by ASHLEY MILLER

for the Sequim Gazette

Tim Dix isn’t the type of man to dwell on the negative.

It’s more than just making lemonade from lemons, so to speak. When life handed Dix esophageal cancer and then a second bout with inoperable larynx cancer six years later, he didn’t take the diagnosis as a death sentence. Instead he used the experience to nurture his creative side — and earn a few bucks while he was at it.

“Art keeps me busy,” Dix said. “I don’t have a whole lot of energy while I’m going through treatment but I always find a way to go out to my shop.”

Dix has spent his life as an artist and salesman — making leather goods, taking and selling photographs and creating authentic native drums and arrowheads.

After getting married in 1984, he and is wife, Jenni, hit the road in a 27-foot motor home and traveled to arts and crafts fairs and shows in Alaska and beyond.

Now Dix focuses on copper and brass art. He specializes in flowers, mushrooms, earrings, bracelets, barrettes and animals.

As Dix finishes the last dozen or so chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments, he has expressed an interest in helping others with cancer find peace and happiness through art. He’d like to find others who are going through treatment or struggling to come to terms with a diagnosis and teach them all he knows about metal art — from choosing a pattern and chiseling an outline to cutting the metal and hammering the pattern onto it.

Though the chemo and radiation have devastated his body in the process of killing the cancer cells, Dix’s spirit remains positive.

“The cancer hasn’t had that much of an effect on me,” he insisted, “only a bit of a sore throat and raspy voice.”

Jenni shook her head in disagreement from the other room. Her husband’s fight against cancer has been difficult on her, too.

“Oh yes it has,” she said, walking over to him and placing her hand lovingly on his shoulder. “It’s made him very sick at times and very tired, but he’s not one to complain.”

Whenever possible, both of the Dixes give a shout out to the Seattle Cancer Treatment & Wellness Center in Renton for its doctors, treatment and uplifting atmosphere.

“The cancer treatment and wellness center was a big part of my healing process the last time and the main reason I want to help others with cancer,” he said.

Dix’s metal artwork is on display and for sale at Sorensen Chiropractic & Massage and Tarcisio’s Italian Place. A vase filled with beautiful copper and brass flowers will be on display at Starbucks coffee shop in

Sequim for two months.

Dix plans to have a booth at the Soroptimist Gala Garden Show on March 19 at the Boys & Girls Club in Sequim.

He also does custom work by request.

“I do it for the money, of course, but more than that I do it for the people,” Dix said about his artwork, “and myself.”

“It truly keeps him going,” his wife said, “not to mention the fact that he’s talented and his work brightens any room.”

With the turn of the year, Dix has renamed his business “Metal Petals” to better reflect what he does.

For more information, call 681-0110 or 808-0377.