Maynard Dixon a painter of the west is having more popularity lately. It is said he has gotten the attention of so many because of his modern portrayal of the American west.
Dixon was born into a ranching environment in Fresno California in 1875. He knew at any early age he wanted to be an illustrator of the Old West. He used to send his drawings to Frederic Remington (a well respected Western artist, sculptor and writer) and enrolled in the California School of Design in his early twenties.
After that he worked as an illustrator for San Francisco newspapers. It was with this job he came to learn of Arizona and New Mexico and admire its beautiful landscapes.
In the West he did illustrations or western theme magazines and books. Some of his most memorable work from these early years appeared in Clarence Mulford’s books about Hop along Cassidy.
It is believed Maynard developed his unique modern style during this time. In San Francisco he was known for his western style of a black Stetson and his bolo ties. He had a good sense of humor, and was well liked.
In 1915 Dixon had begun his transition to modernism. He was influenced by some of the great styles such as Fauvism and Impressionism from the European artists of the time.
He then married a modernist portrait photographer and traveled with her to Nevada and Utah often. Here is where he learned the technique of painting horizons and cloud formations. During this time he created 60 paintings.
From 1920 to 1927 he painted 100 works. He was now very confident with his new style of modernist western painting. He toured and painted the northern New Mexico area of Taos at this time as well as Zion National Park.
During the Great Depression Dixon fell into the tone of the times and painted social realism paintings as his wife photographed the down and out of that time.
Dixon and his wife divorced in 1935. He remarried to years later to another artist from San Francisco. She took him to Utah where some of his greatest works were done. This area gave him the source of inspiration he needed as well as great peace. At this time he continued to create masterpieces where elements that were not essential in his opinion he would just leave it out.
He and his wife had a summerhouse at Mt. Carmel in Utah and another home in the winter in Tucson. Between these two places he hiked and spent his time with hikes alone. He died in 1946 in Tucson. His ashes were taken to Mt Carmel and buried on the hillside.
Thru many changes in style Dixon emerged with his own style but always used images of people and places he saw in his travels and his adventures in and around the West, characterized by the qualities of clarity, honesty, and of course, beauty.
No wonder Maynard Dixon’s works continue to gain new admirers and inspire us. Wherever the wide-open spaces of the West, with its canyons, mesas, cottonwoods, clouds, sagebrush, and people, can be found Maynard Dixon’s art will be honored.
In Santa Fe Medicine Man Gallery specializes in Dixon’s life work.
If you would like to see his work in print I have listed a few books above about his life and works that are excellent as well.
Happy Trails
Eileen Richardson
