Vancouver born artist Andy Dixon began his retreat at St. Georges three weeks ago when he was invited to the school by art teacher Ms. Melissa Pavlovic.  During his time at Saints Andy completed three paintings.  The Creed (TC) decided to sit down with Andy Dixon (AD) and ask him a few questions.

TC: How did you become an artist?

AD: It really was a gradual idea.  I started making album covers for my band. Then other bands saw the covers that I designed and asked me to do covers for them. The art became more of a priority.

TC: Are there any artists that influenced you?

AD: Of course, there were many such as David Hockney, Matisse, Dubuffet.

TC: How would you describe your style of art?

AD: When I paint I try to capture naivety and paint with a child like essence.

TC: How did your style of music influenced your art?

AD: My music was less about academic accomplishment, so technicality it was not as important.  It was more of an impulse of expression.

TC: What did you do before you were an artist?

AD: As a day job I did graphic design and commercial art.  So technically I was always an artist.

TC: Why did you come to St. George’s?

AD: I was offered by Ms. Pavlovic when she came by my studio. I actually met her through a mutual friend.

TC: Where is your gallery located?

AD: I don’t have a gallery of my own.  I have shown three times in Vancouver.  Most of my work is on an online portfolio.

TC: What could you say about your band D.B.S?

AD: I was in the band at a very young (12) and stayed with them until I was 22.  We were marketed as a young punk band who was good for their age.  But obviously our music style had changed because the music that you listen to when you’re 12 isn’t the same music you listen to when you’re 22.

TC: Why do you paint on the ground?

AD: Because it’s not traditional, and that’s what I try to do; colour outside the lines of traditions.  I also use oil pastels so it is important to have a hard surface (like the floor) for clean strong lines and strokes.

TC: What would you be doing if you were not an artist?

AD: I think it would be fun and interesting to join the film industry.  I love Woody Allen’s works especially his film “8 and a Half,” so my genre’s and themes would probably be quite similar to his.

TC: What do you do when you are not painting?

AD: I like hanging out with friends, having drinks and going to dinner parties. I really like socializing. I also like going to art galleries, which I guess is also part of my job.

TC: Why do you use so many different colour tones?

AD: Because when I studied colour I found it beautiful to see how much colour you could put into a face and still be able to recognize it as a face.  This style of art is called fauvism.

TC: How has your overall experience at St. George’s been so far?

AD: It has been absolutely wonderful.  I don’t want to stop painting here.

Andy has now completed his retreat at the school and we believe that his presence was a great influence on the boys involved in art programs at the school to have a “professional” working before them.