Maynard Dixon

Maynard Dixon is a Californian artist best known for his landscapes, skyscapes, and scenes of the American West – as well as the numerous murals he completed for clients around the country. Dixon used bright, vibrant colors in his works which give them an eye-catching quality. His works capture beautiful red rock vistas, horses and riders crossing desert plains, and the serenity of Native American dwellings and lifestyles. He painted in several styles throughout his career, including Post-Impressionist and Cubist-Realist.

Maynard Dixon was born on January 24, 1865, in Fresno, California. Dixon was a weak and feeble child, so he began pursuing art at an early age because was an activity he could easily participate in. Dixon was largely self-taught, but that certainly did not hinder his artistic ability. Renowned artist Frederic Remington encouraged Dixon to pursue an art career after seeing a 16-year-old Dixon’s work, and Dixon also had some of his work published in the magazine Overland Monthly before he went to college.

Dixon’s efforts at a secondary education did not last long, deciding instead to begin his professional life. He worked as an illustrator for various publications in San Francisco. During this time, he made frequent trips around the Southwest United States to paint the landscape and scenery. Many of his pieces were featured with the San Francisco Art Association, but this was put to an end when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire destroyed his studio and he was forced to relocate.

Later in his career, Dixon lived in Tucson, Arizona where he painted murals for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He also worked as an illustrator in New York before returning to California where he gave up commercial painting to work on his own personal projects. In the final years of his life he returned to Tucson and made frequent trips to Mt. Carmel, UT where he had a studio. Dixon passed away on November 14, 1946.