Waiting for tonight!

Meet the artists of This Must be the Place: Contemporary Photography in Memphis at Art After Dark tonight! We are so excited to show these local artists' work and even more thrilled that Memphians will get the chance to meet each one while taking in the sounds of the Stax Music Academy Band and eating some world-famous Memphis barbecue! Before you meet the artists, learn a little bit about them here and get a glimpse at some of their work. They are a talented group!

FRANCES BERRY

Mississippi native Frances Berry has been living and working in Memphis since she graduated from the University of Alabama in 2008.  Her work has been shown both in and around the Mid-South as well as in Seattle, Cambridge, Massachusetts, New York, and Paris.  Though she travels frequently, Berry gains much of her inspiration from the everyday encounters she experiences in and around Memphis.  According to the artist, “I try to make going to the supermarket a grand expedition.”  Her daily ‘expeditions’ have led to a deeper sociological understanding of the various people that populate Memphis, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi.  And while Berry’s photographs capture people and places in a particular moment in time, they also stress the perpetuity of certain aspects of life in the South. 

Frances Berry, Caster Garner, 2011 Digital photograph 16 x 24 inches Courtesy of the artist

Michael Darough

A native of St. Louis, Michael Darough received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Arizona State University before entering the University of Memphis, graduating in 2011 with a Master of Fine Arts degree.  Comfortable with a camera from an early age, Darough used photography as an outlet for his inquisitive nature.  A born storyteller, he works to create visual narratives of everyday life in his works, commenting, “Initially, I might not know how a project will unfold, but what I do know is that an aspect of storytelling will be a part of my process.” Recently, Darough joined the faculty of the art department of Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  

 Michael Darough Belvedere, 2011 Archival inkjet print 20 x 14 ½ inches Courtesy of the artist

Anna Hollis

In her fantastical works, Memphis photographer Anna Hollis seeks to both create and explore the world she created for herself at a young age, when circumstances led her to unwillingly mature beyond her years.  She came to depend on her fantasies as a means of escape from the reality she refused to confront.  Using the physical world as her foundation, Hollis returns to her adolescent visions, recreating them in photography by incorporating the images, objects, and people from her past into the places that define her current reality.  The present series, Hybrid, was shot in Memphis’ Overton Park. Anna is a recent graduate of the photography program at Memphis College of Art.  

Anna Hollis, Hybrid 1, 2011 Digital print 12 x 16 inches Courtesy of the artist

Jordan hood

A native of the Mississippi Delta, Jordan Hood seeks to work out and come to terms with the traditions and expectations of her family through her work.  Both in her youth and now as an adult, she has longed to escape the conservatism of the Southern farming community in which she was raised, feeling restricted and repressed by its debutante system of femininity.  However, instead of transcend her upbringing, she finds herself continually drawn back, both physically and emotionally, to the land, people, and traditions of her past.  Through the present Covered series, Hood employs the gowns that adorned her as a debutante as a blanket or shield against the reality of an independent life. Hood graduated in 2011 from the photography program at Memphis College of Art.  

TOMMY KHA

Tommy Kha received his BFA in Photography from Memphis College of Art, where he was awarded the Jessie and Dolph Smith Emeritus Award. A Memphis native, his work surveys the notion of difference by mapping experiences in order to inquire, confirm and undermine his interchanging identities, informed by evidences as an American-Chinese Southerner among other nuances.  In doing so, Kha explores his so-called “Southern” cultural heritage and solicits questions of his own my own identity as a Chinese American. The photographs from his Meridiana – Finding South series determine to defy and redirect the stereotype of “timelessness” embedded with the American South. Kha is currently a graduate photography student at Yale University School of Art, and his work has been exhibited in galleries in the United States and China since 2008.  In 2009, Memphis Crossroads magazine named Kha as one of the “Top Twenty Untapped Artists.

Tommy Kha, Wetlands, Frayser, 2011 Archival inkjet print 

30 x 30 inches Courtesy of the artist

IAN LEMMONDS

Ian Lemmonds hails from Omaha and has lived in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Seattle, but chose to make Memphis his home after seeing the movie Mystery Train. In Memphis, Lemmonds has been able to combine his love for art and his attraction to novelties and curios through photography. Using objects bought from second-hand stores throughout the South, Lemmonds creates a context in which the objects can relate to one another and to their environments.  Often using domestic references, he allows viewers to participate in the works and feel the emotions of his subjects. In doing so, he produces moments that evoke something for everyone to experience, which he likens to “the idea of the second person narrative in literature, and how it can be a more effective narrative.” 

