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also has a master’s degree in
fine arts from the University of
Illinois.
Some of his works will include
a plaque bearing a narrative of
his thoughts at the time a piece
was done. That, he said, is not
so much because he believes the
piece won’t be understood as
much as it is that he wants no
question of his purpose.
“What’s important to me is that
people realize the truth. If they
are unable to look deeper into
the work that worries me. If they
can’t see my message they prob-
ably shouldn’t look at my work,”
he said.
Jackson said when he teaches
art he worries less about his stu-
dents’ technique than their style
and ability to express themselves.
“I teach my students how to
express their feelings through
their art. Consequently as I teach
I am also learning. As long as I
can keep that balance I will keep
doing it,” he said.
Sharing, he added, is a key to
living. “Success to me is having
happiness for a period of time.
There are periods of happiness
in life and that is when I feel I
am living successfully. But there
are also times of unhappiness.
Everything changes places over
time. That’s why I believe life is
about sharing.
“My art has allowed me to
share and survive.”
Indeed he has been com-
missioned to do many works
through the years, often to do
pieces about historical subjects,
including a memorial for the 1908
Race Riot in Springfield, a sculp-
ture honoring Abraham Lincoln
and African American soldiers
for Decatur, a sculpture of Irv
Kupcinet at Wacker and Wabash
in Chicago; and the stainless steel
and bronze high relief about the
Underground Railroad installed
outside the Peoria Civic Center.
His favorites, however, are his
personal works. They represent
his ideas, his innermost feelings.
His ideas for his art, Jackson said,
“come from my fascination with
life.
I’m interested in the whole idea
of life. I am a devoted evolution-
ist, even though spirituality is
really the least of my concerns.”
“Right now my favorite is this
whale,” he said as he prepared to
add more pipe to the sculpture to
fill in some holes.
The whale can be transported
in three sections and when
completed Jackson wants to take
it to different places for display,
including downtown Peoria. He
has been working on the whale
for a year and a half and expects
it will be finished by late sum-
mer.
“I love this whale. You know,
a lot of artists won’t touch the
kinds of subjects I do, which is
fine. But I don’t have to do safe
and comfortable,” he said. “That
wouldn’t be me.”
A Preston Jackson metal sculpture
that can be seen outside the River-
Plex in downtown Peoria.