The Novella Series is an ongoing series of ideas made tangible, as a drawing / painting consisting of equations, coded messages, and visions from my Ancestors about our future.  These small works use cartoons of the human figure, linear abstraction, numbers, icons, visual analogy, and personal narratives.  These intimate artworks chronicle ancient memories while exploring the present to document the future for better insight and are extremely theraputic for me while navigating the joys, trails and tribulations in life.  The automatic drawing along with expressive material techniques I developed employ personal investigation to unveil our celestial essence within this human experience.   +Ariston Jacks

This South African project contains a small portion of images from my ongoing photojournalistic work abroad. Images on this particular research trip were taken at several locations in the country of Namibia: Windhoek, Katatura, Okahandja, Okeseta, and along rural roads in between towns. During multiple visits to South Africa and other countries many years ago I retraced my linage to Namibia and meet with my local Damara people who have ties to the Americas, and was given the opportunity to observe a semi-annual Native Roundup and to document ethnic ceremonies of Aboriginal groups of Namibia. I was invited to the Chiefs circle to meet the leaders of each group and allowed to photograph a sacred funeral procession which I was informed is normally not allowed. It was an amazing 3 day experience.