California artist Dixie Salazar was born in Chicago, Illinois and studied art at California State University, Fresno. Also an author, activist, and educator, she has been a working artist and writer for more than forty years. Her work has been described as rich in the color and iconography of her Spanish heritage, with a passion for life. Her paintings are a combination of flowing forms, vivid color, and strong design elements, often imbued with mystery and ambiguity. Her work sometimes accesses found objects and appropriated images from old advertisements, coloring books and other historical sources.

Salazar works in many media including oil painting, acrylics, watercolor, collage, and photography. Her work has been shown extensively on the West Coast, including exhibits in San Francisco, Sacramento, Las Vegas, New York, the Merced Multicultural Art Museum, Arte Americas, Fresno, The Fresno Art Museum and Fresno City Hall.

Dixie is a successful poet and published author, publishing her first novel, LIMBO in 1995, and three volumes of poetry, HOTEL FRESNO, REINCARNATION OF THE COMMONPLACE, and BLOOD MYSTERIES by University of Arizona Press. Her volume of poetry, FLAMENCO HIPS AND RED MUD FEET was published by University of Arizona Press in 2010. ALTAR FOR ESCAPED VOICES is now available from Tebot Bach. Her newest novel is a young adult fantasy titled CARMEN AND CHIA MIX MAGIC. All titles are available on Amazon.com.

Her recent projects include a photographic exhibit of a homeless encampment in Fresno and serving on the board of the Eco Village Project and the Dakota Eco Garden, which provide sustainable, green housing for the homeless in a community environment. She’s also active in Fresno Filmworks. Some of Dixie’s awards include a Horizon Award and Award of Excellence from the National Women’s Political Caucus. Her work was chosen in a very competitive bidding process to be included in Renaissance Housing Project for the homeless, sponsored by the Fresno Housing Authority in 2012. In 2014, Dixie’s work won Best of Show and a First and Second place in the Fresno Arts Council Juried Show. In the Sierra Art Trails juried show, she also won Best of Show in 2014.

In 2017, Dixie’s work will be featured in a one-woman show at the Monterrey Peninsula College Art Gallery.

RESUME

DIXIE SALAZAR

dsalazar@csufresno.edu
web site: dixiesalazar.com
704 E. Brown
Fresno, CA 93704
559 227-6914 559 916-7760
Studio 654 Van Ness, Fresno, CA

Personal:

Born Chicago, Illinois 1947
BA Art CSU Fresno, 1982
BA English CSU Fresno, 1982
Master Fine Arts, Creative Writing, Columbia University, New York, NY 1986

Exhibitions and Awards:

