In the capital city of Jackson, visual artists and craftsmen have historically found a place where their work is cherished as part of the local economy. The works span nearly all mediums from sculpting to painting. Beginning in the 1920s with the formation of Wolfe Studios and spanning decades of change and development, Jackson studios have emerged and reigned as the preeminent strongholds of economic development and creative culture in the capital city. Author Nell Linton Knox and photographer Ellen Rodgers Johnson capture the compelling narratives behind some of the well-known craftsmen whose studios are mainstays in Jackson's oldest neighborhoods.
Nell Linton Knox studied English and classical studies at Millsaps College and holds a master's degree in southern studies from the University of Mississippi. A Jackson, Mississippi native, Nell is a contributor to publications and organizations including Portico Magazine, Mississippi Encyclopedia, the Southern Foodways Alliance and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. This is her first book. Ellen Rodgers received her first camera, a hot-pink-and-lime-green Polaroid "Cool Cam, " at age seven. She recalls using the camera to photograph her toys; she was reprimanded for trying to sell the photos to friends at school. She majored in fine arts at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi, with a concentration in photography. A Rolling Fork, Mississippi native, Ellen is currently based in Jackson, where she does commercial photography for a number of freelance clients, as well as portraiture. Ellen shows her fine art photography at Fischer Gallery in Jackson and M2 Gallery in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is her first book.