Darla Jackson (b. 1981) is a sculptor living in Philadelphia. She received a BFA in Sculpture from Moore College of Art in 2003, and after receiving a John S. and James L. Knight Arts Challenge Grant in both 2011 and 2013, founded the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym, a membership based community sculpture studio.
Her work has been shown in numerous exhibitions locally, including galleries and museums such as the Philadelphia Art Alliance, Seraphin Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Woodmere Art Museum, and a Wind Challenge exhibition at the Fleisher Art Memorial, and across the country at museums and galleries such as the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City, California, and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, Delaware. She has shown internationally in Belgium and Germany and has lectured about her work at venues including The Barnes Foundation.
Jackson currently teaches Foundry and Moldmaking at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA and various workshops throughout the country.
Darla can be reached by email at darlajacksonsculpture@gmail.com
ARTIST STATEMENT
My sculpture is an exploration of human emotions. In order to express these ideas, I use feelings that are turned into recognizable visual objects, or symbols, and combine them with other elements to create a duality. Through the anthropomorphism of animals, use of strong body language and symbolism, I can convey these emotions and ideas in a way that is more approachable for viewers. The end result is familiarity with an oddness that makes it compelling.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Sacred with Paul Romano, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2023
This will hurt me more than it hurts you, The Delaplaine, Frederick, MD 2023
Staring at the Sun, Talon Gallery, Portland, OR 2022
Enter the 36 Chambers, Antler Gallery, Portland, OR 2021
Guarantee of nothing…, Antler Gallery, Portland, OR 2020
I imagine losing you all the time, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2019
Blinders, Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA 2019
Little Wars…, ArtBox, Philadelphia, PA 2018
…a slow death…, Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2017
Null and Void…, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2015
Wind Challenge 2015, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA 2015
Brace for Impact, Philadelphia Sculpture Gym, Philadelphia, PA 2014
All’s Fair, The Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA 2013
Surprise Party, Ocean City Arts Center, Ocean City, NJ 2011
While you were out…, Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA 2010
A Miniature Ocean, Mew Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2009
Waiting…, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA 2008
SELECTED MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
Lagomorphs: Rabbits and Hares in Contemporary Craft,
Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA 2023
Wildlife Biennale XX, Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2021
Land of Enchantment, Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA 2021
Installation, Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA 2021
The Fire Thief, Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE 2019
Mine Moonlight, Museum of American Glass, Millville, NJ 2016
Anatomy Now, PAFA Museum, Philadelphia, PA 2011
Contemporary Voices, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA 2009
TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
What Is Left Behind, Kismet, Philadelphia, PA 2018
4th Wall Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA 2011
Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield, CFEVA, Philadelphia, PA 2009
The Other Woman, Kelly & Weber Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA 2007
In A Dream, The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA 2006
SELECTED THREE AND FOUR PERSON EXHIBITIONS
Collectively Speaking: Then and Now, Galleries at Moore, Phila, PA 2010
Stripped to the Teeth, The Toothless Cat Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2010
Playmate, James Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2010
Petit Fours, Arcadia Boutique, Philadelphia, PA 2009
The Other Woman Collective, Urban Outfitters, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Debutante Set, Mew Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2007
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Small Wonders, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA (also ‘14, ’17-’21) 2022
Spectrum III, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2022
As Above, So Below 4, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2022
Predator & Prey, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2022
Fractured Aviary, co-curated with Bayla Arietta, in collaboration with
Yale University, Antler Gallery, Portland, OR 2022
