About the Artist
Biography
Andy Dickson is a painter and printmaker from Long Beach, California. He was introduced to landscape painting at a young age through his family’s friendships with southwest painter Joella Jean Mahoney and American watercolorist Milford Zornes. Andy completed his MFA at California State University Long Beach, where he studied with Yu Ji and Domenic Cretara, two outstanding teachers that emphasized an observational approach to painting and drawing. Andy is a professor in the Art Department at California State University, Fullerton, where he specializes in teaching foundation courses in painting and drawing.
Much of Andy’s artwork can be characterized by its focus on ordinary and unconventional locations that are often overlooked. He has developed a unique body of work dedicated to the landscape of the Salton Sea in the California desert and has participated in multiple exhibitions related to the recognition and preservation of this unique and under-appreciated region of California.
Andy has coordinated multiple Summer Arts programs for the California State University in the United States, Italy and France. During the 2018-19 academic year, Andy was the Resident Director of California State University’s International Program in Florence, Italy.
Artist’s Statement
I am often attracted to stark, remote landscapes and ordinary locations because they are quiet and meditative, and also because I find it rewarding to reveal the latent beauty present in places that are easily overlooked. I am continually drawn to settings that contain both natural and man-made forms. In urban environments I gravitate toward views that convey a sense of open space, solitude or some contrasting element of natural beauty. Conversely, in natural settings I am often drawn to locations that contain fragments of man-made elements. These contrasting elements can promote reflection on our relationship to the landscape, and they also present many unique design possibilities for artistic exploration.