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GLASS ART |
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Limited Edition Art |
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Historical Connections |
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Additional Glass Art |
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Artists Profiles |
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Artists Profiles |
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Mike Jackson:
I graduated with honors from Central State University with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in Painting. While attending college in Edmond, OK, I began Jackson Signs in 1973 in Moore, OK. In 1986, after learning most of the traditional signmaking skills, Darla and I closed Jackson Signs in Moore and traveled around the country. After a 38 state, 2300 mile US tour, we ended up in Jackson Hole, WY.
You can see me here, posing for the butcher in the Jackson Hole Meat Market and Square Deal Grocery. Even with a huge library and morgue, it is occasionally necessary to develop images, as seen here.
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Darla Jackson:
Darla graduated at the top of the class at Detroit Lakes Vo-Tech in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota in 1982. She worked at several sign shops before joining the team at Jackson Signs in 1985. In 1986, we pulled up stakes in Oklahoma and headed for the mountains. Darla is extremely creative and great with a brush. Working on these tight little layouts is right up her alley. Darla also operates Golden Era Graphics—a toned down version of our old sign shop. |
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Jackson Signs & Golden Era Studios:
Jackson Signs had developed a strong national reputation while still in Moore, Okla. (a suburb of Oklahoma City). We enhanced the national exposure even more with numerous National Design Awards since moving to Jackson Hole. Our work has been featured in numerous magazines and books. I have been writing feature articles for several of the industry trade magazines for close to 20 years. Our dimensional wooden signs changed the face of Jackson Hole over a ten year period. In 1995, we sold Jackson Signs to start Golden Era Studios.
Education has been an ongoing process over the 30 plus years. We've attended countless seminars, meetings, and events—often as one of the instructors. Early on, we began collecting early sign painting books and literature. Currently, our library is one of the finest in the nation with well over 1000 books of reference. My interest in the Old West and early American history has surfaced again in the new projects. We spend many hours at the local historical society gleaning historical information and the lingo of the day. We work as much as we can into the reverse glass pieces. Most of the copy in each piece comes directly from an early newspaper ad. We originate the design true to the art style, letter forms, and colors of the day.
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It may be slightly incorrect to call the processes we use as “lost art”, but they are definitely not mainstream.
We start with new pieces of glass and begin by etching into the back with either a sand etching, glue-chipping, or acid etch process. Combinations of 10k-23k gold leaf, silver leaf, copper leaf and various kinds of abalone or mother-of-pearl can be added for the perfect effects. Screen printed and hand painted elements add to the finished effects.
To get an idea of the time and research that goes into one of these pieces, click here!
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