Debbie’s Story

Beautiful Curiosity

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of Debbie Jackson

Debbie Jackson’s art jewelry is driven by an insatiable sense of curiosity.

Even as a s child, she was always one to dive into the unknown and experience the world for herself. She creates and experiences the environment around her through her senses.

“I was the type of child that was curious,” Debbie says. “When your mother said, ‘Don’t touch that socket,’ I touched it anyway. If she said, ‘Don’t touch the burner,’ I’d touch it. I wanted to know for myself.”

“I was the type of child that was curious. When your mother said, ‘Don’t touch that socket,’ I touched it anyway. If she said, ‘Don’t touch the burner,’ I’d touch it. I wanted to know for myself.”

Debbie grew up in the small town of Oxford, Ohio. Within her family, she benefited from rich artistic influences — she says her father was a Jack-of-all-trades and very skillful with constructing things, and her mother was a professional seamstress that could work wonders with fabric.

Even with the support of her family, Oxford had some inherent limitations.

“I’ve always been attracted to the continent of Africa. Living in a predominantly white town, I wasn’t exposed to African culture. So I was always curious,” Debbie says. “I missed out on so much black culture being from a small town where black history wasn’t even taught in schools when I was coming along in the 50s, 60s, 70s.”

“I missed out on so much black culture being from a small town where black history wasn’t even taught in schools when I was coming along in the 50s, 60s, 70s.”

In 2010, Debbie was finally able to experience the place that had always intrigued her. She took a 13 day trip to Ghana on a textile and craft tour with other artists from across the country.

“We studied under the professional glass bead makers, kente cloth weavers, basket makers and batik textile dyers. I was in heaven,” Debbie says. “I was so happy to be there and to finally get it. Since middle school, I’d always tried to figure out the true nature of Africa, but I was finally there. I cried a lot. It was such an emotional experience.”

Today, Africa is the core element that traces through all of her pieces. She says that her jewelry is influenced by African style, culture, textiles, textures and colors. In her own words, “Africa speaks through my art.”

“Africa speaks through my art.”

Her unique style and curiosity has caught the eye of renowned institutions. Debbie currently creates handmade polymer clay jewelry for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African History and Culture in Washington D.C.

“In the last year, I’ve been making jewelry for them to sell in their gift shop. It’s just been a blessing,” Debbie says. “A few months ago, they gave me my own showcase featuring the Corona Collection, which they sell exclusively at the museum.”

Debbie’s work is also influenced by the personal challenges she has overcome. For much of her young adult life, Debbie was plagued by addiction — or, as she calls it, “Satan’s grip.”

“I started using drugs in college, back in the 70s. And when I got to Columbus to work for the city, my drug use escalated to drug abuse, and my life spiraled down to hit a rock bottom” Debbie says. “I finally had to say, ‘Look, this is enough. I’m too old for this. My gosh, I worked so hard for my college degree and caused so much stress on my family. What am I doing to myself?’ … Through the grace of God, I’ve now celebrated 29 years of sobriety.”

“I finally had to say, ‘Look, this is enough. I’m too old for this. My gosh, I worked so hard for my college degree and caused so much stress on my family. What am I doing to myself?’ … Through the grace of God, I’ve now celebrated 29 years of sobriety.”

Debbie says that her struggles with addiction buried her creativity. It was impossible to focus on her work with the constant desire to get high.

“After getting clean, that’s when my art really escalated,” Debbie says. “I missed a whole chunk of my life. So now, at this age, I’m really taking off with my art. I have a ‘busy brain’ that continually creates new ideas.”

Debbie plans to continue nourishing her artistic curiosity. Her work will be on display at the Studios on High Gallery on July 29th through August 12th. She’s also participating in the upcoming Harlem Renaissance Gallery Hop. She’s truly honored to be a part of the historic, groundbreaking mural series that will be revealed at that hop.

With all of her projects and accomplishments, one thing always remains true: Debbie will continue to express her creativity, curiosity and tenacity through her art.

Debbie’s Work