Layne Jackson was born in Dallas, Texas and privately taught art as a child. Formal art education included design school, three years working in France, and art and art history degree from University of Texas at Austin. Since 1997, she has resided in Chicago in a 19th century house in the Ukrainian village of Chicago, and teaches and paints in a storefront on Ashland Avenue. Jackson created and organized the East Village Arts Walk from 2002-2006 with over 60 artists participating each year. She has taught at the Latin School of Chicago, LaSalle Language Academy, MARWEN and in Chicago Public Schools leading mural projects with over 600 children. Solo and group exhibitions include the Chicago Cultural Center, Union League of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Art, Koehline Museum, MexiCarte Museum, Daughters of the Republic of Texas museum, NOVA Art Fair, Music Garage, Merchandise Mart, Judith Racht Gallery, Barrington Area Arts Council, Irish American Heritage Center, and 50 Alderman/50 Artists, a collaborative art project organized by Johalla Projects.
Awards and recognitions include an Artists’ grant from the Illinois Arts Council, artist-in-residency at Ox-Bow, representing the USA at the 23rd International Artists Symposium in Kriva Palanka, Macedonia. Public art projects and commissions include the Bloomingdale Mural Project, Chicago Avenue Mural Project, Paris 25 Nightclub, Solar Street LIght design for Houston Power and Light company, Dell Computer installation in Austin, and her work has been included in publications A Day in the Life in Cyberspace, Women’s Business Source (cover), SIGNS, Journal of Women in Culture and Society and Open Studio Magazine.