Forty years of wonderful work by Woody Jackson will be displayed on the walls of Edgewater Gallery, from the 70’s to today, in this fun and bright retrospective show, Wholly Cow, for the month of May. Woody’s artwork represents his long and close association with the farms and farmers of the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Most well known for the iconic cows that grace the packaging and marketing materials for Ben & Jerry’s famous ice cream, Woody’s art career began in the 1970s. His early work, primarily as a printmaker, forced him to radically simplify. Cows first appeared in his work as a natural integration of his printmaking skills and time as a farmhand on a dairy farm. As the years have gone by the work has grown more complex with overlays of color and more detail. But, he is still simplifying and allowing the paint to describe a sense and feeling of the objects in his field of vision. He wants to convey discovery, imagination, pleasure and joy in a simple rectangle on a piece of paper. The cows have allowed him to bring them on the journey as he has learned to express himself with paint. He is still having fun sharing his version of Vermont with us and he is very grateful to have been able to play in his studio for so long.
Join Edgewater Gallery this Friday, May 8th from 5-7pm during Middlebury’s first annual Art Walk of the season to celebrate the reception of Wholly Cow. Bluegrass tunes will be performed by Caleb Elder & Brett Hughes, delicious Ben & Jerry’s ice cream will be served, and refreshing lemonade will be within your grasp. Many of the local businesses will not only be featuring great art but hosting fun family activities. A perfect start to an awesome Mother’s Day weekend!