Cultivated Space, Rowan University Art Gallery, Glassboro, NJ 2022
What May Brings, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2022
10 Year Anniversary Exhibition, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2022
Sculpture Faculty Exhibition, PA Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila, PA. 2022
Wilderness II, Parasol Projects, New York, NY 2021
Spectrum II, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2021
Medusa, Century Guild 2021
Sculpture Faculty Exhibition, PA Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila, PA 2021
Faculty Exhibition, Fleisher Art Memorial, Phila, PA (also ’06-’07, ’09-’18) 2021
As Above, So Below III, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2021
Pet Show, Gross McCleaf, Philadelphia, PA 2021
9 Year Anniversary Exhibition, Arch Enemy Arts, Phila, PA (also ‘18-20) 2021
Birds for Sofia, Sugarlift Gallery, New York, NY 2020
Luxe Paws, Copro Gallery, Santa Monica, CA 2020
Inliquid Benefit, Crane Building, Philadelphia, PA (also ’11-’19) 2020
10 Year Anniversary Exhibition, Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2020
Assemblage, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Phila, PA 2020
Special Delivery, Beekman 1802, Sharon Springs, NY 2020
No Cure for Mourning, Stockton University Art Gallery, Pomona, NJ 2019
The Emotional Animal, The Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY 2019
The Chalkboard Chronicles, The Art Yard, Frenchtown, NJ 2019
Locals Only, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2019
Remembered, Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2018
Imagined, Antler Gallery, Portland, OR 2018
85th Annual Awards Exhibition, Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 2018
Summer Exhibition, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2018
As Above, So Below II, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2018
6 Year Anniversary Exhibition, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2018
Collective Action, Philadelphia, PA 2017
All that Remains, Stranger Factory, Albuquerque, NM 2016
Beauty Mark, Crawford Campus Center Gallery, Newtown Square, PA 2016
Methods of Collection, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia PA 2016
Realist, Ann Street Gallery, Newburgh NY 2015
Inliquid Group Exhibition, Commerce Square, Philadelphia, PA 2015
Un/Natural, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2014
Animals, LBI Foundation of Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, NJ 2014
A Precious Few, Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park, NJ 2014
Eons Beyond the Rib, Seraphin Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2014
Winter Exhibition, Jeffrey Meier Gallery, Lambertville, NJ 2013
Small Works, Philadelphia Sculpture Gym, Philadelphia, PA 2013
Dialogues and Correspondence, Seraphin Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2013
Out of Bounds, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Phila, PA 2012
Wild at Heart, Thinkspace Gallery, Culver City, CA 2012
Freak Antique; Contemporary Art Curios, DCCA, Wilmington, DE 2012
Characteristically Etsy, Bold Room, Berlin 2012
I Am Not Animal, UD@Crane, Philadelphia, PA 2012
Picks of the Harvest 2012, Thinkspace Gallery, Culver City, CA 2012
Spirit Board, Loved to Death, San Francisco, CA 2011
Autumn Spell, Gallery 309, Philadelphia, PA 2011
Animal Show, Pterodactyl Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (also 2010) 2011
CFEVA 9th Annual Benefit, Center for Architecture, Philadelphia, PA 2011
Faculty Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila, PA 2010
Stephen Starr Pop Up Restaurant curated by Eileen Tognini, Phila, PA 2010
On the Rise, The Gallery at City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 2010
It’s who you know, Projects Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2010
Stuffed, Wagner Free Institute of Science, Philadelphia, PA 2010
Artist Interventions, Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA 2010
Opening Exhibition, The Graphic Art Room, Tremolo, Belgium 2009
POST Exhibition during the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Phila, PA. 2009
inSitu:628, Exhibition curated by Eileen Tognini, Philadelphia, PA 2009
My Dog Speaks, Seraphin Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2009
White Hot, Bahdeebahdu, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Perspectives, The Icebox, Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Footsteps, Moore College of Art / The Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA 2008
POST Group Exhibition, curated by Eileen Tognini, Phila,PA (also ‘07) 2008
DogHaus, SPCA Fundraiser, Edgcumbe House, Chestnut Hill, PA 2008
Far Away from the Beginning, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Old School, Uppercase Gallery, Alberta, Canada 2008
Take Issue, Washington Square, Washington, D.C. 2008
Philadelphia Selections, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA 2008
