Episode #30 feat. Charles Dickson
In this episode, Eric sits down with Los Angeles based Postwar & Contemporary sculptor Charles Dickson. They discuss his first exposure to art, how he was specifically drawn to carving at a very young age to, eventually become a child prodigy.. his educational path, involvement in various organizations and the great artists who inspired and mentored him including the legendary Charles White, William Pajaud, John Ottobridge and Noah Purifoy; how they inspired him, informed his work and helped him overcome challenges that he faced along the way. They discuss his artistic journey including his unique process and innovative approach to making art; the numerous mediums he has worked with, his fascination with technology and the chemical make-up of materials. The various “phases” he has gone through and concepts he has dealt with throughout his career that fuel his creative and inventive process. The camaraderie he shares with fellow artists and his desire to empower through teaching; exchange of knowledge, technique and experience with others!
Guest Bio: Postwar & Contemporary sculptor Charles Dickson is an African American Los Angeles native who sculpts in a variety of media including wood, stone, and bronze and is known for incorporating a potpourri of objects and media into his prolific creation of art. He grew up in Watts and had the good fortune to attend an excellent High School with an extremely advanced wood shop/applied arts department. He was given a scholarship to study at Otis Art Institute with Charles White over the summer. Largely self-taught, Dickson is inspired by classical art and the ancient cultures of Africa and Mexico. A master wood carver, Dickson’s work is ancestrally driven. The artist incorporates his unique life experiences and surrounding urban environment to create pieces that express different perspectives of the African American experience. Charles Dickson seeks to create a language that conveys what he terms, “the black American aesthetic”. Dickson’s work with Black Nudes was also the precursor for a much larger artistic dialogue on the politics of beauty and how the consequences of slavery reverberated in contemporary society that has extended throughout his entire career. For the last fifty years, Charles Dickson has practiced the art of sculpting and has participated in one hundred Professional Exhibitions, including numerous key galleries and museums such as California African American Museum having featured Charles Dickson's work. He has participated in numerous Television Shows and has been written about in various art Magazines, newspaper articles. Charles Dickson has been awarded several public commissions throughout Southern California and works with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and Offices of The Trust for Public Land LA River Center to create sculptures within the community… and has received numerous Honors and Awards throughout his celebrated career. Today Dickson is an Artist in Residence at Watts Towers Art Center and the Grounds Keeper for LACMA and the Watts Towers Monument. Dickson continues to sculpt in his Compton studio where he has created a peaceful environment that is open to the public.
