Married to a State Department diplomat, Marilyn lived in exotic locations around the world. In each country , she studied the arts and added these images to her style. While in Germany, she studied the old masters; in Greece, the ancient art. In Malaysia she had the opportunity to study Chinese brush painting and batik, and printmaking in Denmark.
Stateside, she studied pastels and wood sculpture in Taos, NM and acrylic painting for her Masters degree at Virginia Commonwealth University. " My art is an expression of the spirit." says Ms. Dizikes. "My vision changes as I experience changes to my life and environment. In some Native-American cultures there is no word for art because it is such an integral part of daily life. I agree with this philosophy - art is life."
Ms. Dizikes is currently teaching acrylics at the Hilton Head Art Academy and art at the Hilton Head Elementary School's Island Academy. She is also chairperson of the Education Committee of the Hilton Head Art League. She has had numerous one-person shows in Virginia and was chosen as Artist in Public Places for Fairfax County. Her work was accepted into the 2003 Hilton Head Art National Juried Show. While abroad, she worked in two print studios in Copenhagen, Denmark where she had 3 one-woman shows: two at the American Embassy and one at the Fredicksbourg Town Hall. Her work is held is several collections, including TIAA-CREF in Washington, DC, the American Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the Fredicksbourg Town Hall in Denmark.
Ms. Dizikes compares the work of art to the art of music. "A painter uses imagination, skill and a palette of colors to create something never seen before. This is the artist's unique vision, just as a musician creates music never heard before," she says. "Colors are to an artist as notes are to a musician. They can be kept soft (piano) or made to shout ( forte)."
