By Kaitlin Candelaria
Aldridge Gardens now boasts the largest public collection of Frank Fleming artwork thanks to Hoover resident Ken Jackson.
Jackson has been an avid collector of Fleming’s work for over 20 years, describing it as mystical and whimsical.
“I collect them because when I look at his work, it makes me smile,” Jackson said. “It makes me think. It’s very introspective work. I find it entertaining. The first significant piece I bought, I bought it because when I looked at it I actually laughed out loud.”
Fleming is an Alabama-native who is internationally known for his bronze sculpting. His work has been displayed in museums around the country since the mid-1970’s.
Jackson, former president and CEO of Dudley C. Jackson, is well known in the Hoover community for his involvement. He works with the Community Foundation and founded the Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services and is also responsible for the donation of Remy’s Dog Park at Red Mountain Park. He has donated his services as an auctioneer to many nonprofits in the Over the Mountain area.
Jackson is now at a point in his life when he wants to cut back, he said. That’s what inspired him to donate his Frank Fleming collection.
“So I had all this bronze, but where did I go (to donate it)?” Jackson said. “These things are critters, and they really belong in a garden. When the time came to decide where to put these, I thought, I’ve been friends with Eddie and Kay Aldridge for over 30 years, I live in Hoover, and these animals really belong in a garden.”
Three years ago, Jackson donated the majority of his collection to Aldridge Gardens, which unfortunately was unable to facilitate a public display. Seeing this, Jackson teamed up with Terry Beckham to create a display. Beckham is an exhibitions designer at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
“I basically told them I would pay for the display and the design,” Jackson said. “To say it’s museum quality would be an understatement. Beckham did all of the measuring and designing, and now, we’re announcing the vitalization of this display.”
On May 28, the Over the Mountain community is invited to come celebrate the new display at Aldridge Gardens. The event, Frank Fleming: An Evening with Artist, will showcase the new exhibit and give attendees the opportunity to talk to Fleming.
Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6 p.m. Fleming will speak at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $100 and will be limited. All proceeds will be donated to Aldridge Gardens.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.aldridgegardens.com.
