Today we’d like to introduce you to DeMetra Dixon.
Hi DeMetra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Let me start this off by saying that I strongly believe that from birth, I was destined to be an artist! Let me briefly explain.
My name is DeMetra Paulette Dixon and my nickname is Dee. Now, if you take my first name and write it backwards, you get arteMeD. I write it out as ARTemeD and pronounce it as “Art in me Dee”. With my middle name, if you remove one letter it will spell out Palette. So, there it is, I was born an art palette. I don’t know… lol it makes sense to me lol.
Fast forward from birth. As a child, I kept coloring books, crayons, loose paper, pens, markers, and anything else that allowed me to express whatever creative idea that I had. I would color and draw pictures for pretty much anyone I came in contact with. My mom use to always have me around art. One of her close friends is a well known artist in Los Angeles and as a child, I remember going to all sorts of art shows and exhibits. I remember seeing different kinds of art pieces and sculptures and meeting all these unique individuals. As much as I loved the art world, I had no earthly idea that I would grow up to become an artist, Absolutely no inkling. I just thought it was something that I really liked to do and just happen to be good at it. In high school, I always took an art class but I honestly was always bored in art class so I never fully gave it 100%. In college, I dropped out of the art program because it was extremely boring and it wasn’t keeping my attention. I remember doing a project and failing because I couldn’t explain why I chose the colors that I used on the sculpture I made. The professor wanted a detailed explanation and I was just like, “I used them because they look good together.” As the artist I am today and looking back on it, I now get what she wanted from me. I always think of that assignment because now when I create, I want to make sure that I can explain in full detail. If she asks me now, I bet you I could tell her why I chose those colors. lol
By me exiting the art program in college, I became self-taught. Yes indeed, I am a self-taught artist and I mean that in every sense of the word lol. In 2016, I was approached to be a model and brand ambassador for a hair company. I went to school with the owner, so it was someone I personally knew and she knew that i use to draw all of the time in school. While having a conversation with her, I expressed that I had been thinking about painting and wanted to try as a career. The encouragement that I received from her and the the other model was ah-ma-zing. She had a shop in Deep Ellum, which is in Dallas, Texas, and I would sit in front of her shop borderline on the street and just paint. It was SOOO freeing. With the modeling, I would always introduce myself as an artist first. Working with her and modeling helped me to get my name and face out there amongst many people in the industry. The very first celebrity I painted for during that time was 21 Savage. Fast forward some years, I have also painted for Tyler Lepley, Jada Cheaves (Jayda Wayda), and even Young Dolph. In between, I have done a few art shows, murals, and have even had my own solo art show.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth road? Ha! More like a bumpy rollercoaster built by someone who’s never held a wrench and was blindfolded during an earthquake. Thy joys of being self-taught. lol
Let’s just say when you’re a self-taught visual artist, “smooth” is a myth—like unicorns or clean paintbrushes. My early paintings looked like my puppy had unresolved emotional trauma and took it out on a canvas. lol Bust seriously, where do I start? Convincing people that “yes, that blob is supposed to be a horse.” “Yes, that blob will cost you $300.” Learning perspective by drawing the same chair 47 times until it stopped looking like it melted. Battling imposter syndrome while watching 12-year-olds on YouTube paint like Renaissance masters. And don’t even get me started on explaining to family that being an artist IS a job, and no, I don’t just doodle all day while sipping tea and thinking about feelings, lol. But hey, all those weird twists and turns and paint-stained disasters made me who I am. The road wasn’t smooth—but it’s for sure covered in glitter, chaos, and enough character to fuel ten sketchbooks’ worth of stories.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Ah, what do I do? Well, basically, I’m like a chef who figured out how to cook using only what was in the fridge… and sometimes that fridge has expired milk. lol I specialize in canvas work – mainly portraits, sculptures, and murals, which means I can mess up just about every medium known to mankind and somehow still call it art. I am known for my portraits. I tried my hardest to run away from doing portraits and ended up running right into it. lol It is literally the main thing I get commissioned to do.
What am I most proud of? Definitely the time someone stared at a portrait I did and said, “It looks like me… but, like, cooler.” I’m also super proud of my ability to turn any blank surface into my client’s thoughts and ideas. Also, the fact that my art has made people laugh, cry, and someone once said that my painting may have healed a childhood wound they had.
What sets me apart? I don’t follow rules—mostly because I never learned them. lol I taught myself everything I know through trial, error, and a lot of accidental superglue incidents. My work has this raw, unpolished, “I-can’t-believe-this-works-but-it-does” kind of vibe. It’s not perfect—but it’s alive. Its not perfect—but its mine. I don’t take myself too seriously. If something doesn’t work, I just change it—after all, mistakes are just happy accidents that you can charge extra for in a gallery. lol And I really think that willingness to dive in without caring if my piece is perfect is what gives my work its energy. So yeah, I create work that doesn’t just hang on walls but demands attention. And no, I don’t always know where I’m going with a piece—sometimes it’s like a blindfolded walk through an abstract jungle. But hey, the adventure’s half the fun, right?
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Ah, risk-taking… I have a few risks and well, let’s just say that with being a self-taught artist, risks is kind of my constant companion. I tend to think of risk as an inevitable part of the process. It’s like walking into a crowded room with my eyes closed, hoping I won’t bump into a metaphorical furniture of rejection, confusion, or extreme imposter syndrome. There are a lot of risks involved, and not just the risk of accidentally dipping my paintbrush into my glass of wine (this has happened more than once, and I still haven’t learned my lesson lol.)
One of the biggest risks I deal with is that nagging feeling of not being enough/ being unqualified, because I didn’t go through the traditional art school route. I’m basically creating art while being handed an imaginary “no degree” stamp. There’s this constant worry of whether I will be taken seriously, especially when I’m trying to compete with artists who have formal training, degrees, and platforms to get their art out to the world. It’s all about the art you make, not the certificate hanging on the wall, right? It’s a risk, but it also pushes me to prove myself through my work.
Another risk is me not having a blueprint to follow. No one’s telling me the “right way” to approach a canvas or a sculpture. It’s ALL trial, error, and a lot of “what if this works?” moments. I have tried a lot of techniques that end up as complete failures, only to realize later that those mistakes were the spark for something new and exciting. But there’s always a slight hint of uncertainty hanging over me: Will this different style, this risky combination of mediums actually work? Will people get it?
The risk of inconsistent income and journey to financial stability can be wild. I might make an amazing sculpture or a portrait that sells instantly but then face weeks or even months of crickets. If I’m relying on my art as my primary income, I’m constantly walking the tightrope between creative passion and financial uncertainty.
The risk of rejection, whether it’s from galleries, clients, or even casual viewers. It stings, especially when you’re self-taught, because there’s a voice in the back of your head saying, “Maybe they’re right, maybe I’m just not good enough.” But rejection is also an inevitable part of the process, and it’s often the fuel that drives you to prove the naysayers wrong. It’s a risk, but also an opportunity for growth.
But here’s the thing, with all these risks, there’s something undeniably empowering about being a self-taught artist. There are no rules except the ones I create for myself. I get to fail on my own terms, pick myself back up, and shape my own path. Sure, it’s risky, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Taking risks is part of the game and sometimes, the greatest risks lead to the most unexpected, magical outcomes.
Pricing:
- Portraits – Base $350
- Abstract – Base $250
- Custom designs – $275
- Custom Apparel – Jackets – Base $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.krookedcrownartistry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KrookedCrownArtistry
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrookedCrownArtistry
