about
Lily Dixon (American, b. 2002) practices various methods of design, within both analogue and digital techniques, building a repertoire of art forms and intentionally pairing them with a chosen idea. Personally expressive concepts that explore identity and mindset can be found in her oil painting Mirrors, which was displayed at Stoveworks Gallery, and her photograph Isolation, which received Best in Show in the ICA Juried Exhibition, “Immortal Messages.”
As she finishes her last semester at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BFA in Graphic Design, Dixon utilizes research and ontological design theory to contemplate civilization structures. Her senior thesis work Craving Dark Chocolate discusses the Anthropocene and dynamics between humans and nature. The purpose of this piece is to disrupt societal thought patterns surrounding consumeristic habits that negatively affect both the environment and an individual's mentality. Her independent studies work follows the narrative of ontology and societal structures that foster the exploitation of students and employees, and compares this to moments of positive working environments cultivated by team effort and open communication. Contemplating her personal opinions, biases, privileges and struggles, Dixon utilizes design as a way to share ideas and information that are both realistically concerning and positively grounding.
contact
lilydixon.com
901 483 5659
Resume
Untitled
I have a difficult relationship with my body, one that often results in frustration and defeat. My body sometimes fails me because of my immune system disease, and I feel anger towards my own physical weakness. My body confuses me by forcing my brain into fight or flight, convincing my psyche that I am in a traumatic moment when I am not. My memories cling to my blood vessels and bones. I am often not aware of this codependency between my body and my past, so I wonder why I feel stuck. This disconnect is allconsuming, but as I am in the process of intentionally healing, I cannot stop feeling this movement, not of my body, but inside it. It feels like my cells are rearranging themselves, and my organs are gasping for air. I am beginning to unravel, but that feels much better than sitting still, all crumpled up.
Old House
When you think back to a time or place that is very far away from your present moment, your memories cannot be completely depended on. That place existed so long ago that you cannot distinguish between fact and fiction. There is an infinite amount
of moments and experiences standing between you and that past place.
If you were to close your eyes and try to picture a place that existed to you only as a young child, there will be no distinct
images, but rather layers of forms and thoughts. It is most likely emotion driven, based on how that place felt, so logic abandons you. Your brain fills in blanks and gaps in your memory, as if your imagination is the biggest thing you can depend on. The collection of small paintings that I created were an attempt at pin-pointing specific and accurate images of this place, without
the use of photographs. During this process I realized that the details of these paintings are likely not at all accurate. So my next challenge for the large painting was to portray what my mind and memories create when I think of this place.
In our memories, shapes work together to create form. I know that on my childhood bookshelf next to my bed, there were books and dolls and blocks. I don’t know what books exactly were sitting on the shelf, and I do not know what color the blocks were. If I think too hard, I begin to doubt the reality of the bookshelf, so instinct is all I can count on. I remember the shapes of the rooms, what doors lead to what rooms. The structure of the house is the most accurate memory I have, yet this one specific bookshelf keeps coming back to my mind.
design
Living as a woman in a world where men are the center of the conversation can cause a strange view of one’s self to form. Throughout the history of media, stereotypes have been placed on women that strip away their intelligence and strength, leaving them to feel both invisible, and constantly surveyed. The text “Ways of Seeing” written by John Berger in 1972 states, “And so she comes to consider the surveyor and the surveyed within herself as the two constituent yet always distinct elements of her identity as a woman… how she appears to others, and ultimately how she appears to men, is of crucial importance for what is normally thought of as the success of her life.”
The gaze of a woman has more layers than that of a man, for she is observing her surroundings, while also observing herself to determine how she may be perceived. This tears her gaze in half, leaving only some for herself, while the rest is forcefully given to those who watch her. To be a woman is to be both watched and ignored. Her sense of self is constantly ripped away from her, warping her true desires and goals. Her best qualities are bent and twisted, leaving only what she appears to be.
This branding style guide was created for a discount motel, targeted towards home bakers or chefs who value status. I researched my audience and competition, exploring my options for this puzzle. I tied all of these elements together by focusing on a community aspect. In order for the motel to be discounted, visitors hold fundraisers to fund rooms or ingredients, in which they teach kids to cook, teach discount cooking for college students, cook for the homeless, etc... This motel is a safe space for people to explore their craft, so the style of the brand expresses excitement and comfort.
Variety is an important factor, as well as unity. Design aspects show fluid lines and shapes to express the organic flow of the community. The bright colors and patterns represent the opportunity for memorable experiences. The language of the brand is welcoming, avoiding confusion. This brand resembles a home away from home, allowing people to take a break from the normal routine, and explore their creativity and community.
Doctor Roulette
Going to the doctor’s office can range anywhere from mundane to terrifying. As a person who has experienced many health issues and consulted many doctors, I find it to be somewhat of a risk when you go to a new doctor. In my experience, half the time, the doctors are amazing and committed, while the other half are distracted or confusing. After interviewing other people’s experiences, I discovered that just about everyone has some kind of horror story about a doctor.
