Donald Davis

Art Brokerage: Donald Davis American Artist: b. 1950. A rural upbringing in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range plays an important role in his art. He was born in 1950 in central California and was raised on a ranch. Being in the midst of nature, observing plant growth at close range or experiencing awe in the glacially carved canyons of the High Sierra have been compelling influences. His attraction to the process of making sculpture, and the love of using tools and materials are rooted in that working ranch environment. In 1968 he left for the East Coast and enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design. In both drawing and sculpture, he concentrated on the human figure and soon began carving marble. He graduated with a B.F.A. in 1972 and then spent the next year studying in Italy. His travels throughout Italy have had a profound impact on his work. Studying ancient architecture and figurative sculpture fostered his respect for principles of structure. Donald was impressed with the Roman sites, altered by the forces of decay, gravity and erosion and yet still emanating strength and order. The way these structures were reshaped by nature and even altered by the destructive hand of man is intriguing to him. Donald returned to Italy frequently to maintain connected there and to work in the stone carving studios of Carrara. Donald also continue to be drawn back to explore the high country of the Sierra and these excursions serve as a parallel source of inspiration. His sculptural endeavors reflect this ebb and flow between the two hemispheres. Some works are about nature - the shapes are fluid and organic; other works are architectonic, geometric and based on man's constructions. Often his sculptures join and juxtapose the differing forms and seek a harmonious balance. His primary ongoing objective is to interlace these two hemispheres and celebrate the underlying principles that his view as a great common bond throughout. Listings wanted.