Monday, December 29, 2008

FEATURED ETSY ARTIST - ANGELINE DIXON

The Light Upstairs
by Angeline Dixon

WELCOME, Angeline Dixon, and her Etsy shop, which she calls 13th AVENUE. Angeline has a talent for taking photos of rundown, delapidated buildings, which she describes as either "urban or rural" decay and turning them into works of art. I've included a portion of her "Etsy profile" to give you a better insight as to what makes up Angeline, the person, the photographer and artist.

Hi!

My name is Angeline, and I am a Disengaging Perfectionist, Dreamer, Loner, Lover, Reasonable, Eccentric Character. I am currently laid off from the airline industry, and exploring my dreams of self expression. I am a volunteer through Americorp, mentoring children, and I am an advocate for sustainable living,vegetarianism, organic foods, especially organic meat and dairy, and living green.


What led you to start creating your art/craft?

I started doing photography and digital art, after many years of being placed in the shadow of my ex husband. I always loved to write, work with acrylic paints, draw, or just take photographs of delapidated architecture. My ex did not encourage me, and I kept these passions to myself, until I had the strength to leave.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I decide based upon mood. I mainly write when I feel down, When I draw, it is usually an idea, such as the Spider Pot picture, I was actually taking a shower, and I thought how cool it would be if animals and plants morphed into one, and what would they look like?

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

I enjoy the consumption of time that would have been wasted by doing nothing at all. I find inner peace when I draw, and when I take photographs, I usually bring a friend and give them tours of the inner city, and show them that there really is no need to be afraid, but instead I show them how to embrace adventure, and appreciate what was, and what is now.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

A pumpkin. It is simple, the theme I have is obviously related to my love for Halloween.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

Clay, I love clay, the possibilities are endless, but alas, I do not have a kiln.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

With the urban decay photo's, I would love for people to look beyond the damage, and see how beautiful the structures are, and instead of condemning them, why not restore them, bring them back to their glory, protect the history behind them, and revitalize the parts of the inner city where they reside. These are artifacts. The drawings I do, I just want people to loosen up when they see it, open their minds, and not be afraid to like something that lacks conformity.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

You don't need to have a college education to be an artist or craftsman. It is a natural skill that everybody has. Some people may like what you do, some may not, focus on the people that can see your vision, and appreciate that.

Angeline, thanks for sharing your thoughts and creativity with everyone. I found it very enlightening to see how you can take a photo of something that most of us would look at as being beyond repair, and turn it into an interesting piece of art! Be sure to visit the links below to see more of Angeline's creativity!

WEB PAGE

1 comment:

Kathy said...

Beautiful work. I like to look at run down houses and picture them in "their day or think about what I could do to it if it were mine.

Thanks for sharing