This game, titled Doctor Roulette, is inspired by that risk factor, and never knowing if you will leave the doctor feeling satisfied and safe, or if it feels like your life is in shambles. Many factors play into this, such as insurance, income, and other general life experiences that impact one's ability to seek medical care. The game has a slightly pessimistic view on the medical field, as a way of responding to the shock that I experienced during these interviews.
photography
My interests in Russian Futurism began as a curiosity about the historical context of the time period, involving innovative and intellectual exchanges between the East and the West. Though this is fascinating, after reading about Suprematism and the work of Kazimir Severinovich Malevich, I became more interested in the visual and formal qualities of the dissection of objects. He describes this form of art as removing the attachment to reality from objects and deconstructing them down to their essence. I engaged with this process by photographing objects that all have a specific purpose, but completely abstracting the context clues of what those functional purposes are. I found myself seeing objects throughout the day and paying attention purly to the form and shapes that make that object.
As a designer, I like to use geometry to figure out how images are structured, but throughout this daily project, I was doing the opposite by taking apart the objects and focusing on small pieces. I enjoyed discovering how to create movement or light in objects that do not move or produce light, engaging in Futurism’s fascination with technology. I think I depended a lot on light and reflection, which helped emphasize the aspects of technology, but I could improve this series by not using light as the primary method to skew the perspective or reality of the objects.
My research topic involves Russian Futurism, which I previously engaged with by framing images of objects to distort or conceal their complete form or purpose. In my most recent research article, I discovered that Futurists in Russia became surrounded by the discourse of mental illness and insanity, due to their bizarre art and beliefs. This reading also describes the visual qualities of Futurism as using “hypnotic lighting,” expressions of disorientation and enthusiasm for the future. With these details in mind, I used the lighting studio to create high contrast lighting with harsh shadows and highlights. These qualities allowed me to edit the images to make the objects appear electric or mysteriously powerful. I positioned, hung and stacked objects to make them seem like parts of a whole machine, influencing and affecting one another. Because Futurism often lacks a grasp of reality, it is essentially impossible to understand the true purpose of these objects. Through the process of using colored light in the studio and somewhat losing control of my editing constraints, I became drawn to the idea of falling into insanity.
There are likely some aspects of these images involving my editing that may not have been necessary, and some images could have been effective with less exaggeration. Although I practice editorial approaches within my design projects, I think that the theme of my research activity affected how I viewed the photographs I took. The idea that Futurist art could be labeled as a symptom of insanity almost removed any and all practical restraints for the process of this project. I have yet to understand if this is good, bad, effective or pointless.
The overall purpose of my photographs in relation to my research about Futurism is to communicate the uneasy feelings of being dissociated from reality. When one becomes disconnected from the things that ground them, such as a calming environment, support systems and personal, economic or spiritual security, the feeling of fear has space to creep in. My research is focused on Futurism, specifically within Soviet Russia in a time of political and cultural disarray. In this context, Futurism became a physical manifestation of human awareness involved in processing world events. I find myself relating to these ideas, as I feel we are in a time of uneasy dissociation surrounding societal problems. My photographs create space to confront the confusing disorientation of what the future might look and feel like.
painting & drawing
The word “home” can mean just about anything to anyone. What makes a geographical space a home is the energy of the space or the ownership of the person. Upon first glance, many assumptions can be made about my neighborhood, but underneath those various opinions, lies a very beautiful space. This map will not lead you to any place you are familiar with. The geography on this map is not real, but it represents a very real energy, using the concept of psychogeography.
Understanding the history of a place is extremely important for one to properly represent and appreciate that space, so I wanted to show the layers and complications of this history. I separated the planes of space into two perspectives, 2D and 3D, to represent the various perceptions of space. I combined the visual language of map-making with an illustration of my home and my neighbor’s homes. Throughout the process of developing the map, I created miniature representations of space, and have begun to see these small pieces as the individual people that create a community.
Untitled
Our bodies serve the purpose of allowing us to experience the physical aspects of life and consciousness. They transport us, guide us, weigh us down. The body is often seen as a separate entity from the mind, and the two seem to argue sometimes. To align one's body and mind requires the acknowledgement of their dynamics. We experience life and our mind consumes it, but our body often holds our experiences.
I have a difficult relationship with my body, one that often results in frustration and defeat. My body sometimes fails me because of my immune system disease, and I feel anger towards my own physical weakness. My body confuses me by forcing my brain into fight or flight, convincing my psyche that I am in a traumatic moment when I am not. My memories cling to my blood vessels and bones. I am often not aware of this codependency between my body and my past, so I wonder why I feel stuck. This disconnect is allconsuming, but as I am in the process of intentionally healing, I cannot stop feeling this movement, not of my body, but inside it. It feels like my cells are rearranging themselves, and my organs are gasping for air. I am beginning to unravel, but that feels much better than sitting still, all crumpled up.
arts
&
crafts
&
crafts
The poem “Poor Connection” was written by my partner while he and I were going long distance. The poem expresses frustration within maintaining a committed relationship, especially during difficult times. I embroidered a sweatshirt as a response to his poem. Embroidery is new to me, so I have very little experience with it. I had to experiment throughout the whole project, taking risks, as it is difficult to erase mistakes with embroidery. Because of how time consuming the craft is, I worked on it daily, fully dedicating myself to the unknown outcome. Halfway through the project, I had a difficult conversation with my partner, and expressed the emotions it caused by working on this project. Even after the due date, I have still worked on the sweatshirt.