Ian Lemmonds Eschatology: Blue Baby, 2011 C-print, Courtesy of the artist

Yijun Liao

Yijun “Pixy” Liao was born in Shanghai, China, and after studying Educational Technology at Shanghai International Studies University, worked for three years in her hometown as a freelance graphic designer.  In 2005, she moved to Memphis to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography from the University of Memphis.  While in Memphis, Pixy became an active member of the local art scene, exhibiting her work at such diverse locales as the Medicine Factory and L Ross Gallery.  Much of her work in Memphis centered around both the isolation she felt as a newcomer in a country foreign to her and her attempts to connect with the city’s Asian-American community.  Though she graduated from the University of Memphis in 2008 and shortly thereafter moved to Brooklyn, New York, Pixy has maintained her ties to the Bluff City.  In April 2011, she mounted the solo show, “Memphis, Tennessee,” at New York’s 456 Gallery.

Yijun Liao China Doll, 2008 C-print 30 x 40 inches Courtesy of the artist

Join us at 6 pm and celebrate the show, the artists, and Memphis!! See you tonight!

Who's that Lady?

In the next few days, Memphians should notice images of 2 pretty snazzy women popping up all over town. We wanted to take some time and explain a little bit about who these ladies are and why they have temporarily moved to Memphis this winter. 

Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606 1669) Portrait of a Forty Year Old Woman, possibly Marretje Cornelisdr. van Grotewal, 1634, oil on panel. In 1631, when Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam from his native Leiden, the city was rapidly becoming the major trading center in the Netherlands. The city’s growth and Rembrandt’s success as a professional portrait artist seemed to coincide and he had one of the most productive periods of his career. The vitality, character and expression in his likenesses earned him a reputation as one of the most sought after portraitists in the city. This portrait may have been commissioned by Peter Sijen, one of Amsterdam’s successful businessmen at the time. The sitter was unidentified for many years, but it is now thought to be Mr. Sijen’s Mennonite wife Marretje Cornelisdr. van Grotewal. A portrait in the collection of the Norton Simon Art Foundation in Pasadena, California has tentatively been identified as Marretje’s husband and may be the pair to this portrait The painting is remarkably well preserved for such an early example of Rembrandt’s work. Pigment and translucent glazes are built up layer by layer, and by using deft brushstrokes Rembrandt renders a very detailed and lifelike likeness.

 

Portrait of Madame Adelaide (circa 1787) by Adelaide Labille-Guiard (French, 1749 -1803), an oil on canvas measuring more than 107 x 73 inches. Adelaide, a formally posed portrait of one of the daughters of Louis XV and the oldest aunt of Louis XVI in a red, ruffled dress was painted before a shadowy wall lined with columns topped by Corinthian capitals, which would have suggested her position as royalty, and fashionable royalty at that. Princess Adélaïde wears an up-to-date high and wide coiffure and a wide cap to match over a traditional dress with bows en échelle. She also wears a fichu that blends in with the bows of her bodice. Her bodice  ends in tight elbow-length sleeves with lace engageantes that emerge below the sleeves of her coat. Her hand rests on an easel supporting an oval-shaped silhouette portrait recently unveiled by a black velvet drape, seemingly to make her a figure in arts and culture. This image is the replica of the state portrait of Madame Adelaide exhibited by Madame Labuille-Guiard at the Salon of 1787 and preserved in the Museum at Versailles.

Well, now that you know a little bit about each one, we want to tell you why they are here. Each portrait will be displayed at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in our exhibition, Rembrandt, Rubens, and the Golden Age of Painting on loan from the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, KY. The exhibition opens January 22 and will remain open until April 15. The ladies are dressed to impress and we want to show them a good time. Come by and pay them and our other portraits and paintings a visit. We can't wait for you to meet them!

Sources: jstor, Speed website, Memphis Daily News

Change is in the air!

With each new year, individuals create new ideas, indulge in new desires, make new resolutions, and find new motivation to get things done. How long does each one of us stick with this "new" attitude? It varies from person to person and with situations and realizations beyond our control. But, every now and then, there are those who take it beyond the first few months of the new year and make changes that affect their entire life. Then, sometimes, people's original plans turn into something completely different, but it was what they really needed in the first place. The Rolling Stones' song comes to mind: You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find....you get what you need! 

So, at this point you are probably asking yourself "What does this have to do with the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, TN?". Well - quite a bit! A new overall attitude is what you can expect from the Dixon this year, along with new programs, new faces, and in some cases a new look. We hope that you love them all, but with those you don't love, we hope it leads to something different that we hadn't thought about including. Which, in turn, can give you many more options and opportunities to learn and enjoy at the Dixon. Either way, we know that it is going to be a lot of fun working it out and we can't wait to hear what you think about it all! Art History Courses, Creative Writing and Digital Drawing Workshops are just some of the exciting new programs that are happening in the next few months!

