Church Bulletin Artistry
By Artist Sam Dixon



Riceville United Church



Pendleton United Church

A Tribute to Samuel James Dixon: 1958-1995

In September 1992, the Rev. Gail Christy, my wife, became the Minister at Riceville-Pendleton. Like all "good" clergy spouses, I tried to meet and get acquainted with as many of the congregation as possible in as short a time as possible.

During this "exercise" I met Sam Dixon, the son of Jim and Inez Dixon. In getting acquainted with Sam, I discovered that he was a commercial artist whose specialty was "story-board artistry". I happened to mention to him early in Gail’s ministry at Riceville-Pendleton (probably mid-fall, 1992) that the congregation was running out of bulletin covers and that it would be nice, if in his free time, he could and would design a new cover for us.

He did, using photos of the two churches which currently make up the pastoral charge. The result appears in the framed picture to which this note is attached. The picture shows Riceville United Church at the top and Pendleton United Church at the bottom.

This bulletin cover was first used August 8, 1993 in Riceville and has been used regularly since then for services in Riceville and Pendleton.

Robert (Bob) Christy
June 11, 2000

The Artist Samuel James Dixon
1958-1995

At 4:30 in the morning of September 22, 1958, a husband was awakened with some urgency by his very pregnant wife whose water had just broken. The family car was a 1928 Model "A" Ford, and the hospital a long ways away, so arrangements were made to use the truck of a very kind neighbour. Several towels were loaded in with the mother before heading out on a rather hurried trip to the hospital in Hawkesbury.

A half an hour after arriving at the hospital, the women gave birth to a beautiful son, a brother to three-year old Peter (and to his not-yet-born sisters, Nanci and Kristine). At the appropriate time, the baby was christened in the Pendleton United Church as Samuel James Dixon.

Sam progressed normally as a baby, but even before he learned to walk, he could be heard humming in his crib, tunes he had heard the day before. It was at that time that his parents knew they had a very talented child on their hands.

From about three years of age, Sam was forever drawing –cartoon characters, among other things. His artistic talents made him very popular at school, and while attending Plantagenet Public School, he painted a large mural on one of the walls depicting several Walt Disney characters, which can be viewed to this day.

In high school he also excelled in many sports, as well as in drama. He was in the drama club for most of his high school career, and one year went to a regional competition in Cornwall with his school’s play, "Waiting for Unesco," where he was chosen "Best Actor" of the Festival.

When Sam was about fifteen years of age, CBC television filmed a segment on him for one of their regional shows. The film crew came down to the farm and his paintings were arranged around the old well in the barn yard. He was interviewed about his artwork and his life in general. They also filmed him working in the fields baling hay.

Sam was a delightful boy to work with on the farm–trustworthy, and always in good humour. Sometimes he could be absent-minded, like the time he put gasoline in the diesel tractor. The mechanics at Plantagenet were baffled as to why the tractor was losing power, until they looked in the fuel tank. All had a good laugh.

After high school, Sam went to the Ontario College of Art in Toronto for one year, and then to Algonquin College in Ottawa. He worked for some time with Nelvana Productions in Toronto storyboarding for various animation feature films (like the Care Bears Movie), and for television (Inspector Gadget).



In hindsight, it became apparent that it was during this time that the symptoms of schizophrenia first began to take their toll on him, and would continue to do so for the next thirteen years. After his eventual diagnosis, he was able to function and maintain relationships and a job, however, the medications required to stabilize him were very difficult for him to handle. Although without them he had very little control over his thoughts and actions, while medicated he suffered the loss of his creativity, motivation, energy –his natural enthusiasm for life. Finally, after going off his medication for a prolonged period, and after having done some uncharacteristically hurtful things, he was admitted to the Royal Ottawa Hospital where he remained for several days. However, his attacks of instability, and the hurt his condition was causing to the people he loved, were becoming more and more difficult for him to bear. He must have concluded at this time that the situation could not be allowed to go on, for, at age thirty-seven, he then very bravely took his own life.



In loving memory of a beautiful son and brother.
And in loving memory of his mother, Inez.
Written by James and Peter Dixon

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