Dallas artist Ann Jackson has launched a colorful pillow collection sewn with love by refugee women rebuilding their lives in Texas—the lead sewer escaped from war-torn Syria with her family. The venture was a natural progression for Jackson, who graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in studio art, began her career as a graphic designer and art educator and then pursued her true passion for painting full-time. In 2016, she married her talents with design when she introduced her wallcovering line, which comprises wallpaper, grass cloth and metallic pieces printed in the United States.
While Jackson dabbles in watercolor, she works primarily in oil on Belgian linen. She currently offers a collection of oil painting butterflies—a representation of change and growth—as well as wallcoverings and linen that showcase her art. “I am a firm believer that we are all given gifts in life we should use, sharpen and share,” Jackson says. “Doing this through the creation of a pillow line is another avenue for sharing my artwork, and being able to take this next step while employing refugee women gives me great happiness and joy.”
