Marie Dixon

Artist Statement

Art is a journey that captures the essence of who I am. My family, my love of beauty, and my passion for helping others are influencing the direction of my future bodies of work. Many of my early drawings and paintings capture my family images of grandchildren or beloved family members who have passed away. My sculpture, “From Mama’s Heart” and watercolor bowls were designed to make a statement about foster children and starvation. My current paintings “Feeling Sad” and “Living in color” are figurative work that captures my current mood with the loss of my beloved sister. My plein aire paintings are passionate expressions of my love of the out of doors and the ocean.
I love the challenges of new medium and the opportunity to use my style of placing paint or drawing to influence the direction I will take. I love the challenges of ambiguity and welcome any opportunity to learn and grow through art.
Marie Dixon
May 2008

Resume
Artist – www.dixonart.net

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 First Gary Pruner Art Scholarship Recipient at American River College
2007 Selected for Benvenuti Performing Arts Center Permanent Collection
2007 Valley Sculptures, successful entries, “The Wave” and “From Mama’s Heart.”
Special Acknowledgement by Manuel Neri, renowned sculpture
2007 Vacaville Art League, Honorable Mention, “Rowing in the Port of Sacramento.”
2006 and 2008 Northern California Artists Inc., Achieved Artist standing in 2006 and Signature Artist in 2008 with more than 400 volunteer hours of service
2006 and 2007 Nami-Yolo, Seeds of Hope, Sunflower Competition: 2006 Third Place and in 2007 “Dancing Sunflowers,” Honorable mention
2005 California State Fair, Special Merit Award, in Plein Air Category for “Laguna Beach”
2004-Present Initiated web site, www.dixonart.net to showcase current work and recently designed a series of blogs featuring current art, http://dixonartholidays.blogsport.com
2003 Sacramento County Fair, First Place and Third Place
2000-Present Successful exploration of the arts with more than 30 exhibits in: watercolors, oil, acrylics, sculpture, and drawings with a special emphasis in painting the figure in transparent watercolors
EDUCATION
· Associate Arts, Art, Sacramento City College and American River College (39 units)- 2008
· MPA, Public Administration, California State University Long Beach - 1994
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
· Bachelor of Arts, History and Recreation, California State University Long Beach- 1968
AFFILIATIONS
Sacramento Fine Arts Center Inc Board Member, Program Coordinator for 2006/2008 Workshops
Northern California Artist Inc., Vice President Programs, Hospitality Chair, Board Member 2004- Present
Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons, Inc. (WASH), member
California Watercolor Association, members
Vacaville Art League, member
Valley Art Sculptures, member
Friends of the California State Fair, Volunteer 2004,-2008EXHIBITS
2008 Kaneko Gallery, Student Show
2008 Tracy Art League, 17th Annual Juried Exhibit of Fine Art
2008 Fairfield, 45th FVAA annual Regional Juried Art Show
2007 Phantom Gallery, Del Paso Heights ( 2007 and 2008)
2007 California Watercolor Association
2006 Vacaville 29th Annual Juried Show (2007 and 2008)
2006 Uptown Arts Banners on the Boulevard
2006 Lodi Community Art Center, Open Show
2005 Vacaville Plein Air Competition and Open Show (and 2007)
2005 California State Fair Plein Air Exhibit
2005 California State Fair, Special Merit Award
2005 Northern California Artists (NCA) Membership Show (and 2007)
2005 Watercolor Artist Sacramento Horizons, WASH (multiple exhibits – continuous)
2004 Sacramento Fine Arts Center (Multiple annual exhibits- continuous)
WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

2008 Advance Figure Drawing and Materials and Techniques – Sarah Solis Mattson
2007 Open Studio Figure Drawing Class –Terry Miura
2007 On Line Design Fundamentals and Figure Drawing – Pamela Maddox
2007 Gallery Operations and Portfolio – Mick Sheldon
2007 Beverly Fields Collage Workshop
2007 Margot Schulzke Pastel Workshop
2006 Sculpture, Mitra Fabian, Sacramento City College
2006 Watercolor Flowers, WASH,
2006 Special Programs, Watercolor, and Holiday Workshop -David Lobenberg
2006 Ken Potter - Watercolor Workshop
2005 Art for Children, Sacramento City College
2005 Lian Zhen, Spontaneous Watercolors (and 2007)
2005 Watercolor Class- Ann Bissett-Clark, West Sacramento
2005 Watercolor Class and Design fundamentals– Anne Gregory (and 2006)
2004 Watercolor Workshops, Orchids and Plein Air – Sandy Delehanty
2003 Beginning and intermediate watercolors with Pomona Hallenbeck, Ghost Ranch
2003 Watercolor Classes- Phyllis Eymann, Sacramento Fine Arts Center