John (sometimes called Jack) Dixon (Artist and Brewer)
John Dixon (1889 – 1962) was English, almost a professional artist and brewer by profession.
Life
John Dixon (born 17 August 1889 – died 25 March 1962), was born in Norton-on-Tees 1889. John Dixon studied at Hereford, Manchester and Sheffield Schools of Art. John Dixon had a Diploma Member of Brewing and also a member of the Ancient Order of Froth Blowers and a Member of the Betterment Society. The Warrington Guardian August 13th 1949 stated that John Dixon family could probably lay claim to be one of the greatest families of brewers with no less than nine family members holding positions in the brewing world. The family started brewing nearly a century ago in the North West Coast. John Dixon life spanned three main areas: In 1919 he and his family moved to the Abertillery (Councillor for 12) and Aberbeeg area of the country, in approximately 1941 he moved to Burtonwood, near Warrington and gained employment at Burtonwood Brewery (councillor for nearly 8 years) and the family left for New Longton near Preston Lancashire during Christmas 1946 period.
Works
John Dixon had two pictures accepted at Liverpool art gallery about 1916 or 1917. He was accepted as an Associate of the British Water Colour Society and was allowed to put ABWCS after his name. He also gained a John Hassall's Diploma for Art and is in the Art Book for 1919 as an artist. John Dixon was for many years a member of the South Wales Art Society at Cardiff and demonstrated there on etchings and aquatint. Also on many occasions acted as one of the selectors of works of art for the annual exhibitions. As an Art Teacher, he taught art for free to large classes Abertillery (He taught a class of 50% miners and 50% student teachers, with an age ranging from eighteen and fifty) and Burtonwood. He also taught art at Hoghton for Preston Council. A French representative for the French magazine “La Revue Moderne " (Review Modern) chose a number of John Dixons’ paintings for the years 1937 to 1939.
John Dixon has exhibited pictures at the Royal Academy and Royal Cumbrian Academy, Cardiff, Newport, Abertillery, St Helens, Preston, Warrington and many others.
John Dixon painted what he called an altar piece for a Church of St Michael the Archangel, Abertillery, Caerphilly. This can still be seen today (2018)
At an Exhibition held by CWM Hotel, during the period of October 30th to November 9th 1935, Alexandra Road, Abertilery. John Dixon exhibited the following:
1. Llanthony Abbey (Water Colour)
2. Autumn near Crickhowell (Water Colour)
3. On the Caerphilly Mountains (Water Colour)
4. Making the Stack (Water Colour)
5. Road through the Farm (Water Colour)
6. Landscape (Water Colour)
7. Landscape study (Water Colour)
8. Liangynidr (Water Colour)
9. Landscape study (Water Colour)
10. On the Banks of the Usk (Oils)
11. Cwmbeeg Dingle from the Arael (Oils)
12. Cirl in the Mod Cap (Oils)
13. Presentation Portrait: Alderman W.T.Williams (Oils)
14. Still Life (Oils)
15. Still Life (Oils)
16. Sketch Portrait of a Young Man (Oils)
17. Study, “Mary” (Oils)
18. Mother and Child (Oils)
19. Robin Hood’s Bay (Etching)
20. Trees and Meadow Land (Etching)
21. Farm Buildings (Etching)
22. Cottages (Aquatint)
23. Seascape (Chalks)
24. Rownham Head, Paignton (Chalks)
Notes
Attribution This article incorporates information from publications in the public domain and from Mabel Dixons’ own hand written account of her husband’s life.
Currently, you can see the majority of his lifetime work at the web site address johndixomartistbrewer.co.uk