Origins and Education

Born in 1971 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Monica Dix developed an early identity as an artist in childhood when teachers recognized her talent and asked for her help with bulletin boards. This identity strengthened in high school where she took all available art classes, learned diverse media including analog photography and even welding. Her education journey included Columbus College of Art and Design and Carnegie Mellon, where she double majored to gain a Renaissancestyle education surrounded by writers, philosophers, and scientists. She ultimately graduated with a concentration in ceramic sculpture.

Rediscovering Art After a Hiatus

After a 15-year break running a coffeehouse and a pub and raising a family, Dix found her way back to art during a difficult pregnancy with hyperemesis gravidarum. When even watching TV became uncomfortable, she began creating pen and ink sketches of her family. This rekindled her artistic spark, as she realized that her "brain was still seeing things like an artist". In 2017, she committed to working consistently on her art through various projects and with the help of an art coach.

Technology's Impact on Her Artistic Practice

The iPad and digital drawing tools revolutionized Dix's artistic practice, allowing her to create portable art while managing family responsibilities. This technological shift enabled her to work anywhere—from car lines to airports— leading to greater visibility on social media and eventually a position as an art teacher. She has since joined artist groups to continue learning and find exhibition opportunities, with a recent selection to exhibit at a local botanical garden. Dix continues to work in traditional media, including oils, gouache, charcoal, graphite, and silverpoint.