Peter Jackson (1930–2019)

Biography

Peter Jackson was a British art teacher, painter, and sculptor. He was raised in South East London and later worked for the Met Office, the RAF, and on Atlantic weather ships. During his time on the weather ships, Jackson began to draw frequently. After returning to London, he visited exhibitions, and his interest in art grew further. While running an art shop in Southampton, Jackson took evening classes at Southampton Art College. By chance, at the art shop he met the artist Sven Berlin, who became a friend and a strong influence. Berlin introduced Jackson to the St Ives Group and encouraged his sculptural work.

Striving to spend as much time as possible making art but needing to balance this with caring for his family, Jackson completed a teacher-training course at the Corsham Court Art College in Bath. His teachers there included Adrian Heath, Peter Lanyon, Gillian Ayres, Howard Hodgkin, and Terry Frost. After two years at Corsham, Jackson returned to Southampton to teach at a boys' school—an experience he described as an "utter nightmare." He considered emigrating to New Zealand or Canada before accepting a position as an arts and crafts teacher in northern Nigeria. Jackson, his wife, and their two sons spent four years in Nigeria, where the Islamic architecture significantly influenced his painting.

Upon returning to England, Jackson went back to teaching at a secondary school but sought a path into higher education. He earned a further degree in sociology and lectured in both art and sociology at a polytechnic. Throughout his teaching career, he painted in the evenings, eventually securing one weekday off for his own work. The Jacksons purchased a cottage in Delabole, Cornwall, where he spent as much time as possible.

After taking early retirement, Jackson was able to pursue art full-time. He and his second wife, Pauline, settled in a cottage in rural Suffolk, where he continued to paint. Suffolk's artist community, which included many of his contemporaries from Corsham Court, provided a strong creative environment.