Kyle Dixon photograph by Baxter Miller
In his Beaufort studio, Kyle Dixon sketches Santa Claus climbing into a chimney. Dressed in his iconic red suit, Santa holds a sack that’s overflowing — not with toys but with duck decoys.
This isn’t just any jolly old Saint Nick — it’s Santa Cliff, aka Cliff Snider, a High Point resident who has worked as a professional Santa for nearly 60 years. After Dixon transforms the sketch into a painting, he’ll sell it at the annual Core Sound Decoy Festival on Harkers Island. Proceeds will benefit the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum Store to support local wildlife conservation.
A lifelong artist, Dixon specializes in painting scenes inspired by wildlife and coastal landscapes. His passion for art began in kindergarten, when his teacher asked him to help paint caricatures of Hansel and Gretel on the school building. He has since turned his self-taught talent into a rewarding career.
Dixon painted Santa’s Little Helper in 2020. painting by Kyle Dixon
Dixon first came across photos of Santa Cliff online in 2014. Snider’s cheerful demeanor and genuine embodiment of Santa captured his imagination. Every year since, Dixon has painted Snider for his Core Sound Decoy Festival booth, sometimes using photos as a guide to help emulate Santa’s spirit. Each of his pieces incorporates a bird or decoy to highlight the organization’s focus.
By blending his love of art with the conservation mission of the festival, Dixon celebrates the joy of the season while also supporting the natural environment that he calls home.
The learn more about the Core Sound Decoy Festival, held December 7 and 8, visit decoyguild.com/decoyfestival. To learn more about Kyle Dixon’s work, visit kyledixonnatureart.com.
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