Kayla Jackson
Water is Life
Digital Photography - 2019-2021
About the Artist: Raised in Round Rock, Arizona, immersed in the Western way of life I began capturing images of my lifestyle. I am Kayla Jackson, born and raised with horses, cattle, sheep, and goats on my family’s ranch in the desolate landscape filled with Mesas, red sand, sand dunes, and the Navajo way of life. I started to appreciate my lifestyle at an early age grounded with humble teachings I saw beauty in hard work, triumph in the first moment of life when an animal takes its first breath, and love in the gentleness from their eyes. I use my camera in a unique way of educating and telling stories within my images. Educating the unknown of Navajo ranches and the discipline of witnessing it every day. I tell stories by emphasizing the connection between animal and human and their interaction with the land. Like the teachings of old Navajos, rise before the sun to greet the early dawn, which is a foundation I use in my photographs by utilizing Father Sun to highlight my subjects. Capturing the vibrant colors that are shown only to those who chose to see them. With my images I chose to connect with my viewers, making visual connections and personal connections.
Tell us a bit about this work.
Water is Life is a project I did in my undergrad years. I sought out feral horses on the Navajo reservation to capture the beauty in the wild horses that roam the reservation roads. In this piece, this appaloosa horse just so happens to be drinking water. Other horses were on the left of her, creating the ripples in the water. It is an image of isolation and beauty.
How has the Climate Crisis impacted you, your family, or your community?
Yes, the climate change has effected the vegetation on the Navajo reservation. We have been in drought for over five years. The feral horses that roam freely on the reservation have been in a fight stage to save their lives.
What do you think we need to do now to address the Climate Crisis? Feel free to share any ideas, solutions, hopes, dreams!
We need to address the climate crisis in a healing matter. We are at a divide in the world. The good the bad and the ugly. We all need to understand the indigenous perspective. Living four generations out. What ever the ideas are we need to instill generosity for our mother earth to all generations. Teaching respectful ways to prolong our journey on our mother earth.
How do you see the world in 30 years if we've dealt with the Climate Crisis?
I see the world with respectful habits in all humans. All living animals live in peace. With an abundance of water. For water is life.