THE ARTIST’S JOURNEY
“I’m going to be an artist.”
I’m not sure if my parents saw that coming when finding this early figure drawing.
Mesmerization with light and the desire to create art are two intense memories that stand out to this day while so much else has faded away.
My artistic intention lingered throughout my growing years, and art class was always my favorite activity in school. I was also keenly intrigued with animals, both domestic pets and wildlife. This interest found its way into much of the work I produced as a child and even to this day.
As a college student, I chose art as my major with a concentration in painting. I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama. While there, I received an Excellence in Studio Art award for painting in my senior year and was selected for inclusion in the Honors Art show.
In the years directly after graduation, I displayed my work in a number of shows in Biloxi, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, and Birmingham, Alabama, including a two-woman art show with my sister Teresa Campbell at the Birmingham Downtown Library called MomArt. Interestingly, although I feared the topic of motherhood might be viewed as too cute and sweet to be considered serious art, we ended up being censored for pieces depicting breastfeeding, which made local and national news. The censored pieces were eventually returned to the show following a public protest.
Rehanging censored art - July, 1991
The Precedent - Acrylic on Canvas - by Jean Campbell
Me Me Mom - Terra Cotta - by Teresa Campbell
My adult life took many turns while I raised two daughters as a single mother. Moving through various career shifts, I always kept a toe in the arts.
Other interests have made their way onto my radar and thus to my canvases: permaculture as a gardening method, sustainable living, and the interconnection of all life. I attempt to capture moments where the light hits an object in a captivating way or a hidden beauty in some often maligned creature is revealed. I am moved when something ordinary feels extraordinary. It is then that I feel deeply a connection to everything and believe that humans are here to steward this planet, not mine it.
Now, sixty years after my initial creative intention began, I have retired from my 9-5, but it feels like I have finally shown up for work.
Photo by Mac Logue