Loosen Up. Techniques to Make More Fluid, Creative Work
In-Person Visual Arts Workshop with John Dix
June 17, 18, 19, 2024
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 9:30 AM - 5 PM (1 hour lunch)
Structure of Class: (3) 7.5 -hour in-person sessions
C274 • Intermediate, Advanced
Registration deadline: June 3, 2024
Current Mendocino Art Center members receive a 30% discount off each class registration! See below for details.
CLASS DESCRIPTION
John Dix has spent the last 25 of his 35 years with clay primarily in Japan. This has led to works that show a strong Japanese influence but still retain elements of his early
training in the West. “The word that best describes my approach to clay is Serendipity. I’ll have a starting point without a clear destination, a familiar path (constructing a teapot , a sake bottle, etc) which I always give myself permission to diverge from. This freedom brings freshness to the work and has sustained me over the years.” ”Firing with wood takes the idea of ‘serendipity’ to a higher level. I don’t know of any other art form where chance plays such a pivotal role.”
In 1995, the day before the Kobe Earthquake, John met David Jack and Sachiko Matsunaga. They were starting a rural studies foundation in the area of Japan called Tamba, an ancient pottery region. With their support John was able to build an anagram kiln. The place has developed into Fieldwork Japan with facilities for people to come and experience rural Japan through pottery. While John works as an independent potter, he also encourages people from all walks of life to join him at Fieldwork.
Loading the kiln with glazed and unglazed pots takes 5 days. Over the course of the one-week firing copious amounts of ash are produced, giving each piece its own unique character. "It is physically and mentally draining. Years and years went by before I even started to understand what was happening in the kiln."
John still defers to the gods of chance, but in fact at this point he has succeeded in wresting control of the process and mastering all aspects of his firing. John regularly exhibits at galleries and department stores in Tokyo, Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe) and also in the U.S.A.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR — John Dix
For the last 50 years I have been developing and refining my artistic practice. My visual toolbox has, over the years, come to include encaustic, oil, watercolor, acrylics, and all graphic media, sometimes all in the same piece. My way of expressing my thoughts and feelings was, for many years, representational and I often used these images to tell a story, whether the narrative was literal or symbolic.
I have always thought of my art practice as my Yoga and have been a spiritual student for most of my adult life. There came a point in my practice when I was no longer satisfied with representing specific images. My work became more process oriented, developing visual structure and atmosphere in layers, with a special love for excavation, spontaneous mark making and abstraction.
I need to take a journey when I work. I am often asked about my images- my content. If I can pin anything down about my process, it is that I begin by making marks, pouring color, anything that permits me to make an entrance into an evolving journey. While I work, I often form narratives in my mind that may eventually tell the story of the piece. It is an integral part of my process. And titles are poetry for me. In fact, they also become a summation of the journey I take in the evolution of the piece. In essence, I tell a story through my images, with or without incorporating text.
TUITION & FEES
Current MAC Members: $588.70
Non-members: $841
Current Mendocino Art Center members receive a 30% discount off each class registration! This applies to the member only and can only be used once per class. This discount is reflected in the prices above. Not a member yet? View our membership benefits and sign up today.
REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS
Cancellations must be made in writing, either by mail or email. If you notify us at least 14 days prior to the first class meeting, you will receive a refund of tuition less a $45 cancellation fee. No refunds will be made after that date for any reason due to our contractual obligations and material acquisitions. If the Art Center is compelled to cancel a class you will receive a full tuition refund. Memberships are non-refundable as they are considered a donation to the Art Center.