the art of dixie sampier

Admiration for Being Loose

Dixie — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:00:45 +0000

This is a picture from one of my photographs, taken (1987) before I ever had digital. I was painting on location down at the harbor in San Diego, a view of the city. Some of my artist friends were with me that day. One of them was a retired architect who said he wished he could paint loose like I do. I said, ‘you don’t have to paint every building, just make it look like it!’ He just couldn’t understand that and went on to his easel to paint his way. Here this picture shows that I got a second place ribbon on it at a show by Foothills Art Association. I love this painting and wish I had never sold it, but I needed the money to ‘support’ my habit, my habit of painting!

The Blue Bird House

Dixie — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:29:57 +0000

I have enjoyed doing paintings of this particular birdhouse at Summers Past Farm. Sometimes there are sunflowers growing around it, and one time it got shortened because the post got rotted and so it was replace.
And now, just this winter, it was taken out of the ground and I found it leaning up against this metal arbor structure. It is another example of ‘look what happened’ because I painted it! Here are two examples of the paintings. Of all the birdhouses found around the SPF gardens, this is the only blue one. These two paintings have sold, but I do have them printed into cards that I sell at SPF. In this one of the little birdie on top of the roof is when the post got shortened. If you visit Summer Past Farm you will enjoy observing the other bird houses that are placed through out the gardens.

A Painting Space is Gone

Dixie — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:14:49 +0000

One of the spaces at Summers Past Farm where I would set up my gear and do a painting is now gone. I’m glad that there are many other spaces to choose from because SPF is a big place to visit and enjoy.

Sometimes I can’t make up my mind just where I want to set up. It depends on what I found that entices me to put in a painting, and it also depends on the lighting, the subject, the temperature and whether or not I’ll be in the way. Most of all, I have to think about if I wait until a later day to do that particular scene, will it still be the same or not, because many times, if I don’t paint it when I see it, it may not be so the next day or the next week!

One day I found a lovely swag of sunflowers, formed naturally, and I thought I would come back the next day to paint it, well, it just so happened a big wind came over night and knocked it over!

So at this time, I am writing that one of my favorite spaces is no longer available because the owner of the big barn where I sell my paintings decided to build on an addition which created some wonderful store space. I love what he did (at this west side entry door, clearing away all t hat overgrowth), and I don’t think I’ll miss this space to paint in at all. There are always changes taking place at SPF, changes for the better and more charm to lure me into things to paint.

In one of these pics you can’t hardly tell it is a doorway because of so much over-growth. Then next to that used to be the shelving space for pots, etc. with a big window with panes, well that is all gone with this new addition extending the floor out with new large, vertical windows as you can see a lot of the things in the store, (barn). What a clever idea and lovely attraction to the area by the plant nursery at this farm. I love Summers Past Farm and always find something new to paint there.

I Had to Be the Model

Dixie — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 23:49:55 +0000

Back in May of 1991, I had a job of delivering art supplies to various classes and workshops. One of the most impressive workshops I got to be at was that of David Leffel. The model for portrait work didn’t show up, so they asked me to pose. That was a new experience for me. Having to sit still for all the oil painter artists was a bit boring, but I was willing to do it as a volunteer.

Some of my friends were at this workshop and I enjoyed being with them, and even made some new friends. I remember watching Grace Schlesier and Connie Parfet.
I have some pics here of me as the model, without my glasses on. And the artist that is shown doing my portrait is Gary Hartenhoff. Grace and Gary are now professional artists and can be found on the internet. Connie is a realtor.

The instructor David Leffel is a very famous artist and conducts workshops all over the country, I felt very privileged to be at his class and still have my notes from that day and his autograph. As of now I remember Mehl Lawson being in that class, I love his sculptures.

It is fun to think back on some of my experiences as an artist and the opportunities that I had being with famous artists.

From Frizz to Fabulous

Dixie — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:07:13 +0000

I’m so glad I don’t need perms anymore. When I was a little girl my mom would perm my hair with Toni Permanent Wave. It was so stinky. My hair was then over curled and looked frizzy. I hated it, but in month it would start to look softer, then in 6 months I was back to straight hair.
My dad had coal black natural curly hair. He was so handsome but none of us 4 kids got his color of hair. My only brother and one of my sisters got curly, dark brown hair.

Now that I am older, and for about 10 years now, my hair dresser has noticed that I have a natural wave in my hair and no longer gives me a perm. The curliest area is the back of my head and that’s nice because I can sleep on my curls and not flatten them by the time I get up in the morning.

