Three Geese Swimming
Has Monroe painter Jane Dixon “flown over the coo coo’s nest,” or does she just love birds?
Dixon will be the Ouachita River Art Gallery featured artist in the month of July. As Jane looked back over the paintings she has done over the past three years, she found there was a common theme: Birds. Her last few paintings have been based on birds found in her son’s and daughter-in-law’s backyard in Trout, Louisiana. You may think you have entered a bird sanctuary as you view her display of pelicans, bluebirds, grosbeaks, and much, much more.
Jane was born and lived in Texas for the first 30 years of her life. She and her husband landed in Broussard, Louisiana first and then in north Louisiana where they operated a computer business for over twenty-five years. She began painting approximately three years ago and says, “It is a long way from what I used to do, which was teaching people how to use their computers.” Many of you may remember her helping you learn your word processing program.
Jane has a variety of interests when it comes to painting, so she will also include in her display portraits of various family members which is a real favorite of hers. A few months ago she became interested in still life and will include a few of those, also. She says she is an “artist still attempting to find her niche, because there are so many things to paint.”
Jane believes God provides blessings at different points in each life as they are needed. She had really never attempted to paint until after her husband’s death, and it has helped fill a void and provide a lot of enjoyment. She has received “Best of Show” awards for two consecutive years in the Ouachita Parish Senior Olympics, Best of Show in the Adult II Painter’s Pallet show, and Best of Show in the Ouachita Parish Public Libraries' competition “Capture the Beauty”.
Her exhibit may be seen for the entire month of July at the Ouachita River Art Gallery, 308 Trenton Street, West Monroe. When you shop at your local gallery, you not only help our economy by keeping your money in the area, you also save on taxes and shipping. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Paintings and photographs by gallery members can also be seen at ORAG’s extension gallery located in the lobby of Ouachita Independent Bank/Bankers Mortgage Plaza at 18th and Louisville in Monroe. Call 322-2380 for more information.
