Artist Nancy Richards-Davis

Nancy Richards Davis - Artist Statement

I am an abstract artist with an emphasis on the encaustic process. I find the encaustic medium one that resonates a dialogue between the painting and the artist. Through the layering of pigmented beeswax and oil, I articulate a continual journey that seeks to reveal an idea, a memory, a feeling.

My work contains lots of layers, some thick and textural and others thin and translucent. A spiritual connection forms between each layer. It becomes a living organism, with the art and ideas working through me. Each layer becomes a life or passage, and as I excavate and scrape down the layer, a residue of that particular life or passage lingers and creates a history of emotion and energy.

I never start with a preconceived idea--I draw from ideas sifted through my life experiences and let nature influence me as I design. I've always been drawn to themes of the passage of time such as things in a state of deterioration, which I interpret as metaphors for life. I love textural surfaces such as ruins, weathered wood, and rust; things that show the entropy of the physical world. Recently I have been contrasting textural passages with smoother, translucent techniques that serve as metaphors for spirituality and healing.

My work is very process-oriented, because I experiment continuously to burrow into the uncharted and nonverbal areas of my life experiences. I like to keep things in flux--I keep things moving until something "clicks" and I can take it to resolution. When that happens, my mind, heart and soul experiences are in sync with the materials and a strong psycho-spiritual connection is created in the painting.

Resume

Education

1992 MA Painting, Kent State University, Kent, OH

1974 BFA, University of Akron, Akron, OH

1966-69 Art and Education courses, Bowling Green State University, OH

1998 Art New England, Mixed Media Workshop, Bennington, VT

2001 Craft Summer, Encaustic Workshop, Miami University, Oxford, OH

Exhibitions

Solo and Duo:

2005 Unspoken Connections, Millworks Gallery, Akron, OH

2000 Excavations, Millworks Gallery, Akron, OH

2005 YWCA 9th Annual Show, Butler Institute of American Art- Salem, OH

2005 5 Artists: Recent Works/Old Favorites, St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Akron, OH

2004 Kaleidoscope, Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH

2003 Kaleidoscope , Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH

2003 Zoo,Zoo, Deadhorse Gallery, Cleveland, OH

2002 Art on View 2002,The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center, Athens, OH - Juror, Petra Fallaux, Director Carnegie Mellon University Art Galleries

2001 Members Show, WomanMade Gallery, Chicago, IL

2001 Women Artists: A Celebration, Butler Institute of American Art - Youngstown, OH

1998 National Sculpture Exhibition, Hoyt Institute of Fine Art, New Castle, PA

1998 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU Mansfield, OH

1997 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU Mansfield, OH

1997 Marking Territory, Millworks Gallery, Akron, OH

1996 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU Mansfield, OH

1995 The View, Rosewood Arts Centre Gallery, Kettering, OH

1993 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU, Mansfield, OH

1992 Proscenium’92, The Beck Center, Cleveland, OH

2005 Judge’s Choice Award - YWCA 9th Annual Show, Butler Institute of American Art, Salem, OH

2004 Second Place Award - Kaleidoscope. Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH

2003 Best of Show Award - Kaleidoscope , Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH - Juror, William Busta

2001 Juror’s Award - Women Artists: A Celebration, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH

Professional Experience

1974-2004 Art Teacher, Buckeye Local School, Medina, OH

2003 Artist/Instructor: Introduction to Encaustic Painting Workshop, ArtHouse, Cleveland, OH



	Nancy Richards Davis - Artist Statement I am an abstract artist with an emphasis on the encaustic process. I find the encaustic medium one that resonates a dialogue between the painting and the artist. Through the layering of pigmented beeswax and oil, I articulate a continual journey that seeks to reveal an idea, a memory, a feeling. My work contains lots of layers, some thick and textural and others thin and translucent. A spiritual connection forms between each layer. It becomes a living organism, with the art and ideas working through me. Each layer becomes a life or passage, and as I excavate and scrape down the layer, a residue of that particular life or passage lingers and creates a history of emotion and energy. I never start with a preconceived idea--I draw from ideas sifted through my life experiences and let nature influence me as I design. I've always been drawn to themes of the passage of time such as things in a state of deterioration, which I interpret as metaphors for life. I love textural surfaces such as ruins, weathered wood, and rust; things that show the entropy of the physical world. Recently I have been contrasting textural passages with smoother, translucent techniques that serve as metaphors for spirituality and healing. My work is very process-oriented, because I experiment continuously to burrow into the uncharted and nonverbal areas of my life experiences. I like to keep things in flux--I keep things moving until something "clicks" and I can take it to resolution. When that happens, my mind, heart and soul experiences are in sync with the materials and a strong psycho-spiritual connection is created in the painting. Resume Education 1992 MA Painting, Kent State University, Kent, OH 1974 BFA, University of Akron, Akron, OH 1966-69 Art and Education courses, Bowling Green State University, OH 1998 Art New England, Mixed Media Workshop, Bennington, VT 2001 Craft Summer, Encaustic Workshop, Miami University, Oxford, OH Exhibitions Solo and Duo: 2005 Unspoken Connections, Millworks Gallery, Akron, OH 2000 Excavations, Millworks Gallery, Akron, OH Group: 2005 YWCA 9th Annual Show, Butler Institute of American Art- Salem, OH 2005 5 Artists: Recent Works/Old Favorites, St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Akron, OH 2004 Kaleidoscope, Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH 2003 Kaleidoscope , Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH 2003 Zoo,Zoo, Deadhorse Gallery, Cleveland, OH 2002 Art on View 2002,The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center, Athens, OH - Juror, Petra Fallaux, Director Carnegie Mellon University Art Galleries 2001 Members Show, WomanMade Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Women Artists: A Celebration, Butler Institute of American Art - Youngstown, OH 1998 National Sculpture Exhibition, Hoyt Institute of Fine Art, New Castle, PA 1998 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU Mansfield, OH 1997 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU Mansfield, OH 1997 Marking Territory, Millworks Gallery, Akron, OH 1996 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU Mansfield, OH 1995 The View, Rosewood Arts Centre Gallery, Kettering, OH 1993 All OH Juried Show, Pearl Conrad Gallery, OSU, Mansfield, OH 1992 Proscenium’92, The Beck Center, Cleveland, OH Awards 2005 Judge’s Choice Award - YWCA 9th Annual Show, Butler Institute of American Art, Salem, OH 2004 Second Place Award - Kaleidoscope. Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH 2003 Best of Show Award - Kaleidoscope , Summit ArtSpace, Akron, OH - Juror, William Busta 2001 Juror’s Award - Women Artists: A Celebration, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH Professional Experience 1974-2004 Art Teacher, Buckeye Local School, Medina, OH 2003 Artist/Instructor: Introduction to Encaustic Painting Workshop, ArtHouse, Cleveland, OH





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