John Andrew Dixon
From a 40-year independent career as an award-winning designer and illustrator, John Andrew Dixon preserved his manual and intuitive skills to build a reputation as a fine artist. During decades of relentless computerization in the graphic design profession, he created over 2000 miniature handcrafted experiments to maintain a proficiency of craftsmanship. In 2007, he organized his first solo show as a collage artist and intensified his focus on the medium as a modern art discipline. Since then, Dixon has established himself as an active exhibitor, blogger, and participant in virtual collage opportunities. His work is held internationally by both private and institutional collectors. From a home studio in Kentucky, he has found balance and inspiration in nature, bicycling, and local volunteerism. He is a juried member of the Kentucky Crafted program and was named to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.
Dixon says, “I’m struck by the capacity to spontaneously create new value from found material of little intrinsic worth. Rooted in a study of the medium’s history, I take a balance approach by considering collage as both artifact and painting. The result is derived more from creative impulse than rational thought, often like improvisational music. Anything cast off has the potential to be reinvigorated and given fresh symbolic meaning. Collage is ideally suited to individual interpretation and offers a universal experience for observers. It is rewarding when others share in this sense of receptivity and pure discovery. I’m honored to be part of a thriving neo-avant-gardist movement in post-centennial collage.”
