Abel Jackson III

A walk around Camp North End is known to spark creativity, but no piece on the property embodies that goal like Abel R. Jackson III’s.

The Talking Walls mural festival debuted in 2018 as a citywide, artist-run effort, showcasing both international and local talent. Jackson was asked to join the roster in 2021 and took the opportunity to create his largest work to date on an exterior wall at Camp North End. Jackson, a Winthrop University grad, has been a force in the scene for several years, and his work appears on an array of surfaces: cars, apparel, roads, traditional gallery walls, and historical structures.

Of course, it’s the latter in this case. Engulfed in the petals above a community garden, Jackson’s subject is described by her creator as “the goddess of inspiration, so to speak.” She appears to grow out of the earth itself, offering an abundance of insight to passers-by. It all calls back to a central tenet for Jackson: “In order to be creative, you have to be receptive.”

That charge propelled this challenging project; Jackson crafted the piece over 12 days in the fall of 2021. The end result reflects Jackson’s overall “desire to paint the contents of my heart.” He’s often tagged on social media when visitors find their own imaginations stoked by Jackson’s elegant deity.

The mural also demonstrates the theme of Talking Walls that year: “High-Vis-City—vibrancy, brilliancy, and viscerality.” The 2021 class of Talking Walls artists included several others whose work you’ll find around Camp North End: Hnin Nie, Garrison Gist, Bree Stallings, Neka King, and Jen Hill. In addition, it was headed up that year by artist and organizer Carla Aaron-Lopez, of the Boileryard tenant BLKMRKT. As always, like Jackson’s goddess, site residents show their talents come in abundance.

« back