All images and text copyrighted property of Robert F. Jackson
New World (wood-burning)
This work was inspired by Spanish and Portuguese discoveries in and around the Caribbean; however, it is generically applicable to discovery worldwide in tropical lands during the era of European exploration and expansion. Thus, intentionally, the wood-burning displays four ships, not the three of Columbus's first voyage. This scene could represent the return to the Philippines of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos in 1543 after Ferdinand Magellan's death there in 1521, or Miguel Lopez de Legaspi's return to Cebu in 1564, just across the channel from the site of Magellan's death at the hands of Lapu Lapu on Mactan Island. If Magellan had four ships, it could represent that voyage.
Fort San Pedro, Cebu, browntone
Leaving Home
Philippines Overlook
Fisherman's Daughter
An art gallery owner complained that, in this image of fisher children, the boy was to muscular and healthy to be poor. Yet fisher folk lack not for food, rather for the other things their low earnings prevent. Thus the girl is wearing a nightgown and preserving better clothes, if she has them, for church or family outings or activities. The copy of the painting at right was made while it was in progress, revealing the simplicity before more detail work was done. Sometimes I like this simplicity for a final work, echoing perhaps the work of Paul Gauguin in other islands. I complied to get the painting in the gallery and because it seemed to matter little whether the girl, the main focus, needed the companion. My source photo (my work) included both and I may paint him back in.
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The same gallery owner objected to the considered the hand tossing the coins in Cebuano Coin Divers to be condescending in nature; however, sea people around the Pacific have made diving for coins tossed by people from arriving steamers and then liners iconic. It takes skill by the people of the water and does not necessarily connote poverty. Without someone to toss the coins and willing to give them up, tje cultural practice would not occur. People have tried to ruin many practices for their own political goals in recent years. I initially painted out the hand but brought it back. |
Cebuano Coin Divers
Sipà Players
Fort San Pedro, Cebu
Prewar to early 1960s Philippine architecture, Cebu
This was painted from photographs, descriptions, and an architectural presentation, which was also part of the inspiration. The painting was part of a larger work about the institution requested by the founder and owners. At the time the clinic had grown over the years into a multistory 50 bed maternity and general hospital and was sold to a University as part of that institutions medical facilities before the artwork could be finished. Thus, I kept the work as a memento for my wife and I, as she is a daughter of the founder and we lived beside and worked at that institution early in our marriage. Images of the architectural art, with proper credit, is below.
Architect's rendering of San Vicente Clinic, Cebu, the beginning
of Saint Vincent Hospital & San Vicente School of Midwifery
By: Roa-Josol Art Gallery
of Saint Vincent Hospital & San Vicente School of Midwifery
By: Roa-Josol Art Gallery