Reception for Woodland Sculptures collection

Charmaine Benz

1/16/2000 12:00:00 AM

The Chippewa Nature Center has generously donated the Smokey Joe Jackson Collection to the Ziibiwing Cultural Society.

A reception and formal presentation for this event are being planned for Jan. 20 at 1:30 p.m. in the Three Fires Room of the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant.

The Chippewa Nature Center in Midland acquired the collection in 1975 with funding from the Strosacker Foundation. The collection contains 36 pieces. It will be given to the Ziibiwing Cultural Society, the cultural preservation department for the Tribe, in January.

Jackson, a Saginaw Chippewa Tribal member, was a wood carver and a renowned artist who carved beautiful wood sculptures of birds, mammals, fish and snakes. His work is known for its meticulous detail to color and to the structure of the animals.

Jackson was born in 1921 in Rosebush. A lifetime resident of Isabella county, he retired from Central Michigan University. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He died in 1995 at the age of 74. Jackson was a well known artist and community member.

Jackson was always an artist. Starting early in life, he not only carved the pieces, he painted them as well. A self-taught artist, Jackson was always careful to authentically produce anything he made, right down to the color of the last bird feather and detail of a fish scale.

The Ziibiwing Cultural Society is proud and honored that this collection is coming back to the people of the Tribe and more importantly that Ziibiwing will be taking care to preserve and share it with the rest of the community.