Jackson Art Group Second Saturdays Resume

Painting by Phil Nash

Jackson Art Group Featured Artist is former Photojournalist

and Radio Broadcaster

As Jackson Art Group resumes its Second Saturday gallery openings at the Steck House Gallery, located at 210 E. Washington St. in Jackson, the group is proud to announce Phil Nash, a new member, as the featured artist. His show will be from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13.

Nash's influences are drawn from a deep well of visual images he encountered during his 40 year career as a photojournalist, with photos published in national and international publications. He worked as an assistant photographer for the Associated Press for two decades and as a writer/photographer in the 1970's and 80's at the Southeast Missourian and The Cash-Book Journal.

Born and raised in Idaho, as a young man, Nash began studying electronics at Rick's Jr. College in Rexburg, Idaho. Soon after he began broadcasting at a Rexburg station, KRXK, and later became a station manager in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for 30 years at KSGT. Later on he spent nearly a decade at KMPL, a radio station he built in Sikeston and then moved on to KGMO in Cape Girardeau where he spent a few years.

With a professional life so closely linked to people's lives on a daily basis, part of Nash's inspiration for painting springs from their stories and the shots he took to portray and communicate a visual focus about them.

He took up acrylic painting less than a year ago and is currently taking private lessons. Nash is also a member of the Cat Ranch Art Guild in Marble Hill. He's dabbled in watercolors and also makes Indian cradle boards.

"I've been told I have an Indian heart," said Nash, who grew up with Native American children during his formative years. One of his favorite paintings is titled, "The Heartbeat of Mother Earth: Sky woman." Together, an aerial view of earth from space, a Native American drum and Sky woman holding a human heart and a sacred bundle of organic material, express a culture Nash values. He considers his style as impressionistic. Visit the Steck House Gallery and decide for yourself. See other JAG members artwork on display as well.