The City of Tyler’s Gallery Main Street will celebrate its grand opening with a one-man show featuring the works of Paul Jackson, an internationally recognized watercolor artist, on Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. The gallery is located at 110 W. Erwin in the heart of downtown.
Born in Lawrence Kansas, raised in Starkville Mississippi, Jackson began painting in college at Mississippi State University. In 1992 he received a Master’s in Fine Art from the University of Missouri. Since then his artwork has received top honors in national and international competition, and graced the covers of dozens of magazines and books.
Paul was honored by the American Watercolor Society with signature membership at the age of 30. He is also a Signature member of the National Watercolor Society. Paul was the grand prize winner in the “Paint Your Way to Paris” competition and has been featured as one of the Master Painters of the World in International Artists Magazine.
“We are quite proud that Paul Jackson will be our first featured artist for Gallery Main Street,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “The gallery will be a real boost for the community’s efforts to revitalize downtown.”
In 2008, the City Council approved a measure to create the Main Street Department and allocated funding to renovate office space in downtown to house the new department, a downtown visitors’ center, the Heart of Tyler 501c3 as well the new Gallery Main Street.
Crucial to the program’s success was Tyler architect Ron Mabry. He volunteered to serve as the project architect, but his work did not stop there. Due to his efforts, tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of labor and materials were donated toward the achievement of the goal of a new downtown gallery by members of the local development community (names listed below).
Another group important to the gallery’s development is the Downtown Tyler Arts Coalition (DTAC). Created by the Main Street Department and Heart of Tyler, DTAC is an all-volunteer group that is directing arts activities and development in a variety of arts sectors, including visual arts, dance, film and theater and more. Volunteer artists have done everything from organizing meetings to graphic design, all at no cost. Artist and designer Jacqueline Chubirka was the creative force behind the logos for DTAC and Gallery Main Street. Artist Debbie Cannatella has led the charge in organizing DTAC’s visual arts group, which has generated programming for the gallery. Every six weeks, a juried art show, each of a different theme, will be hung in the gallery (a complete schedule is available on www.downtowntylerarts.com). A group of professional artists and instructors serves as the jury for each show.
“The greatest thing,” Abell said, “is that this success story isn’t about the City alone. It’s about the community coming together, each person offering what he or she does best, to create a one-of-a-kind facility that will be a catalyst for the renaissance now underway in Downtown Tyler.”
To attend the grand opening, please RSVP by calling (903) 593-6905 or visit the gallery starting Sept. 2 during normal business hours.
(Example of Paul Jackson’s work is attached to this email.)
To date, the businesses who have contributed to the construction of the project include: Acme Brick; Commercial Door and Hardware; Cook Sheet Metal and Roof; Designer Graphics; East Texas Refrigeration; Fixture This Inc.; Independent Glass and Mirror; Jacobe Brothers Construction; Kassaw and Dietz Inc.; Lowes; Morris Drywall Systems; Morrison Supply; Mosby Mechanical; Nix Construction Inc.; Ron Mabry Architects; Sherwin Williams Paint Company; Swan Electrical, Inc.; Sword Company and Vic and Christy Taylor.