(Canton, MI – June 12, 2023) The Fine Art Gallery at the Village Arts Factory welcomes the featured works of local artist Carl Davis in celebration of the Juneteenth holiday entitled “Juneteenth Series,” which will be on public display from June 16 – July 20, 2023. An opening art reception will be held on June 16 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. that is free and open to the public.
The dichotomy of Juneteenth, being seen as both a celebration of freedom as well as a somber remembrance, is not lost on Carl Davis. In his own words, “How we honor America’s not-so-glorious past, is to open your mind to the change of how we think.” Davis believes creating art through collage work, “allows the mind to ponder abstract art of natural landscapes, the legacy of slavery, the countless people who suffered the cruelty of slavery, and many of those who rose up and fought for freedom.” His desire for the Juneteenth Series is that it “will open minds to research relative topics and cultures in the hope that it will build a better and kinder tomorrow.”
Despite coming from little means, Carl Davis grew up in a family with an honest appreciation for a fine quality of life. As a child, he spent time learning to draw and paint at The Cincinnati Art Academy and later studied at The Cincinnati Art Museum. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from The Ohio State University.
After a long career as an art director in the Midwest and in New York City, where Davis was the Creative Director in Advertising for The New York Times, he returned to his first love of painting. He has exhibited his work in various galleries throughout New York, Chicago, California, and Europe, with various celebrities, organizations, and companies collecting his artwork.
During Carl Davis’s travels throughout southern Europe and Northwest Africa, he became enamored with the religious-themed fresco art. Drawn to the antique quality, peeling, and fading that comes over time, Davis worked for years to master this painting method. This included controlling wet plaster on various surfaces and then creating various textures using dry pigment and marble dust, among other medium choices to achieve the desired coloration.
Post-pandemic, Davis brought his passion along with him as he relocated to Canton, Michigan to reside and spend time with his family. Completing the “Juneteenth Series” exhibit, represents the remembrance of his work throughout his art career, using archival paper of past work woven into his painted fresco technique on canvas and wood. This series brings the artistic passion of Carl Davis full circle.
This special exhibit is free and open to the public during gallery hours: Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; as well as during all public Village Arts Factory events; or by special appointment arranged via email to kevin.ryan@cantonmi.gov.
The unique and expansive Fine Art Gallery at The Village Arts Factory, located at 50755 Cherry Hill Road in Canton, welcomes visitors to experience art in an up-close and captivating environment. Serving a dual purpose as a bustling point of connection to many of the artist studios, as well as an immersive art display space, the Fine Art Gallery is truly the heart of the Village Arts Factory where art is created, displayed, viewed, and appreciated. For more information on this latest exhibition, call 734/386-0650 or visit villageartsfactory.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Ryan, Community Program Director, Partnership for the Arts & Humanities, 734/386-0650.
PHOTOS: Images of works created by artist Carl Davis on display at the Village Arts Factory from June 16-July 22, 2023.