  • One Degree of Separation, Artes Americas, Fresno, CA Group show May, 2016
  • Lodi Spring Show 3rd place oils, hon. Mention, oils, Apr. 2016
  • Orange County Collectives- Laguna Beach, Ca. “How I Identify” Juried Show Mar. 2016
  • Stanislaus State College, Social Justice Conference (Speaker Homeless Advocacy and the Dakota Eco Village) Poetry Reading, slide show of my artwork October, 2015
  • Madera Arts in Agriculture Juried show (First Place, oils) Sept. 2015
  • Unitarian Church, Speaker, Arts & Homeless Advocacy July, 2015
  • Orange County Collectives- Laguna Beach, Ca “Celebrating the Abstract” Juried group show May, 2015
  • Fresno Arts Council Juried Show- Arts in Agriculture- 1st place, honorable mention May, 2015
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA “One Degree of Separation” Invitational Women’s Show (5 art pieces) Mar- May 2015
  • Orange County Collective- Laguna Beach, Ca. “Faces” Juried Group show Mar,
  • Sierra Art Trails – The Figure Revealed- Juried group show – 1st place Feb. 2015
  • Pacific College Gallery, Fresno CA – One woman show Jan, 2015
  • Lodi Spring Juried Show, Lodi, CA honorable mention May, 2014
  • Fresno Arts council Juried group show- Arts and Agriculture- Best of Show, 1st place, 2nd place, May, 2014
  • Women’s Caucus for the Arts Online Gallery– Mar. 2014
  • Sierra Art Trails, Yosemite Juried Group show, Best of show – Feb. 2014
  • Pam Foss Fine Art Gallery, St. Michaels, MD invited group show Feb. 2014
  • Orange County Collectives—Laguna Beach, CA Juried group show 10/2014
  • Au Naturel Clatsop– Community College—Astoria, Oregon (National Juried Show) Jan 23- Mar 20, 2014
  • Pam Foss Fine Art Gallery, St. Michaels, MD, Juried invitational show WOMENS’ RIGHTS, AN ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE, Nov. 2013
  • Ramos Torres Winery, Kingsburg, CA—One person show Sept. 2013
  • Chris Sorenson Gallery—Nudes in November_ Juried show 2nd place Nov. 2013
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA–INTERCONNECTIONS, One person show of painted collage in main gallery. (30 pieces) Jul- Sept. 2013
  • Alliant Business College, Fresno, CA–One person show. Aug. – Dec. 2013
  • Quady Winery, Madera, CA–Group Show, 2013
  • Council of 100, Fresno Art Museum, (Gallery visit) June 2013
  • Council of 100, Fresno Art Museum, (Gallery visit) June 2013
  • Lodi Spring Juried Show, Lodi, CA. two paintings, 1st place Oils, May 2013
  • Women’s Caucus for Art, National Steinbeck Center, Salinas, CA, Juried Invitational Show, HIONORING WOMEN’S RIGHTS, Sept. 2012- Jan. 2013
  • Fresno Regional Foundation, Fresno, CA – One person show, “And Homeless Near a Thousand Homes I Stood” 2012
  • Fresno Housing Authority, (Public Art Acquisition, triptych and 2 paintings) purchased. 2012
  • Sierra Art Trails, Oakhurst, CA (OUR WILD LANDS–Juried show, 2nd place) Nov.- Dec. 2011
  • Charlotte’s Bakery, Fresno, CA.– One woman show Jan.-Mar. 2011
  • Downtown Club, Fresno, CA– One woman show. Jan. 2011
  • K-Jewel Gallery, Fresno, CA– One woman show. Nov. 2010
  • Diamond Gallery, Fresno, CA– (nine paintings) June 2010
  • Fresno Acura, group show. (twelve paintings) 2010
  • Madden Library, CSU Fresno, ENTRE MUJERES, Latina Leadership Conference- three paintings part of group show. April, 2010
  • St. Paul’s Newman Center, Fresno, CA—HOMELESS IN FRESNO, THE ART, THE EXPERIENCE,THE SOLUTION. One woman show– photos of encampments, Fresno. Jan. 2010
  • CBD Gallery, San Francisco, North of Tenderloin group show (ten paintings) Mar. 2010
  • Gallery 25, Fresno, CA, CENTRALISM (Group invitational) 2009
  • Coke Hallowell River Center, Fresno, CA—PRIMITIVE DIASPORA, One person show– painted collage and oils of Meso-American inspired and river themes. April 2009
  • Stellar Gallery sponsored group show, Hornitos, CA—Oct. 2009
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA—ESPADA DE LOS FILOS, Contemporary Latin American Artists from New York to California, (invitational) Dec. 2008– Feb. 2009
  • Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA (Art Auction Group Show) 2007
  • Fresno Convention Center, CALIFORNIA SPEAKS, (Artist in Residence creating art piece on site at Health Care Referendum) Aug. 2007
  • EASLEHEADS GALLERY, Visalia CA– One woman show 2007
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA – CONTEMPORAIN, (Group show for Fresno Art Museum) 2007
  • Arte Americas — DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, group art show Nov. 2006
  • U.C. Center, Fresno, CA– Group art show Mar. 2006
  • Art Americas ENTRE DOS AGUAS, One woman show Feb. 2006
  • T.W. Patterson Bldg. ESCAPING GRAVITY, One woman show – oils 10/11/12/ 2005
  • “Dine with the Artist” (show and conversation) Dec. 2005
  • Java Wava, Fresno, CA (one woman show) Jan. 2005
  • Educational Employees Credit Union, Sacramento, CA one woman show (oils) Nov. 2005
