Take a journey with artist George Jackson in his first solo exhibit My Life in Folk Art. This exhibition is a whimsical, folksy take on the artist’s upbringing and extensive travels. Primarily featuring illustrations on paper, My Life in Folk Art is an accessible and approachable avenue into the world of folk art.

Join us for the opening reception on August 9, 2025 from 1-3pm that will feature an artist talk where you will get to experience the exhibition, meet the artist, and hear about his artistic inspirations! The opening will also feature a scavenger hunt that takes you on a ‘journey’ through the exhibit where you can enter for a chance to win a DG swag bag!

Exhibit on display from August 9-30, 2025 in our Newport News Community Gallery.

About the artist: George Jackson’s Folk Art style allows him to experiment with many real and imagined experiences. Born to sharecroppers on a farm in Omaha, Georgia, Jackson’s work interpolates his rural upbringing and his extensive travels in the army & as a sales manager. In his work you will see various landscapes inspired by his travels. They include religious, transport, marine, metropolitan, rural and country subjects.

The primary purpose of his work is to inspire his viewers / followers and show the diversity of his craft. Jackson has been teaching and displaying his work as an artist since 2013.

About our “Out of the Classroom” series: Every summer, the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center hosts the “Out of the Classroom” exhibit which is exclusively comprised of works by an artist (or group of artists) who teaches. This August we are honored to feature George Jackson.