An Erica McCarren's original digital painting

Just as with any other year, changing temporary exhibitions will come and go. This month, however, brings a change in our residence as well. Selections from the Kattner Collection of American Painting will be on view in the galleries that usually house our beloved permanent collection. Selections from our collection will be on view at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky during this time, while we exhibit work from their collection in Rembrandts, Rubens, and the Golden Age of Painting.

Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606 -1669)
Portrait of a Forty-Year-OldWoman, possibly MarretjeCornelisdr. van Grotewal, 1634
Oil on panel 27 7/16 x 22 in. Collection of Speed Art Museum

It's always nice to try something new. But we wouldn't be the Dixon if we didn't stick with some of the traditional things that make us who we are. So prepare yourself for change, but also love what makes you you! Join us to experience the old and new Dixon in 2012!

As the new year approaches

....and your calendar begins filling up with all of the new responsibilities and obligations that are bound to come up during the first few months, we, at the Dixon, have a small favor to ask. Don't let the hustle and bustle of modern life distract you from the simple joys of living. The simple things are what makes life so great and its the simple things that we offer at the Dixon. 

A stroll through our galleries to look at beautiful works of art. A lecture or workshop where you can learn about something new. A special Saturday morning or afternoon spent with your children making and learning about art. A Thursday evening spent with friends drinking wine and sharing experiences. Watching the progress of different flowers grow and mature in one of the most beautiful gardens in Memphis. These simple things get pushed to the back burner once the pressures of life get in the way. We don't want you to miss out on enjoying what we have in store for you this year. 

2012 will be another exciting year for the Dixon. We will introduce new programs, such as our art history courses, and bring back old favorites, like the Dixon Gardening School. We will have some amazing exhibitions this year beginning with Rembrandt, Rubens, and the Golden Age of Painting in Europe from the Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY and This Must Be the Place, contemporary photography by local artists. Our exhibition of flowers will delight visitors from all over and Art After Dark, Family Day and Munch and Learn will all have exciting topics and activities in store for a range of age groups and interests. 

Shakespeare in the Gardens, Symphony in the Gardens, Art on Fire and all of our special events will return next year. Kiddos can enjoy the After School Art programs and Spring to Art Camp, along with each Mini Masters program and Family Studio, tours and field trips, special workshops and more!

We want you to be a part of it all and take advantage of these simple joys in life that far too often are taken for granted. Join us in 2012 for what we know will be another great year at the Dixon!

The Dixons: A Stroll Down Memory Lane!

With the holidays quickly approaching, we can't help but get sentimental when thinking about how much we owe to the man and woman that made the Dixon Gallery and Gardens possible, Hugo and Margaret Dixon! The Dixon history is unknown to many and we want to take a quick stroll down memory lane to offer insight into how the galleries and gardens that grace Park Avenue were started, and the individuals that started them.

Mrs Margaret Dixon in the snow at the Dixon home -
which now houses our permanent collection

Married in 1926, the Dixon's moved to Memphis in 1939. They purchased 17 acres on Park Avenue. At the time, Park was a gravel road and Audubon Park had not yet been established.  They hired John Staub’s services as architect and soon began construction of the Georgian-style mansion.  Mr. Dixon’s only request of Staub was that his home be built of old brick obtained from a cotton warehouse that was being torn town.  Like many of Staub’s designs, the Dixon’s new home was influenced by historical designs; in this case several houses by the Greek Revival architect Robert Mills.  The house was completed in either late 1941 or early in 1942.  The gardens were laid out by the Dixons with the help of Hugo’s sister, Hope Crutchfield, who had studied landscape design.  They are influenced by traditional English, French and Italian gardens.  It was at this time, as Mr. & Mrs. Dixon began to furnish their home with appropriate furniture and decorative items, that they became interested in collecting works of art.

The Dixon residence as it looks now

In the beginning they preferred English portraits and landscapes that complemented the design of the house.  Their first acquisition was William James’ View of Venice, an obscure English artist no doubt influenced by the Italian master Canaletto.  They also purchased works by Romney, Gainsborough, Raeburn, and Reynolds.  Mrs. Dixon’s favorite colors were green and white, and many of the works reflect her taste.  As was the custom of the day, the Dixon’s would have a painting sent to their home on a trial basis.  After living with the painting for awhile, they would decide whether they would purchase the work or have it returned.  Eventually, through their travels and collecting experiences, they met the Impressionist scholar John Rewald, who helped them refine their collecting tastes.  Eventually the focus of their art collecting would become French art of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Hugo and Margaret Dixon

Throughout the years, Hugo and Margaret were both active in civic and cultural affairs. Hugo was president of the Board of Trustees of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and president of the Memphis Branch of the English Speaking Union. In 1947, he was king of the Memphis Cotton Carnival. Later, he became president of the Cotton Council International. Additionally, Hugo helped keep Memphis on the Metropolitan Opera tour circuit for many years. Margaret was a founder and the first president of the Memphis College of Art. She was also a board member of the Crippled Children’s Hospital and a member of The Memphis Garden Club. (The Memphis Garden Club is who to thank for our holiday decorations every year.) 

