Pastel Painting: Responding to Subjects of Uncommon Beauty

Pastel Painting Responding to Subjects of Uncommon Beauty
Although Andrew Dickson grew up in the idyllic natural environment of Carmel, California, he is surprisingly open-minded about the concept of beauty. Unlike many California artists, he eschews romanticized views of the coastline and prefers the subjects of such seemingly undesirable places as the Port of Long Beach. Within easy driving distance of his home, the port offers appealing contrasts between the manmade and the natural. Dickson says he is attracted there by "the way in which the afternoon sun destroys all the colors and creates a monochromatic landscape that is beautiful and harsh."

Dickson originally set out to be a pastor, serving as a youth minister for six years before redirecting his career path to that of an artist. Enrolling in the M.F.A. program at California State University, Long Beach, he came under the tutelage of Yu Ji and Domenic Cretara, two artists who have shaped his aesthetic and instilled in him the importance of drawing, and drawing well.

Pastel, Dickson's primary medium, is a natural choice, considering his interest in drawing. Carrying a French half-easel and a Tupperware container full of pastels, he works entirely on-site. At times, he packs a piece of Masonite instead of the easel to serve as a drawing board.