Art & Life with Deaundre Dixon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deaundre Dixon.

Deaundre, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Sure. So, I was born in Waterloo, Iowa on November 10, 1998, to a single mother. As a little kid, I was never super into any of the arts. I was mostly into the typical things that boys are into sports, action figures, video games, etc. That all changed around the time, I was 10ish years old, and I picked up my first volume of the “Naruto” manga. I was absolutely enthralled by it and was reading all the time. This introduced me into the realm of visual storytelling and inspired me to nurture and develop myself as an artist. My mom was very supportive of my efforts and thanks to her and God, I have persisted in my craft, refusing to give up or stagnate.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Okay. So, first and foremost, I should let you know that before anything I am a storyteller. The medium is subject to change on any given day, really. However, my focuses at the moment are film and music. I first became interested in film from drawing comics and animation, and the transition was made after I discovered the capabilities of live-action film. I had always thought that the scope of the live-action film was so much more limited than animation. However, while it may cost a lot more, there are definitely no limitations when it comes to live-action. I actually came to this realization after watching the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” film. Music, on the other hand, came about as being a more direct way to express the way I feel in a shorter amount of time, and with less money. This is always the inspiration for my art; self-expression, As someone who is a master at bottling their emotions, these outlets are some of the only ways to vent and release my frustrations, while telling stories that I can get lost in at the same time. This should definitely always be the takeaway when consuming my art; that I am expressing my genuine feelings or telling stories that are based on worlds I envision in my mind, and if you relate to these stories, that’s awesome! If not, that’s awesome too!

Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
In a lot of ways, I think conditions for artists are the same as they’ve always been. It’s still difficult to make art for a living, just as it always has been. However, I also think that we’re living in a very special time in the art world. We live in a time where art is really thriving. So many teenagers and young adults are expressing themselves through artistic mediums, and it’s really beautiful. As a community, we should really cultivate the vastly untapped artistic potential of the youth that’s literally everywhere. Just go to First Friday, and you’ll see what I mean. The more we support local art, the greater our impact will be as artists, and the more artists can continue to push boundaries and challenge the status quo.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My films/videos can be found on YouTube by searching “Deaundre Dixon,” and my music can be found on all major streaming services by searching “Deaundre.” Support me by watching and listening, please. Much love!

Contact Info:

• Email: deaundredixon@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOceDBYL82k
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb7hjd0nHJk4ETUOx-I8CUg

Image Credit:
Nappy Headed Visuals, Jennifer Godoy, Deaundre Dixon, Nai Pak, Adrian Jimenez

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