(Featured image above: Jo Hixon with some of her work displayed in the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit)
Local artist Jo Hixon takes you, through her art, on a journey in and around places and people of Randolph County. I first became aware of her amazing artistic talent on Facebook. People have shared beautiful pictures of a beloved pet or a past loved one that Jo so beautifully immortalized on canvas. She has always drawn in pencil and pen.
Works like Khrista’s Barn, Cordray’s Mill Store, The Barn, Eva Ruth Rigsby Gymnasium are great examples of her art and are currently on loan from the owners of her art work to be displayed as part of the Smithsonian Traveling exhibit.
About five years ago, she took a watercolor class and has enjoyed working with this new medium. A watercolor on exhibit titled, Syrup Making, featuring Willie Chester with William Burnett is a great example of her watercolor works.
Jo said she prefers to draw and paint animals and nature. She can use a picture of your pet or animal to draw from it. She said painting portraits of people is harder with watercolors to get the skin tones just right. She had been able to convert a room in her home to her full-time studio. She said it makes it so much easier; “I don’t have to put up my painting supplies after painting and I can just walk in and go to painting the next time.”
To see some of Jo Hixon’s works of art, go to the Maloof building on the Cuthbert square where the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit is currently on display.