Dixie McCarthy Art
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Our ninth featured artist in the 2021 Coronado Spring Banner Series
is painter Dixie McCarthy. Her banner is located at 3rd Street and
Orange Ave. Banners in this series are currently on display through
June. Dixie McCarthy is never idle, especially when it comes to her creativity. She became interested in art while attending elementary school and hasn’t looked back since. Dixie became an elementary school teacher herself before marrying her Naval Aviator husband. Like many families with military careers, world travel soon began. Dixie drew and sketched throughout Asia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Taiwan. Hawaii was the next stop, where Dixie obtained her master’s degree in education at the University of Hawaii. In San Diego, Dixie studied painting with Stuart Burton for eight years at the Art Academy of San Diego. She also learned printmaking at the same venue with Loretta Kramer, expanding her talents yet again. In addition to capturing the tropical beauty around her, Dixie depicts many themes in her work, such as children, families, animals, flora, architecture, and even delicious-looking pastries. She paints in both oils and acrylics. Email Dixie about her greeting cards! Dixie McCarthy’s Coronado Arts profile: https://coronadoarts.com/directories/dixie-mccarthy/ Dixie’s email: dixiemccarthy@hotmail.com |
| Biography of
the Artist Since retiring from a full time teaching career, Dixie has worked as an artist for 22 years. Dixie considers herself a painter of "Realism" and " Impressionism". Her experience delves into both. Artists that influenced her work include Manet, Monet, and Cézanne. Studying first in Carmel, California with experienced watercolor teachers, then taking classes from a devoted art professor in San Mateo, California at a local Junior College. Dixie then studied in San Diego with Stuart Burton, then later with Andrea Rushing learning many oil painting techniques. Also studying in Honolulu, Hawaii at The Art Museum School. Entering many art shows always improving her abilities and challenging herself to new experiences. Dixie had a one person show in 2011~showing 25 works of oil painting. The acceptance to The Vermont Art Center in Johnson, Vermont for a one month residency continued to boost both her expertise and enthusiasm. Continuous painting, exploring, and showing her art work gave her a keen sense of formulating art ideas and experimenting with new paintings all the time. Dixie's feelings about art expression come from a strong sense of positive thinking and cheerful attitude. Art delights her, fills her with a positive pleasure and surprise, as well as an overall happiness and fulfillment. She does the underpainting in acrylic paint first, then goes over the entire painting with oil paint, which leads to surprising glimpses of bright colors showing through in certain places. She hopes to accomplish an new way of looking at a very ordinary object. She tries to get bright, sun-soaked photos. Dixie chooses painting ideas from photos she takes herself. She paints in series of the subject in various ways that she hopes will delight and enthrall the viewer. |