," seen from the back, with a sleek figure in a low backed casual striped jersey dress, leaning against a stool.
Close to the entrance is "Claude," a nice image of a dapper older black man telling a story, and enjoying life as tells he engages the viewer. Further along is "Calf in Truck" -- a scared calf in the corner of an open truck, with its head down and its legs splayed.
Jackson used a soft focus for her images, especially seen in the striking "Horse in Snow" -- a dark trotting horse with white snow in its mane and white socks.
"Woman Sunbathing" is an interesting exploration of the angles of a woman's arms crossed over her eyes. The pattern of the beach towel creates a subtle background.
Jackson was born and raised in Oklahoma City, and studied anthropology at OU. She traveled to Central and South America, and, while she lived in California, got her MFA in Photography at the Parsons New School of Design in LA. "Jackson returned to Oklahoma City in the early 1990's and opened a yoga studio in Nichols Hills. After a long battle with cancer, Jackson died at home in February 2009." (From the press release.)
Each print sells for $200, and the proceeds of the sales benefit IAO.
Admission is free. IAO is open Noon – 6 pm, Tuesday-Saturday, and closed Sundays and Mondays.
