Dixie Galapon
The first time Dixie Galapon picked up a tube of oil
paints was by accident. At the age of 14, in her childhood
home, she had discovered a box of oil paints which
was left by the previous owner of the home. Around
that same time, she was given an assignment by her
high school teacher to work on a creative art project.
That creative art project resulted in a small oil
painting inspired by the bayou scenes from the "Pirates
of the Caribbean" ride in Disneyland. Eventually,
that painting was a gift given to that same high school
teacher. Little did Galapon know that creating this
oil painting was only the beginning of an artistic
journey for her…
As
time progressed, Galapon had forgotten about the oil
paints she had discovered at 14. But her creative
spirit still endured. Throughout her high school years
and college years, Galapon experimented with various
media: pastel drawings, ceramics and collage. While
in college, with the suggestion of her sister, Galapon
tried working with acrylic paint – and it became
a medium that stayed with her for many years. Those
same acrylic paintings, with their bold, impressionistic
style, eventually found their way into several cafes
in San Diego. Her first art exhibit was at the Living
Room Café near San Diego State University in
1994. What was most impressive at this time was that
her talents as a painter had primarily been self-taught
up until this time. But eventually, that was all about
to change.
In 1998, Galapon met someone who had a significant
impact on her life and work as a painter. She met
Concetta Antico, owner of The Salon of Art in La Jolla.
Galapon eventually became an apprentice under Ms.
Antico, and has worked with her for the past six years.
Under Ms. Antico’s instruction, Galapon moved
from acrylic painting to oil painting. Galapon attributes
much of her current ability and success as an oil
painter to Ms. Antico. Other influences on Galapon’s
bold and colorful style include the works of: Matisse,
Van Gogh, American artist Maurice Prendergast, and
Hawaiian artist Kim McDonald. A seasoned world traveler,
visiting over 25 countries, and being of Filipina
American descent, Galapon enjoys depicting landscapes
and ethnic themes as inspired by her travels and cultural
experiences. Her most recent trip was to the Italian
cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice.
Today, Galapon still continues to paint prolifically,
and displays her work all over San Diego. She was
recently an exhibiting artist at ArtWalk San Diego
in 2003, and also at the Abbey Café in Hillcrest.
One of her works was also displayed on the cover of
a Filipina Women’s anthology, Going Home to
a Landscape, which was published in October 2003.
She also has future exhibits planned, including ArtWalk
San Diego in April 2004.
For more information on Dixie Galapon, you can visit
her Website
or to contact her directly, you can email her at dgalapon@yahoo.com
