An artist's haven

Just a stone�s throw from a bustling commercial area in Waukesha County, the Dix home, wrapped in woodland plantings, seems like a northern retreat. Built in 1971, the structure, which serves as Dix�s home, gallery and studio, is a series of cubes that seem to emerge from clefts in the forested hillside. In early spring, hundreds of snowdrops scatter cheerful welcome mats on the forest floor. Later, bloodroot, trillium and Virginia bluebells will brighten the outdoor landscape.

Guests approach the home down a natural path on the lowest of three ground levels and, through an exterior corridor created by thick stacks of firewood (the home has three working fireplaces), enter the gathering space.Charles Dix�s gardens are constantly evolving. The artist began landscaping his Delafield property over 30 years ago. "I started by putting in a line of trees," said Dix who likes physical labor and, over the years, spent many an hour digging and planting.