I could show so many images by one of my favorite artists, Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), and hope to create a post someday just about his most iconic oil paintings. But for now I'll limit myself to some of his illustrations.
Isabel Porter Collins. Portrait of Maynard Dixon ca. 1895. California Historical Society
Lafayette Maynard Dixon was born in Fresno, California, the son of a Confederate Army officer from Virginia. His mother was the daughter of a U.S. Navy officer. As a young man, Maynard Dixon studied art in San Francisco, then traveled through Arizona and Mexico, and later accompanied fellow artist Edward Borein on a horseback journey through several western states.
Returning to San Francisco, he set up a studio and contributed paintings to numerous exhibitions and galleries.
As brilliant as he was as a painter, Dixon continued through much of his life to work as an illustrator to make a living. West Coast publications including Sunset Magazine and Touring Topics featured many of his illustrations, and Standard Oil was another of his clients.
Nearly all of Dixon's illustrations had Western themes, especially pictures set in California, Nevada, and Arizona, where he continued to travel and sketch, focusing particularly on the landscape and people of this region. He eventually settled in Arizona.
Though his first love was painting, and he illustrated to make a living, nevertheless Maynard Dixon brought his superb artistry to every commercial assignment.
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