Hugo Dixon

Because the Dixons had no children, and therefore, no immediate heirs, they were concerned about the future of their beloved home and gardens. They established the Hugo Dixon Foundation in 1958 so that their estate would remain intact for the benefit of the entire community. After Margaret’s death in February 1974, and Hugo’s fatal automobile accident in November of the same year, the foundation established and now helps support The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, the lasting legacy of two outstanding and generous individuals. 

We want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and we hope that learning a little more about the Dixons has inspired you to become more involved in continuing the legacy of Hugo and Margaret. This holiday season is a great time to begin or expand your relationship with the Dixon and help us inspire new audiences!

Membership....the Gift that keeps on Giving!

The holidays: a time to give and share, to be together, to spread warmth and love. Then why does gift giving bring on a case of the sweats, even on the frostiest of days?  It wasn’t always this way. I still remember getting butterflies just thinking about all of the festivities, light little lovely flutters of cheer and sparkle.  The flutters are still there, but now (especially when a trip to a mall is involved) they are more similar to a desperate stampede of the large, grassland, wildabeast-esque taxonomy.  At what point did the holidays change from excitement to survival mode?

As best I can pinpoint, I believe for me it was when I started giving gifts that weren’t purchased by my parents.  Money of course is a concern; why else do we turn into the afore-mentioned desperate stampede for a deal at 4:00 in the morning?  More than spending however, is a need to give the perfect gift, something that is not only overwhelmingly loved by the receiver but shows exactly how much they are loved, and packed with more meaning than words could ever express. Perfect. After years of crunch-time crafts and gift anxiety, I have finally discovered two things.

No 1. Stop worrying about the “perfect” gift, it’s like the elusive jackalope – probably not out there and everything else would be anticlimactic if you did find it.

No 2. Experience local.

For me, stress comes from focusing on what you give or get.  Joy comes from the experiences shared.  Giving something special from local artisans, markets, restaurants, and shops has not only created exciting experiences for me in the shopping, but it has created memorable experiences in the sharing.  Honoring someone through a donation to a local organization only widens the ripples of sharing experiences by giving back to the community.  Gift memberships are all in one. When you give a membership, you are giving unlimited unique experiences and endless opportunities to find something magical and meaningful all year long. 

You are giving inspiration. You are giving wonder. You are giving enlightenment. You are giving discovery. You are giving reflection. You are also giving these gifts to all of those who are similarly reached by the organization through your support.  It is truly the gift that keeps giving.

If you’re reading this, then the Dixon Gallery and Gardens has created some of those experiences for you.   Share what words cannot by giving the gift of the Dixon this holiday season.

Warmest of wishes from our family to yours, Karen Strachan

Holiday Open House at the Dixon and......let it snow, let it snow!

We had an amazing Holiday Open House Weekend. Our tree was lit during perfect weather at the tree lighting ceremony Saturday night. The seasonal music set the mood and the hot chocolate hit the spot as we celebrated the beginning of the holiday season.

Sunday was the official Holiday Open House. Yummy holiday treats were served and special craft tables were set up throughout the galleries for the entertainment of our smallest Dixon supporters. 

One very special Dixon supporter was present as well. Santa Claus allowed each visitor (young and old) to whisper their holiday wishes in his ear. With Santa being the jolly guy that we have all come to know and love, he took photos with each one to make the day extra special. 

The galleries were open! Each guest had the opportunity to see the exhibitions and admire the holiday decorations throughout the museum. Our Room of Wonders continued to be a big hit for the kids and the musical accompaniment, located in From Houdini to Hugo: The Art of Brian Selznick, dazzled audiences throughout the event!

Nothing makes holiday decorations stand out more than snow. Wednesday morning's snowy weather made the Dixon a sight for sore eyes as the snow settled beautifully on the Christmas tree and museum. The rest of the property was just as stunning. We can't wait for you to get in the holiday spirit at the Dixon!

Be sure to check out the Dixon website for information on our holiday hours - so you can see the tree and holiday decorations for yourself! Check back for more Holiday Open House photos and join the Dixon to be a part of next year’s festivities!