Artists Interview: Neil Dixon

Neil Dixon is our featured artist for our May Digital Exhibition Program. Neil is a Margate based artist whose practice is primarily based in photorealism drawing. We asked Neil some questions to drive deeper into his practice and significant conceptual influences.

Your works “Limb, Shattered” and “A Fearing” give quite an ominous feeling was. this your intention with some of your works?

I was inspired by the idea of bringing drama to something insignificant and unappealing. Limb, Shattered was the first of that series, and the dark, dramatic look only developed during the drawing process. There’s no doubt the finished image reflected much of my state of mind at the time—though I only see that now I have some distance from it.

A Fearing was started with far more deliberate intent, but ultimately took over a year to complete. I could not frame it; something was not quite right following the 60+ hours it took to create. I revisited it about a year later and realised the crop and composition was off, so I removed several days of work from the lower section. At last, I could have it mounted and framed. This taught me to never be precious of time spent at the expense of the final result.

Through your work, your subject matter seems to vary but your normal stick with the media’s of pencil charcoal and paper. What draws you to these materials over and over again?

I’m inherently impatient when drawing and making art. Dry media allows me to be impulsive and reactionary at a small scale as part of forming a larger work. The more I work, though, the more I am leaning towards increased expression in my marks. My Ellington Tree drawings, and Reflections of White Cliffs contain some very expressive mark making, whilst retaining appropriate texture and tonal expression across the drawing as a whole. I would love to work much larger, enabling far greater expression in my marks, but for now I am limited by the space of my small studio.

In your statement, you talk about being a part of The Society of Graphic Fine Arts. Why did you become a member and why do you believe it's important to promote Drawing skills?

I believe that craft, particularly in drawing—being able to see, react, render—is an essential skill. When I began returning to artistic work, I sought out others with similar ideas and was gratefully accepted into the society following a portfolio review. At a time where I had many doubts and questions over my ability to have my work taken more seriously, it came as a huge morale boost. The society also gives me the opportunity to spend time on drawing days - groups of artists meet at some interesting location to draw and connect - and a couple of society-specific exhibitions each year.

The society is celebrating its Centenary in 2019, with the release of a printed art book of member works, and celebratory exhibitions in Birmingham, London, and the West Country. It is a privilege to be a part of this year’s celebration events.

Your Painting “River Walk” is a very abstract piece compared to your others. Will this become a new avenue of work you plan to explore?

This one invariably draws similar comments at annual open studio events—it’s not a piece I have exhibited elsewhere. There are many similar abstract expression pieces in storage, most will never see the light of day. Creating them satisfies an irregular urge to swing to the opposite end of the spectrum from my detailed, intricate drawings. These are far more personal than my drawings, because they are purely emotionally-fuelled, unplanned, journeys of discovery.

River Walk is a particularly important piece for me because it was the first such work I felt I had succeeded in what I set out to achieve. The result, to me, expresses the intent and emotion of its inspiration and during the period it was created (2-3 days).

Do you follow current any art movements or trends?

I try not too, but am often lured away from my core interests by what I see around me and on social media. But most such diversions result in dissatisfaction, and I end up right where I started. The excursions are vital, though: I bring a little of that experience back to inform my subsequent works. The changes are usually subtle, but I notice them when working, and can see them in the finished result.

There has been an increasing trend for photorealism and hyper realism, which has kicked-in my innate contrariness and started to drive me in the opposite direction, exploring ways to render semi-photographically while retaining expression and vitality in the rendered marks.

How do you as an artist stay in touch with your local arts community?

I’m terrible at this! I know I should do better and connect with the vibrant creative community here in Margate and nearby seaside towns, but there are only so many hours in the day, and spending time on my work is what has the highest priority. As someone who has been away from creative focus for many years, and with so many full-time and long-time creatives around me, an often overwhelming sense of ‘imposter-syndrome’ is a crippling factor. Where networking is concerned, I’m still very much a work in progress.

Who or what are the biggest Influences in your practice? Such as Artist, Films or Literature?

I’m sure others might see external influence in my work, but it is certainly not clear to me in any signal work. My influences change like the wind, drawing me into new ideas and ways of working.

I do deliberately work with ‘virtual mentors’ as I call them. When I discover an artist on Instagram who I either feel and affinity with, or who appears to be pushing or solving some of the challenges I am facing, I watch their progress and work closely. Often I’ll replicate some of what they do, which helps to learn new techniques, explore new ideas, and, though those work generally end up in the trash, these virtual diversions always end up informing my core work.

At the time of this interview, my Instagram virtual mentors are @atypicalcase, @michael.wann, @yoonmiseon_, @rickshaefer.

On a more intimate level, it can be very difficult to maintain concentration during long hours of detailed drawing. I find music too engrossing and manipulating, so I lean towards audio books. Some of my works—A Fearing is an example—have written words hidden in the darker passages that have been taken from or inspired by the books I was listening to at the time. I will forever associate A Fearing with Dmitry Glukhovsky’s book, Metro 2033.

If money and time were no object what would be your dream project to create?

I would probably explore ways to merge drawing with my other main skill of programming. Bringing together what are considered such opposing disciplines could be fascinating. I have explored the idea of removing control of my drawing and mark making, handing it over to more random or algorithmic processes that either produce the work themselves, or direct and influence my own movements and marks. I experimented with this in a holistic fashion with the Reflections of White Cliffs drawings. I filled my workspace with images, audio, and video taken while on the water to help inform and retain a fluidity of movement within my drawn marks. I would love to explore work that not only immerses myself in creation, but also the viewer, beyond simply shuffling around a gallery peering at one artwork after another.

Find Neil's work at @neildixonart on instagram or take a look at his website here.