Introduction

Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) thrived in the raw beauty and remoteness of the Western landscape and its diverse cultures. His iconic interpretations of this land and time form the backbone of this exhibition. Illustrating the artist’s range beyond the canvas, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is honored to exhibit more than 250 artworks created by the Western artist. Maynard Dixon’s American West is the most comprehensive retrospective exhibition to date, showcasing his lifework and artistic career. 

Maynard Dixon’s work continually provides new insights into some of the long-standing questions about historical narrative. The stories Dixon told, as illustrated throughout this gallery with paintbrush and word, evoke the spiritual side of man’s nature and a shared need to collectively envision the past. There is great importance for those who are exposed to Dixon’s work for the first time to experience a different understanding of the lifeways as others contemporaneous to Dixon perceived it, and not necessarily as how we see it today. As we continue to evolve, the universal language of Dixon’s artwork remains relevant. 

Maynard Dixon’s American West aligns with the museum’s aim to help our guests See the West from a Whole New Perspective, as they tour this landmark exhibition and immerse themselves in Dixon’s American West that features his uniquely modern and independent view of the region. 

We thank Doctor Mark Sublette, the exhibition’s co-curator and founder of the Medicine Man Gallery and Maynard Dixon Museum in Tucson, Arizona, for his remarkable contributions and the collaborative spirit he brought to this exhibition. Doctor Sublette is also the author of the recently published 525-page masterpiece book, Maynard Dixon’s American West: Along the Distant Mesa, a companion piece to this show and the text for the exhibition.