Natural Selection, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD 2008
Relics, Myths and Yarn, Schuylkill Center, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Sculpture: New Work/New Artists, Riverbank Arts, Stockton, NJ 2007
Icebox: 23 Degrees, Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA 2007
En Masse, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA 2007
Seeing Double, Afif Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2006
For the Birds/ Show Us What You’re Hiding, Studio C, Philadelphia, PA 2005
Seeing Red, Studio C, Philadelphia, PA 2005
One Year Anniversary Exhibition, Qbix Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2005
Extinct/Extant, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Phila, PA 2004
Open-Ended Affair, Washington Square, Washington, D.C. 2004
The Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA 2003
SELECTED PRESS/REVIEWS
Dead Birds and The Art of Darla Jackson, Being an Artist with Tom Judd 2021
Art Makes People Blog, Darla Jackson’s Beautiful Dead Birds 2021
Root Quarterly, The Animals: Vol 1, Issue 1, ART//
Inside the mind of Darla Jackson by Sarah Rose Etter 2019
Voloshin Woman: Darla Jackson, Voloshin Blog (August 29, 2019) 2019
Billy Penn, Long live print? Two new arts and culture
mags hit Philly this year (June 15, 2019) 2019
Greenwich Time, Clay Art Center exhibit explores animals as metaphor for
human nature (July 12, 2019) 2019
Beautiful Bizarre, Top 100 Sculptors of 2018 on Instagram (Dec 10, 2018) 2018
Moore College of Art, Alumni Darla Jackson’s Public Art Installation
(October 25, 2018) 2018
Beautiful Bizarre, Darla Jackson: Sculpting Reflections of Human Emotion
(Sept 25, 2018) 2018
Mainline Media News, Original artwork prominent in the ambience at
King of Prussia’s Founding Farmers (February 19, 2018) 2018
Technically Philly, Knight Arts: Sculpture Gym awarded $25k to expand
Workshops (May 13, 2014) 2014
Knight Arts Blog, Seraphin’s mix of representation, symbolism and styles
(December 9) 2013
Moore Magazine (Fall 2013) 2013
American Craft Magazine, Grand and Mysterious (June/July 2012) 2012
Grid Magazine, Open Shop (June 2012) 2012
Hi-Fructose Blog, The Art of Darla Jackson (October 20, 2011) 2011
Flying Kite Media, How to make it in Philly as a Sculptor (September 27) 2011
WHYY, Knight Foundation grants draw artists of every stripe (Jan 20) 2011
Daily News, 63 Artists in the running for arts funding (Jan 20, 2011) 2011
Artinbars.com, Ask an Artist: Darla Jackson, (September 9, 2010) 2010
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Debut of New Gallery at City Hall (June 17) 2010
Philadelphia City Paper, Arts Picks: A Miniature Ocean (June 25), p.24 2009
Philadelphia Weekly, A Miniature Ocean (June 24, 2009), p. 20 2009
Inquirer, Galleries: Peering into the darker side of the animal world (May) 2009
Philadelphia City Paper, Last Chance: Catch it or Regret it (June 2, 2009) 2009
ICAphila.org, ICA Curatorial Hot Picks: My Dog Speaks (May 2009) 2009
Philadelphia Weekly, Animal Collective (May 19, 2009) 2009
Theartblog.org, My Dog Speaks at Seraphin Gallery (May 20, 2009) 2009
Moore News, Alumnae Notes (Spring 2009), pp. 32-33 2009
Uppercase Magazine, Issue 1, Dark Surprise (April 2009) 2009
Philadelphia Sculptors Newsletter, PS Member on View (Spring 2009) 2009
DoN ArT NeWs, Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield (January 31, 2009) 2009
ReadyMade. Novel Ideas (December 2008/January 2009) p. 18 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Arts & Entertainment (December 14, 2008) 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer, New Salons: Home is where the art is (Oct 17) 2008
Philadelphia City Paper, POST (October 9-16, 2008) 2008
Art Matters, POST: Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (October 2008) 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Boots NOT made for walking (November 13) 2008
Old School, Published by Uppercase Gallery 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Making the Ordinary Absorbing (April 4, 2008)2008
Artknowledgenews.com, The Schuylkill Center Spins Tales (Feb 2008) 2008
Artdaily.org, Schuylkill Center Spins Tales with Relics, Myths & Yarn (Feb) 2008
Dailycandy.com, Paper doll (January 9, 2008) 2008
Darla Jackson Sculpture 2007 Catalog 2007
Mid Atlantic Arts News Website, The Other Woman (Nov 14, 2007) 2007
Philadelphia City Paper, Catch it or Regret it (Nov 1-8, 2007) p. 59 2007
The Clog, It’s beginning to look like Autumn (Nov 2, 2007) 2007
Manufactured Dissent, Online arts magazine, The Other Woman (Oct) 2007
Moore News, A Gallery of Their Own, (Fall 2007) pp.18-19 2007
201 Gallery Video by David Kessler, (October 2007) 2007
The Beacon, Riverbank to feature Sculpture (August 30, 2007) p. 8A 2007
Key to Philadelphia, Center City Gallery Hop (April 9 – 22, 2007) 2007
Philamuseum.org, 20th Annual Gary Long Memorial Lecture (March 15) 2007
Geoclan.com, An Interview with Darla Jackson (March 2006) 2006
Theartblog.org, The home shows (March 22, 2005) 2005
Philadelphia Weekly, Human Nature (August 4, 2004) 2004
SELECTED AWARDS
The Jane B. Armstrong Memorial Award, National Sculpture Society 2018
Rad Awards: Artist of the Year, Rad Girls 2015
Knight Arts Grant, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 2014
Knight Arts Challenge Grant, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 2011
Ellen Lee Walker Amelia Prize, Woodmere Art Museum 2009
Best in Show, Washington Square 2008
Best in Show, Afif Gallery 2006
3rd Place Professional Sculpture Category, Community Arts Center 2003
2nd Place, Art Association of Harrisburg 2003
3rd Place and Director’s Award, Community Arts Center 2003
HONORS
Finalist for Beautiful Bizarre 2022 Art Prize, Sculpture Category 2022
Finalist for Beautiful Bizarre 2021 Art Prize, Sculpture Category 2021
Top 100 Sculptors of 2018, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine 2018
Featured Artist for Made in Philadelphia Campaign, CFEVA, Phila, PA 2013
Honorable Mention, Art vs. Design Competition, New York, NY 2009
Accepted into CFEVA Fellows Program, Philadelphia, PA 2007
Accepted into the XXV National Sculpture Competition, Phila, PA. 2003
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS
Sculpture Adjunct, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila, PA 2010-11, Present
Sculpture Faculty, The Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA 2008-Present
Sculpture Adjunct, Stockton University Pomona, NJ 2009-2021
Sculpture Adjunct, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA 2020-2022
Sculpture Adjunct, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2011-2013
Sculpture Faculty, The Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA 2003–2004
JUROR
92nd Phillips' Mill Art Show, New Hope, PA 2021
Annual Members Exhibition, Lehigh Valley Art Alliance 2019
Sculpture 2014 - Annual Exhibition, New Hope Arts 2014
Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 2013
AFFILIATIONS
Philadelphia Sculptors, Board Member 2019-Present
PAFA Belonging Committee, Adjunct Member 2020-2021
PAFA Faculty Committee, Adjunct Representative 2017-2020
The Philadelphia Sculpture Gym, Owner/CEO 2011-2016
Philadelphia Sculptors, Steering Committee/Artist Member 2002-2012
The Other Woman Collective, Co-founder/Artist member 2006-2011
COMMISSIONS
1778, Union League of Philadelphia, Lafayette Hill, PA 2022
Squirrels, Private Client, Philadelphia, PA 2021
Condors, The Civic, Philadelphia, PA 2019
Pegasus, Founding Farmers Restaurant, Washington, DC 2018
Pink Goats and Soldier Rabbits, Founding Farmers Restaurant, KOP, PA 2017
Ice Cream Molds, Franklin Fountain, Philadelphia, PA 2017
Dog, Alex Dacorte, Philadelphia, PA 2015
Award for Happy Fernandez, CFEVA, Philadelphia, PA 2013
Anvil Commission, Mother Bethel AME Church, Philadelphia, PA 2010
Footsteps Commission, Moore College of Art & Design 2008
Marsh Wren on Cattail Commission, Charles Morgan, Princeton, NJ 2006
SELECTED LECTURES
Metal Forging Demonstration, The Barnes Foundation, Phila, PA (also ‘19) 2021
Barnes Roll Call, Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA 2020
PAFA, Philadelphia, PA 2020
Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA 2020
The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA 2018
Kismet Coworking, Philadelphia, PA 2018
Founding Farmers, King of Prussia, PA 2018
The Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA 2017
The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA (also ‘12) 2016
The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ 2016
Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA 2015
University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2014
Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA (also ‘11) 2014
Philadelphia Sculpture Gym, Philadelphia, PA 2014
PAFA, Philadelphia, PA 2014
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 2010
The Richard J. Stockton College, Pomona, NJ 2008
Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD 2008
Kelly & Weber Fine Art (201 Gallery), Philadelphia, PA 2007
Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA 2007
WORKSHOPS
Pocosin Arts, Columbia, NC 2023
Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI 2023
Wagner Free Institute of Science, Philadelphia, PA 2022
Union Hall Arts, Atlantic City, NJ 2022
Fleisher Art Memorial and PA Ballet, Spread your Wings Workshop 2021
Philly Art Center, Philadelphia, PA (also 2018) 2019
Fleisher Art Memorial, Art for the Healer with Jefferson (also 2018) 2019
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Daryl Hannah
Sera Gamble
Erin Morgenstern
Jean Athan
Phillipa Ashby & Malik Benin
Thinkspace Gallery
Charles Morgan
Dina & Jerry Wind
Deborah M. League
Moore College of Art
Frances Graham
Etsy Berlin
Eileen Tognini
Deborah Yoder
Rich & Cissy Padgham
EDUCATION
BFA, Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA 2003
Major: Sculpture, Summa Cum Laude, Departmental Honors