Lindsay Dawson (artist)
Encyclopedia
Lindsay Dawson is an internationally collected American painter and a frequent guest on the Fine Art Showcase
television show. He is best known for his idealized impressionistic paintings of women and children in beach and garden settings, and romantic (usually retrospective) Americana scenes.
in Pasadena, California, from 1980-1983. At Art Center he studied under Dan McCaw, Harry Carmean
, Ted Youngkin, Eugene Fleary, and Valerie Winslow. Dawson also took extension courses at UCLA geared towards artists in which cadavers were dissected, so the artist would have complete and thorough knowledge of anatomy.
After Art Center he entered the commercial art field and worked as a staff artist on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
, and She-Ra: Princess of Power
(Filmation
Associates, Reseda, California); G. I. Joe, Transformers
, and Jem
(Marvel Productions Ltd., Los Angeles, California); and Baltimore's Six Flags Power Plant theme park design (Landmark Entertainment, Hollywood, California).
in Carmel, California. He joined several more galleries shortly thereafter including: Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, California (1992); Joan Baker’s Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, California (1992); and The Sunbird Gallery, Los Altos California (1994).
. In addition, Dawson’s art was promoted in a national tour in which it was also showcased at the New York Art Expo, Atlanta Art Expo, and San Francisco Art Expo. All of the original Marco editions have sold out.
ideals, and to the American Scene Painters
of the early 1900s. His subject matter is often romantic, sentimental, or nostalgic. Almost all his early paintings were of his childhood, childhood memories, or contemporary family life. Since the early nineties he has expanded his subject matter to include American genre scenes. There is also an emphasis on candid and casual moments with very little affectation. Posed and or staged subjects are avoided for the most part.
Dawson says he wants his art to offer order, clarification, focus, and escape from a chaotic world filled with conflict without resolution.
Fine Art Showcase
Barry Chappell's Fine Art Showcase is a national television show that features museum quality signed original art, lithographs, silkscreens, etchings, sculptures and handmade glass from around the world. The show is part of Art & Coin TV's Thursday and Friday night line-up. It airs throughout the...
television show. He is best known for his idealized impressionistic paintings of women and children in beach and garden settings, and romantic (usually retrospective) Americana scenes.
Early years
Dawson attended The Art Center College of DesignArt Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design is a private college located in Pasadena, California, and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. The college’s industrial design program is consistently ranked number one by both DesignIntelligence and U.S...
in Pasadena, California, from 1980-1983. At Art Center he studied under Dan McCaw, Harry Carmean
Harry Carmean
Harry Carmean is an American painter known for his figurative paintings based on the work of the old masters. The ideas of the Renaissance, Baroque, Mannerist and Impressionist art can all be seen in his work to varying degrees...
, Ted Youngkin, Eugene Fleary, and Valerie Winslow. Dawson also took extension courses at UCLA geared towards artists in which cadavers were dissected, so the artist would have complete and thorough knowledge of anatomy.
After Art Center he entered the commercial art field and worked as a staff artist on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe...
, and She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power is an American animated television series produced in 1985 by Filmation. It is a spinoff of Filmation's highly successful He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, aimed primarily at a young girls' audience to counter-balance the latter show's popularity with boys...
(Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
Associates, Reseda, California); G. I. Joe, Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
, and Jem
Jem (TV series)
Jem, also known as Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication...
(Marvel Productions Ltd., Los Angeles, California); and Baltimore's Six Flags Power Plant theme park design (Landmark Entertainment, Hollywood, California).
Transition years: from commercial art to fine art
In 1985 he was invited to have his first one-man show at the Disney Gallery (Burbank, California). He continued his commercial work alongside his Gallery work until 1991 when he joined Cottage GalleryCottage Gallery
Cottage Gallery was an art gallery that was located in Carmel, California. It was owned and operated by George Goff. It opened in November 1984, and closed in 2001. The significance of the Gallery is primarily due to the involvement of mass-production artist Thomas Kinkade who was a friend of...
in Carmel, California. He joined several more galleries shortly thereafter including: Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, California (1992); Joan Baker’s Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, California (1992); and The Sunbird Gallery, Los Altos California (1994).
National exposure
In 2000 he signed an exclusive worldwide contract with Marco Fine Arts, (El Segundo, California). Marco introduced the Nation to Dawson’s work by publishing his original paintings as limited edition serigraphsScreen-printing
Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink-blocking stencil. The attached stencil forms open areas of mesh that transfer ink or other printable materials which can be pressed through the mesh as a sharp-edged image onto a substrate...
. In addition, Dawson’s art was promoted in a national tour in which it was also showcased at the New York Art Expo, Atlanta Art Expo, and San Francisco Art Expo. All of the original Marco editions have sold out.
International exposure: original art and limited editions in demand
In 2002 the entire fleet of ships in the Princess Cruise Lines began exhibiting and selling Dawson’s art on all their onboard art galleries, and in so doing a base of international collectors began to grow and acquire his work. In 2005 (with his international market continuing to expand) he started his affiliation with the exclusive Barry Chappell’s Fine Art Showcase, a national television show that is transmitted to 50 million homes three times a week. Dawson regularly appears live on the show, and is one of only six artists that Mr. Chappell interviews on a regular basis. In addition, Dawson was one of only four artists to be featured on Master’s Month two years in a row (2005 and 2006). Dawson is the only living impressionist they represent.Artistic style and themes
His paintings and prints are distinguished by his loyalty to the ImpressionisticImpressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
ideals, and to the American Scene Painters
American scene painting
American scene painting refers to a naturalist style of painting and other works of art of the 1920s through the 1950s in the United States. American scene painting is also known as Regionalism....
of the early 1900s. His subject matter is often romantic, sentimental, or nostalgic. Almost all his early paintings were of his childhood, childhood memories, or contemporary family life. Since the early nineties he has expanded his subject matter to include American genre scenes. There is also an emphasis on candid and casual moments with very little affectation. Posed and or staged subjects are avoided for the most part.
Dawson says he wants his art to offer order, clarification, focus, and escape from a chaotic world filled with conflict without resolution.
Awards and distinctions
- Appeared live for Masters Month on the Fine Art Showcase (January, 2005)
- Appeared live for Masters Month on the Fine Art Showcase (January, 2006)
- California Arts league Best of Show, 1991 (media/oil on canvas)
- Gold Star, Worldfest Charleston International Film Festival, 1997 (media/film)
- Gold CINDY, International Cinema in the Industry competition, 1997 (media/film)
- Bemerkenswert Award, Festival Der Nationen, Austria, 1998 (media/film)
- World Premiere, Breckenridge Festival of Film 1998 (media/film)