Former Episcopal School of Dallas art teacher Ann Jackson has retired her lesson plans. Now, the lifelong Dallasite—a wife and mother of two—is channeling her creative energies into her new eponymous collection of wallpapers.
The University of Texas grad, who earned a degree in studio art, has always considered herself a fine artist. However, work as a graphic designer, followed by 14 years of teaching art and preschool, kept her painting limited to an extracurricular activity.
Through social media, she built a clientele fond of her oil-on-Belgian linen abstracts. With commissions rolling in, Jackson set up “a happy mess of a studio” in her backhouse, and in 2014, she took a leap of faith, leaving her teaching job to paint full time.
“I wanted to get my artwork out there in a different way,” she says. Wallpaper seemed the logical next step. “I love that you can take something that you’ve created and manipulate it into something new,” says the burgeoning designer.
Jackson’s first line of wall-papers launched in January 2016 and features eight of her top designs—all made in the United States. Printed on heavyweight paper, the luxurious wallcoverings mimic fabric when applied.
Next up, she is preparing to introduce a selection of new designs this summer and papering her own dining room in her favorite pattern, Turquoise Squash Blossom, which holds a special place in her heart. “It’s based off my grandmother’s beautiful squash blossom necklace, which has been passed down for generations,” she says.