  • Merced Multicultural Arts Center, Merced, CA– ENTRE DOS AGUAS, One woman art show Jan –Mar. 2005
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA– (group show—altars) Sept. 2004
  • Clark County Library, Las Vegas, Nevada– LA MUJER, WALKING IN TWO WORLDS, One woman show (assemblage) March, 2003
  • Alliance for the Arts @ Metropolitan Museum, Fresno, CA.
  • Juried show (Honorable mention) May, 2003
  • Chris Sorenson Studio– NUDES IN NOVEMBER (group show), 2003, 2004
  • CSUF, Floricanto Festival , Fresno, CA, Nov. 2003
  • CSUF Lyles Gallery– FLASHES AND SHADOWS, one woman show 2003
  • CSUF John Wright Theatre Gallery– ABOVE AND BELOW THE SURFACE, one woman show coordinated with Valley State Prison’s inmate’s writings, Feb. 2003
  • Artes Americas (Group art show) Aug. 2003
  • Café Mia, Fresno, CA One woman show May, 2002
  • Galeria la Raza, Group show, San Francisco, CA May, 2002
  • Mission Cultural Arts Center, SOLO MUJERS, juried group show
  • San Francisco, CA Feb. – Mar. 2002
  • Fresno Art Museum-- IMAGINING WATER, One Woman show Oils 9/2001
  • Sahara West Library , Las Vegas Nev. Group Invitational show 9/2001
  • HECHO EN CALIFAS: THE LAST DECADE, (juried traveling group show: L.A., San Jose, Richmond, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, CA. 1/2000 – 7/2001
  • Gallery 25, Fresno, CA– BEYOND THE LENS One woman show, 6/2001
  • Artes Americas (Group Show) Fresno Women’s Symposium 3/2001
  • Brix Fresno, CA– One woman show, oils 6/2001
  • Mayana Gallery, New York, NY (one person show) 6/1999
  • Ng2 (Fresno Commercial Gallery) hand colored photos, assemblage 1998
  • Arte Americas (Art Auction Invitational) Dec. 1998
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA– CALIFORNIA CORRIDO, Installation piece. Oct. 1998
  • Barnes and Noble, Fresno, C–PAINTED WINDOWS, SPAIN. One woman show, 1998
  • Galerie Govreaux, Fresno, CA– One woman show, 1997
  • Fresno City Hall, Juried Group Show, Feb. 1996
  • Fresno Arts Council, Juried Group Show, Nov. 1996
  • Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Artist in Residence & One Woman Show, with community altar) Nov. 1996
  • Inside Out Gallery, Fresno, CA– FIGURE IN MOTION, One woman show 1996
  • Arte Americas, Fresno, CA– Invitational Group Show, May 1996
  • Spectrum Gallery, Fresno, CA– Biennial Juried Invitational, Feb. 1996
  • CSU Fresno, President’s Gallery, NEW ASSOCIATIONS, One woman show Feb. 1996
  • Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA-- Juried Group Show, 1995
  • Fresno City College, Art Space Gallery, Invitational Show 1995
  • Art House Gallery, Fresno, CA– One Person show 1994
  • CSU Fresno Women’s Invitational, Fresno, CA. Oct. 1994
  • Fresno City Hall, Fresno, CA– CALIF. REFLECTIONS FROM THE YARD, (Group show of artists working in the CA. prisons) 1994
  • Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA– CHAIRISMA, Group Invitational 1992, 1993
  • Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA– WOMEN ARTISTS ’93 (Juried Show) 1993
  • Fresno City College Art Space Gallery, Fresno, CA-- AMBIGUITIES, One woman show of watercolors. Feb. 1992
  • Valley Craftworks, Fresno, Ca. (Hand Colored Photography Show) 1992
  • The Fresno Arts Center, Fresno, CA– DRAWING ON FRESNO Group Show, May 1983
  • Landmarks Preservation Council Photography Show, Fresno, Ca. (Hand colored photos of Fresno City College Old Administration Building). One person show 1991
  • Fig Tree Gallery, Fresno, CA-- Invitational Group Show 1991
  • The Fresno Art Museum Rental Gallery, Fresno, CA-- WATER FALLS , One woman show of watercolors. 1990
  • Plums Gallery, Fresno, CA-- Group Show. 1990
  • Spectrum Gallery Print Show, Group invitational. 1989
  • Valley woman Books, Fresno, CA– One woman show, watercolors 1988
  • Gallery 25 Fresno, CA.– OUT OF THE DARKNESS (slide/sound presentation) July, 1984
  • The Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA. THE GLASS BETWEEN US--(One person show of hand colored silver prints). Nov. 1984
  • CSU Fresno, Phoebe Connolly Lecture Hall, OUT OF THE DARKNESS (slide/sound presentation using multiple dissolves of original slides and taped electronic music) collaboration with Andrew Falltonson , May, 1983
  • Gallery 25, Fresno, CA– One Woman Show, Oct. 1982
  • Congressional Arts Invitational, Washington, D.C.– Group show April, 1982
  • The Fresno Arts Center, Group Color Photography Show. April, 1982
  • Gallery 25, Fresno, CA– Group show 1982
  • Congressman Tony Coelho’s Office, Sacramento, One Woman Show 1982
  • Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA– Group Juried Show 1981
  • Gallery 25, Fresno, CA– One Woman Show 1981
  • Spectrum Gallery, Fresno, CA-- Group Photography Show 1981, 1982
  • The Fresno Art Center, Fresno CA– SIX DIRECTIONS group photography show (Six photographers) Jan. 1981
  • California State Building, Fresno, CA-- One Woman Show 1980
  • Art Revelations, Fresno, CA-- One Woman Show 1979

