Northcliff-based artist Lessie Bernardo Dixon has travelled a long road… One painted in both colour and conviction.

Born in Tennessee, and later shaped by Chicago’s vibrant arts scene, Dixon has found an unexpected sense of home in South Africa, a place he describes as having filled a part of him that was missing, the moment he stepped off the plane in 2023.

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Dixon’s artistic journey spans decades. Trained by accomplished American painters, he sharpened his mastery of portraiture all while expanding into contemporary, abstract, and mixed-media work. His range often surprises audiences, as it can, at times, be a jazz-infused street-pop canvas, displayed beside a classical portrait. Each work executed with the same deliberate chiaroscuro and confident brushwork that define his signature style.

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What brought him to South Africa, however, goes beyond personal discovery. Dixon is driven by a mission to pass on his skills. “Everything I learned in the arts was meant to be shared.” It is because his mentors in the US poured their knowledge into him, that he believes it would be selfish not to do the same for emerging artists here.
His dream is to teach young people, especially those who have never touched oil paint, and help unlock the talent he believes lies dormant in many communities.

Although still learning the local art landscape, Dixon said he has been welcomed warmly. He hopes to build relationships with galleries, creatives, and neighbourhood art hubs, and eventually transition into painting full-time after 34 years working at UPS driver. “I just want to give back. If even one young artist takes what I’ve taught and grows – then I’ve done my job.”

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