Lindsay Dawson’s paintings are always a positive and joyful affirmation of life. “Those are the kind of paintings I like to look at, and those are the only kind of paintings I will paint”, says Dawson.
Dawson was born in 1959 and raised in Northern California. His interest and talent in art was recognized very early, and by the time he was fifteen he had been admitted into an accelerated high school art program. After high school he was accepted into the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
At Art Center he developed a great respect for classical drawing and traditional painting. As he studied art history, he was inspired by the great masters of the 19th and 20th centuries, but especially Monet, John Singer Sargent, William Merrit Chase, and Joaquin Sorolla. While staying true to traditional methods of painting in both concept and technique he realized that his art also needed to be infused with emotion and feelings. It was at this time that he began to push his work towards impressionism, and started choosing subject matter that portrayed an idealized life and set of values.
After Art Center, and being from a “practical” family, he went into commercial art, and became a well known artist in the movie and animation industry, working for such clients as Hanna-Barbara Productions, Universal Studios, Marvel Productions, and Filmation Studios. In 1985 he was invited to have a one-man exhibit of his work at the Walt Disney Gallery. The exhibit encouraged him to do more gallery paintings, and he began to phase out some of the commercial work. Within a few short years his style had become mature and distinctive, and he was able to devote himself to gallery painting full-time.
Since 1985, Dawson has had 12 one-man shows. His work has also been represented in many group exhibitions, including Oil Painters of America in 1994, 1995, and 2007; California Arts League in 1994 and 1995; Masters Month on the Fine Art Showcase in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008; and Legendary Artist’s Month on the Fine Art Showcase in 2007.
In addition to his individual art collectors, major corporations, including Blue Shield Insurance, Nabisco, Cadbury Schweppes, Pac Bell, Cingular Wireless and Toyota, have also purchased Dawson’s artwork. Dawson is also the recipient of a number of awards for his work including The California Arts League Best of Show, and The Bemerkenswert Award (meaning distinguished and remarkable), Festival Der Nationen, Austria.
Dawson currently lives with his wife, Cathy, and their two children in Colorado.
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