Mosaic Marble "Ornament" c. 1936

Gordena Jackson made this drawing, "Mosaic Marble 'Ornament,'" sometime in the 20th century. The whole image has a flattened, mosaic quality, and the drawing teases our assumptions about what is flat and what has depth. The surface is intricate, filled with detail, yet the whole thing has a kind of naive charm. Look at how the tessellated pattern of the border contrasts with the smoothness of the inner seal. The central image shows a landscape scene, complete with ships and a bear, all rendered with equal attention to detail. What I find compelling is how Jackson merges elements of design with representational imagery, blurring the lines between decoration and storytelling. It brings to mind the work of outsider artists like Henry Darger, who also created elaborate worlds within their art. The image invites us to explore the boundaries between decoration, representation, and storytelling. It is a playful exploration of texture, pattern, and form.