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Art teacher James Hixson didn't show up for work today (Monday) at Gateway Charter High School. Instead, Principal Joe Roles approved his time off to attend the very prestigious Sculpture in the South Art Show held in Summerville S.C. Only 35 artists in the nation are invited to the show and Hixson's sculptures attracted the attention of show organizers.

Hixson gets no time off from his teaching duties though. During the show, he is leading several educational demonstrations on sculpture technique. In his mind, education and art go hand-in-hand. In addition to his position at Gateway Charter High School as art teacher, he is also an adjunct instructor at Rasmussen College in Fort Myers.

"I believe it is important to combine education with art," says Hixson. "I feel it is vital to educate the public on the limitless possibilities of creative expression."

Focusing heavily on feminine forms and utilizing primarily wood as his medium, Hixson's philosophy is to combine human form with natural substances in order to gain a better understanding of the role humans play on this planet.

"Wood is an innate part of this earth and who we all are as people," says Hixson. "Used for fire and warmth, shelter and tools for sustenance, wood is intrinsically linked to the timeline of human evolution. By combining wood with the human form, I capture this everlasting symbiotic relationship in my sculptures."

Hixson chooses his wood for the inherent character it represents and uses no human models to create his artwork. Instead, he allows the wood to guide the shape and provide inspiration.

He has been interested in art since elementary school when he won an award in an art competition. His interest flourished when in high school, he entered several sculptures in the "Governor's Art Show" in Ohio and won a top prize.

He has been commissioned to create multiple public sculptures as well as works for private collections. For more information about the Sculpture in the South Art Show, visit http://www.sculptureinthesouth.com.

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