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Decatur native Preston Jackson has blazed an impressive career as one of Illinois most talented modern sculptors. Jackson, who attended SIU Carbondale's School of Art and Design in the late 1960s, has earned many honors for his highly evocative statues that range from realistic castings that recall classical bronzes, to sometimes harrowing modern sculptures that tell stories about the darker side of human existence. Jackson, who now teaches at the Art Institute of Chicago, tells Producer Jak Tichenor that he uses his work to teach lessons about history, and how all human beings share common bonds , whatever their heritage. He discussed his latest series in bronze called "Fresh from Julieanne's Garden”, that blends family history with the collective experience of African-Americans from the days of slavery and racial discrimination.