Abbey Jackson
BFA in Painting/Sculpturing
ajackson@mail.bradley.edu
Biography
Abbey Jackson is a representational artist based in Peoria, Illinois, whose work centers on African American identity, presence, and everyday life. Working across painting and sculpture, she draws from real people within her community, using observation and personal reference images to create pieces that feel grounded, intimate, and honest.
Jackson is a transfer student from Illinois Central College, where she studied engineering before continuing her education in fine arts at Bradley University, pursuing a BFA in painting. Her engineering background informs her artistic practice through a strong attention to structure, proportion, and form, which is reflected in her approach to the human figure.
Her work focuses on elevating ordinary individuals through intentional composition and symbolic elements, such as crowns, that challenge traditional ideas of power, beauty, and visibility. By emphasizing posture, gesture, and expression, Jackson’s work highlights the depth and humanity within each subject, bringing attention to stories that are often overlooked.
In addition to her studio practice, Jackson is actively engaged in public art and community-based projects, including murals and exhibitions that expand access to fine art. Her work continues to redefine value and representation through a contemporary representational lens.
Artist's Statement
I am a representational artist who uses everyday people as the foundation of my work, focusing on capturing authentic moments, expressions, and presence. My practice is rooted in direct observation and in working from reference images I gather from my community, personal connections, and lived environments. These sources ground my work in real experiences, allowing each painting and sculpture to carry a sense of truth and familiarity that reflects the world I move through.
My work centers the representation of African American individuals, emphasizing visibility, dignity, and presence in spaces where they have historically been overlooked or misrepresented. I focus on the subtle details of the human form, including posture, gesture, and expression, to reveal deeper meaning beyond what is immediately seen. Through intentional composition, I carefully position my subjects, control spatial relationships, and use scale, framing, and symbolism to guide how the viewer engages with the figure. Elements such as crowns are incorporated not as decoration, but as visual assertions of power, worth, and identity.
Through this process, I elevate ordinary individuals by placing them in a space of importance and recognition. My work redefines value and visibility by challenging traditional ideas of power and beauty. Each piece stands as a statement of worth, encouraging viewers to confront their perceptions and recognize strength, resilience, and humanity in people who are often unseen.