Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont internship, for the White River Valley Herald
SOUTH ROYALTON — At the Vermont Law and Graduate School, Holsteins blur together amidst a colorful landscape, portraying the simple joy of Vermont life.
On May 1, Middlebury based artist Woody Jackson — the face behind Ben & Jerry’s signature cow logo — brought some of his latest creations to the school’s Dean Shirley A. Jefferson Gallery. The exhibit is open to the public through June 30.
The 18 pieces of oil, watercolor and gouache colorfully reimagine local landscapes and feature Jackson’s famed cattle.
“I established early that the cow was my calling card and my icon,” said Jackson, who held his first show at his alma mater, Middlebury College, in 1974.
Now, he is affectionately known as the “cowman” whose work adorns Vermont homes, art galleries and coffee shops with his unique take on the land.
“He uses color in ways that nobody else does,” said Dave Celone, vice president of alumni relations and development at the graduate and law school. “It creates a personality for each piece that’s very different.”
“Juris Moodence,” painted by Woody Jackson in honor of the Vermont Law and Graduate School’s 50th anniversary. Photo by Pearl Bellomo.
Jackson said he didn’t discover his love for art until after college and originally wanted to use his undergraduate degree in Asian and African history. Yet, an unexpected work experience with friends shifted the trajectory of his future.
“I moved out to a communal farm in Addison, Vermont, and that’s a very heavy dairy part of the state,” he said. “We were all young and jobless, and dairy farmers needed workers.”
Jackson described vivid memories of raking hay while the herd grazed ahead of him, the Adirondack and Green mountains just over his shoulder.
“I liked the abstract patterns of the black and white cows, the red colors of the different crops in the field, and the different shades of mountains fading into the distance. So that’s what inspired me,” he said.
Jackson calls the cow the “unsung hero of the Champlain Valley” for its economic significance. He said he’s inspired by the juxtaposition between their spots and surroundings.
“The Cows have been very generous in lending me their unique abstract black and white shapes to contrast with the colors of the fields, mountains, and forests,” his artist’s statement says.
Part of the collection is a tribute to the school’s 50th anniversary — a commencement cow named “Juris Moodence.” Painted in watercolor and gouache, the regal-looking character is dressed in a yellow and green gown and purple cap in honor of the school’s colors.
“I think it’s as cute as can be,” said Celone, noting the character’s two swan pins that subtly incorporate the school’s mascot.
Student Kaya Mark, who graduates this weekend, said the timing of Jackson’s exhibit aligns well with commencement, allowing students and families a chance to appreciate the state or purchase a painting or piece of merchandise as a memento.
“(His work) is what people think of when you say you go to school in Vermont,” she said.
Jackson said that although his work is inspired by original photographs, he rejects realism and embraces mistakes.
“I was never trying to replicate the reality that we see. It was always, ‘I have this structure with cows in it, what colors work with other colors?’” he said. “I like mistakes to happen, like when one color runs into the other or I’m painting a color on top of another and some of it bleeds through.”
The process begins by Jackson sketching the landscape, then strategically arranging the cows. Contrary to what some may think, he said he does not replicate the cow formations in his photos.
Next, he fills in their black spots and carefully chooses the rest of the painting’s colors. Though he said he rarely experiences artist’s block, he often walks away from paintings for a brief time to come back with fresh eyes.
Jackson is inspired by early impressionists Paul Gauguin, the Nabis and the Fauvists, as well as modern artists Milton Avery and Georgia O’Keeffe. He described his art style as “colorful,” “playful” and “joyous.”
Celone added that Jackson is very down-to-earth considering his fame.
“He’s just sort of a regular guy,” he said. “He’s a happy person, and his art reflects his happiness. It’s just so bright and upbeat and cheerful.”
The Dean Shirley A. Jefferson Gallery is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through June 30 and on weekends after May 26. Additionally, Jackson will be presenting an artist talk as part of VGLS’ Alumni Weekend on June 26. Visit connect.vermontlaw.edu/alumni-weekend-2026 for more information.
“I’m just excited to be able to share an artist of his caliber with this community,” Celone said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated when the Dean Shirley A. Jefferson Gallery is open.