Local artists thank frontline workers through paintings

Now as your walking or driving around downtown Jackson, you may see something a little different. Local artists came together to put a little holiday cheer in the downtown area and honor essential workers.

Art can show a number of concepts. This holiday season the art on windows in downtown Jackson is paying homage to people on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think it really honors our frontline workers and it gives an essence of peace and joy to our community. They do so much and it is such a great season to recognize our frontline workers and to express our appreciation", says Executive Director of the Jackson Arts Council, Melinda Reid.

Over a dozen windows were painted by various local artists in the hub city.

One artist, Abby Ruby, added a little bit of her personal style to the painting.

“A lot of my art is angels, I paint a lot of angels and I sculpt them and so I knew I wanted to include them. We used acrylic paint for all the paintings, so I did this background layer of red paint then I went over it with a lot of colorful angels" says Ruby.

Frontline workers have worked day in and day out to keep the community safe, ruby says she was honored to tell them thanks through art.

“It just felt like there is just not enough that I could say or paint for them to be fully appreciated because I know day in and day out they’ve all been working", she adds.

Reid hopes this shows that this area has a lot of talented artists that are ready to show the community their work, "just gives artists a way to reinvent themselves, to use a different canvas and to express themselves and how they feel about this Christmas season and honoring the frontline workers. It allows them to be an active part of our community".

The council will do this again next year and they hope more local artists will participate.