Sunday, September 10, 2023

"It Might Be" at Gamut Gallery in Mpls

"Hello" 12x16", acrylic/Graphite, $550- available here

On Friday we celebrated the opening of 
in Downtown Minneapolis

A beautiful group show curated by the amazing Chuck U
It is my great honor to have 4 new paintings in the show.

"Curious" 12x16", acrylic/Graphite, $550- available here (SOLD)

"Garden" 12x16", acrylic/Graphite, $550- available here 

"Stranger" 12x16", acrylic/Graphite, $550- available here 

A nice little blurb from my new favorite RacketMN.

September 8th- September 30th, 2023
“It Might Be”- A Lowbrow Illustrative Art Show curated by Chuck U, featuring 14 international, national, and local artists.

Featuring: Alex Kuno, Briana Hertzog, Chuck U, Evan Weselmann, Ewok, Jennifer Davis, John Sauer, Michael Koehler, Riiisa Boogie, Rodrigo OƱate, Swartz Brothers, Tim Molloy, Vivian Le, WingChow. 

You may find yourself asking, “What is Lowbrow Art?” Lowbrow emerged in the 1960’s in California as an extension of Surrealism, Fauvism, and Dadaism. Recognized as an illustrative street style, lowbrow works traditionally invoke humor and whimsy with imaginative compositions that tell a story. During the 1980’s, Minneapolis had a thriving punk and alternative music scene that fostered lowbrow styles incorporated by local artists. Tom Halzelmeyer, owner of Amphetamine Reptile Records was a pioneer in the movement in the Twin Cities with his former gallery Ox-Op, which featured the works of Shepard Fairy, Camille Rose Garcia, Shag, Delak, and more! By the 1990’s when Robert Williams (“the godfather of lowbrow art”) founded Juxtapoz Art & Culture magazine, lowbrow art had intersected with other subcultures such as street art, tattoo art, and illustration, heavily influencing and cross-pollinating commercial art and fine art.

Originally, this artistic approach was highly criticized, however, it began to gain popularity due to its stark contrast to “traditional” art. Rejecting “high art” and instead celebrating popular culture inspired by comic books, B-movies, hot rods and kitsch, the lowbrow movement established a platform for artists to create works with fantasy, surreal, and cartoon elements.  “It Might Be” curator, Chuck U’s interpretation will be aesthetically represented in the roster of international, national, and local artists he has assembled whose illustrative lowbrow styles are expanding the definition of fine art, story, and fantasy, continuing this narrative.

Please note: All artworks will stay on view in the gallery and purchases will be available for local pick-up on October 4th and online orders will be mailed out October 2nd.


Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Enormous Tiny Art Show #34 at Nahcotta


Poodle, 8" round

I have just released a fresh batch of 6 new, little paintings for 

Enormous Tiny Art Show #34 at Nahcotta in Portsmouth, NH.

All of these paintings (and more from my recent show "Flying Colors") are available online now:

Jennifer Davis Paintings at Nahcotta

Phoenix, 8" round

Flowers, 8" round

Dog, 8" round

Fish, 8" round

Cat, 8" round

P.S. They look even better in person- I painted the beveled edges with niiiice colors ;o)
 



More pics at the shop link above. Thanks for lookin!

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

New "Garden" Mural in Cedar Rapids, IA


 My partner, Brad, and I had the great pleasure of painting a large, outdoor mural for The Arc of East Central Iowa in Cedar Rapids. Our mural was generously funded by David Meier, Murals & More, The Arc, and the City of Cedar Rapids.

Canadian wildfires made for some smokey but beautiful sunrises at the mural site. This was taken from the top of the parking ramp across the street. I painted from dawn to noon and then again in the evenings because daytime temps were in the 90s.

It's really BIG! On the upper right you can see me overcoming my fears at the very top of the boom lift.

Up on the lift painting the rabbit ears

A view from way up high- Brad painting on the ground

The long part of the mural is on the street side and a big red bird wraps around the front/parking lot side of the building

Viewed from the parking lot across the street the wrap-around corner of the mural looks flat- exactly as I hoped it would turn out!

The squirrel is my favorite part.


A cat, of course.

There are 10 critters to discover...here's a yellow bird.

Lots of colors and shapes



I outlined the shapes and Brad followed behind me to fill them in with rollers.

Painting the highest part - a bird at the top. Real life birds nesting on the roof were annoyed with me invading their space.

The rabbit is about 14' tall!

My original concept and color proposals. I made the design, got it approved, and was in CR to start within just a few days. This came together QUICKLY! #RoadTrip!

A lot of passers-by asked if I free-handed the design. 
Nooooope- I projected my design on the wall and traced it with chalk the night before we started painting.


Early evening projection

Brad painting on Day 2.

A wild rainstorm came along and washed away the chalk so we had to re-project the next night. Ugh.




So hot outside. In the evenings the wall and sidewalk were radiating heat.



That's a wrap. I am so ready to do this again.
(I'm posting more pics and process videos over on my Instagram)

WHO NEEDS A MURAL?
Learn more about how this works and check all of my previous murals over here on my website.
Get at me! JenniferDavisArt@gmail.com

Monday, June 12, 2023

Salut 8 at Nucleus Gallery in Portland, OR


Sloth, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster

Salut 8 at Nucleus Gallery in Portland, OR is now live online!
This annual group exhibition features hundreds of original works in 4x4" beverage coasters for $70 each. Get yours here! 
(Links to each of my coasters below the images.)

Installation photo of this massive, beautiful show via @NucluesPortland

Pig, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster (SOLD)

Dog, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster (SOLD)

Goat, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster

Cow, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster (SOLD)

Cat, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster (SOLD)

Meerkats, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster (SOLD)

AND- there are two of mine left from last year's Salut 7:

Parakeet, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster

Dog, acrylic on 4x4" beverage coaster