APSU student Javon Dixon, shoe customizer focuses ‘on my craft’ during Coronavirus Crisis

Clarksville, TN – Meet Javon Dixon. Austin Peay State University (APSU) student, programmer and shoe customizer. 

We’ve all been there: compromising on a pair of shoes. “Yes, they’re comfortable but they’re so ugly,” you might say. “If only I had a professional to style the perfect pair of shoes just for me! I have such great ideas.” 

“I customize shoes based on what my customers desire,” Dixon said. “They tell me a subject or color scheme and I make a rough draft then design them.” 

Dixon is a computer science major and graphic design minor. He said that his minor helps influence his imagination. 

“I customize shoes as a hobby. After I graduate, I want to continue pursuing opportunities in graphic design. Customizing shoes gives me the opportunity to improve,” Dixon said. 

For Dixon, it started when he changed the color of his shoelaces to match one of his outfits. This led to an interest in acrylic paint, which led to him changing “the whole definition of shoes and art.” 

Dixon has been creating shoes for nine months. He points to his father as the impetus for his love of art.  

“My father and I did many projects for school together,” Dixon said. “Drawing and painting dragons, hands and even sculpturing a miniature jungle.” 

Coronavirus: ‘My job shut down, days go faster’

Like all of us, Dixon is feeling the effects of COVID-19, which led to colleges across the nation moving to an online-only format for the rest of the semester. 

“I am currently managing my online classes. The coronavirus has actually helped my business as I have more time to manage all of my social media accounts. It has also given me more time to focus on my craft and deliver a better product for my customers,” Dixon said. 

Dixon said his main concern with coronavirus is how its spread will affect the future. 

“I realized the effect it was having when my job shut down. Seeing businesses shut down, society change and days go by faster really opened my eyes,” Dixon said. 

“I think everyone needs to stay home,” Dixon said. “If we all stayed home, cases would decrease, but it doesn’t seem like everyone is taking it seriously.” 

 

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To learn more 

• To see Dixon’s work, visit his Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/jaythegreatcustomz/?hl=en.
• For more about the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, visit https://www.apsu.edu/csci/.
• For more about the Department of Art + Design, go to https://www.apsu.edu/art-design/