I remember the days when I would actually sleep in curlers! That was not very comfortable, but that was when no one owned a curling iron! Now, with a good hair cut, a good hair dresser and the right kind of hair products I have natural looking hair. Oh happy day! I’m so thankful for the best hair dresser, now of 30 years, Lorrie Shackelford. She keeps my hair looking fabulous! Here’s her pic.

Fairy Kailynn

Dixie — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 22:19:52 +0000

I hope her mom likes it. I called to tell her the painting of Kailynn is finished. It was so cool to work in my favorite color scheme, blue, green and violet. I believe I got her likeness, she is such a beauty. I have had nothing else to do today so it was a nice day to focus on this as I awaited a call as to whether or not a painting I entered in the art show at Sophia Gallery in El Cajon was accepted or not and it was! Woohoo! Now I wait until Kailynn’s mom comes to pick up this painting, wondering if she will be pleased with it or not. That’s the challenge of doing commissions, you hold your breath and hope for the best!

A Fairy to Form

Dixie — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 14:39:22 +0000

For the 3rd year in a row I was asked to do a painting of this little girl in this picture. Summers Past Farm has the most fantastic Fairy Festival every Spring. I didn’t want to go this year, but got a call to do a painting of Kelly’s little girl who is just 3 yrs. old and looks like she could be the “fairest of them all”!

It took about 15 shots to get a good pose of her because she doesn’t know how to be still ! The best pose happens to have a shadow across it, but I don’t have to paint that, and her feet got cut off, but I have enough pics to know how to add to her cute green flip flops.It is nice to have a digital camera. I had to work quickly to keep getting her different poses.

She was dressed so beautifully with a peacock theme. Her mom is so talented in putting together a great outfit to show off this little girl. I have two other commissions awaiting, but I want to get this one done right away.

One thing about this festival is that everyone is smiling and having a good time just parading around as a fairy or just looking at them. I enjoyed being there and it is quite a site to see all the ‘wee gardens’ that have been created for the contest.

Strange Rock House

Dixie — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:12:38 +0000

There are so many things to do for the next painting…
I have so many resources, and ideas, it’s like what should I do next? Well, I could just draw straws (no, I don’t have an interest in drawing what straws look like, heh, heh! Perhaps I could pick out something blind-folded and go for it! Well, the best thing would be to do what is fresh on the list.
For many years I have been wanting to do this particular castle-like place that we see on our way home from the San Bernardino mountains, on the 215 freeway, but never have time to pull off the road and find the way to it, but finally, in 2008′ my husband had some spare time to drive up to the place that sits on a hill and I got some terrific photos of it, and of course, I’m curious about it and I wonder who lives there and the history of this unusual looking place in Perris, CA.

Someday I will get around to painting this particular scene of this rock house that seems so strange. The problem is, I don’t have enough time in my life to do all there is to do on my list! This says, I will never run out of subjects to paint. I wrote about this story and took these pics in year 2008, that means I far behind with some of my ideas for paintings. Oh dear! It is now 2012!

Changed Her Mind

Dixie — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:11:30 +0000

I like to tell short stories about what happens to me as an artist. About 5 years ago there was a new store near my home that sold jewelry at a discount and also some second-hand things. This little store had just relocated to a new place and had vacant walls. I was glad to see that she had moved to her new place and I went to check it out. Since she had vacant walls, I offered my paintings for her to sell on consignment. We worked for almost an hour to get everything arranged just right throughout the little store pad. After I got home, she called and said she changed her mind because my prices didn’t seem to be discount prices like her merchandise, so I went back and took everything down and said good-bye! My prices are very reasonable. She loved my cards at least and bought a few. Eventually she found stuff to hang on the walls that was cheap. By the way, her business closed down within a year, but I’m still in business!

Paintings by my Friends

Dixie — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:14:22 +0000

I find it rather odd that I have a friend whom I sometimes walk with who said that her former room-mate was Valerie Jungck. I was in a class with Valerie one day and she was going to throw her fish painting in the trash and I said I wanted it and it now hangs in my husband’s office. I never expected to run into this artist’s friend as one of my neighbors, hence, small world.
The other painting in my home is by Pauline Doblado. I have her painting because I cleaned out her friend’s mobile home when her friend D.Brown passed away, and there was no one available to get rid of D. Brown’s stuff, so I was lucky to get this floral painting by Pauline who was one of my friend’s in the art association many years ago. I feel very fortunate to have two free paintings who make me think of friend connections.