 

Related Experience:

  • Fresno Art Museum, Permanent Collection Hand colored silver print acquired 1986.
  • California Arts Council panelist, Artists Serving Special Constituents 1992
  • Panelist, Fresno Art Museum, TIMES OF YOUR LIFE 1994
  • Fresno Convention Center, AMERICA SPEAKS, two dimensional response to meeting with the governor of California on Health Care (on site artist) 2007
  • Films:
  • “Poetry in Motion” KVPR sponsored- film of local poets of Fresno 2006
  • “Hotel Fresno” collaboration with Teresa Florez 2009
  • “Homeless Dog” film about homeless encampments and local homeless woman 2009
  • Cover Art
  • “Parnassus Poetry in Review” New York NY 1987
  • LIMBO, novel pub. By White Pine Press 1995
  • OARLESS BOATS AND VACANT LOTS Orchises Press 1998
  • REINCARNATION OF THE COMMONPLACE Salmon Run Press, 1999
  • BLOOD MYSTERIES, University of Arizona Press 2003
  • UNDERCURRENTS magazine, Fresno, CA 2006
  • FLAMENCO HIPS AND RED MUD FEET, University of Arizona Press 2009
  • ALTAR FOR ESCAPED VOICES Tebot Bach 2013
  • CARMEN AND CHIA MIX MAGIC Black Opal Books, 2014
  • Horizon Award, Fresno Arts Council, Art Educator 2004
  • National Women’s Political Caucus, Women’s Equality Day Award for Art 2008
  • Board member and founding member Fresno Filmworks bringing alternative film to Fresno 2000 to present
  • Member Gallery 25, Women’s Cooperative Gallery, Fresno 1980-1984
  • Board Member KFCF, Fresno sister station to KPFA 1998-2001
  • Board Member, Fresno Poet’s Association 1992-2006
  • Board Member, Secretary The Eco Village Project, 2009- present
  • Board Member, Consultant The Dakota Eco Garden (homeless transitional living center 2013- present
  • Courtroom Artist, Channel 30, 47, 24, Fresno, CA. 1976-1979
  • Teacher, Curriculum developer C.A.R.E project funded by California Arts Council, 1979-1982. (Using art as a remediation tool)
  • Artist in Residence, Birney Elementary, Fresno, 1983.
  • Kingsview Psychiatric Hospital Art Therapist 1987-1990
  • Taught Parenting Class at Fresno County Jail, 1993-1999
  • Taught writing and art to incarcerated women at CCWF, Chowchilla and Valley State Prison for Women 1998-2004
  • Taught poetry writing to incarcerated men at Corcoran State Prison 1998-2004
  • Taught Writing California State University Fresno, 1994-20010