New Round Paintings

Sloth, 24", acrylic/graphite on wood panel

I'm having so much fun painting on these round panels!

Cross Section, 24", acrylic/graphite on wood panel

They were a special custom order item that was returned at the lumber yard so I don't think I can get any more of them. I only have 6 blank ones left! I'm not sure why they are so inspiring to me but I'm going to savor them.

Snake, 24", acrylic/graphite on wood panel

Variations, 24", acrylic/graphite/gold leaf and silver leaf on wood panel

More round paintings in my shop!

PencilCase Vol. 4

Some of my paintings are featured in Pencilcase, an Environmental Graphic & Art Magazine from Seoul, South Korea.

Pages from Pencilcase, Vol. 4.

It's an inspiringly beautiful, big book. You can view chunks of it online for free here. If you're interested in design, interiors, exteriors, space, decor, color, etc...do yourself a favor! Check out this book and connect with them via Facebook.

Thank you for featuring my paintings, Pencilcase!

Newly Listed at Sebastian Foster

Blue Tiger, 24" diameter

Sebastian Foster in Austin, TX has added some more of my paintings to their shop.
Visit them online for purchasing info.

Kitty, 12x16"

Cat, 16x20"

"Pony Up", acrylic/graphite on framed panel, 12x16".

"Maypole", acrylic/graphite on framed panel, 12x16".

"Get Up & Go", acrylic/graphite on framed panel, 12x16".

Animal Dreams

"Birds", 14x24", acrylic/graphite on paper shooting target.

I was invited to contribute three paintings to 
"Animal Dreams: Of the Earth, Water, Sky and Imagination" 
at ArtStart Rhinelander in Rhinelander, WI. 

"Fish", 14x24", acrylic/graphite on paper shooting target.

My paintings honor Wisconsin's state bird and flower (Robin/Viola sororia), state fish (Muskellunge) and of course...a Badger!
On view through 8/22/15.
http://www.artstartrhinelander.org/animal-dreams.html

"Badger", 14x24", acrylic/graphite on paper shooting target.

The Art Addict

"Dreamland", acrylic/graphite on assembled wood scraps.

I did a fun little interview with Kristi Kohut via her fabulous blog, The Art Addict.

"Ready for a beautiful dose of whimsy, fantasy and pure childhood-like joy that you'll feel as you gaze at the stunning work of artist Jennifer Davis? I want to dive right into her work and stay and play. I can't get enough of her use of color, pattern and delightful imagination."

A photo from my studio.

Read the full interview here: The Art Addict.

Round paintings, you guys!

I'm working on some new paintings. They are round! 

It's really fun. That's all. =0)

Owls, 24" diameter, in my Etsy shop.

Stripes & Circles, 24" diameter, in my Etsy shop.

Owl, 24" diameter, SOLD.

Where My Art Lives Now pt.3

Pink "girl" and "cat" paintings in Carey's beautiful kitchen in Ohio.

Every so often one of my lovely patrons posts/sends me a photo of my art in their home. 

I just love seeing where my art lives now...and thought I'd share a few of the photos via my blog.

It has been over two years since my last post like this (previous posts here and here) and I've collected a ton of great, new pics. Rather than make one giant blog post I've decided to start sharing them via this here Facebook album: "Where My Art Lives Now".

Gregor & Lena's kitchen in Germany.
"Gentle Giant" prints available in my shop:
Etsy.com/shop/JenniferDavis

Stop by for a look if you love peeping into other people's homes as much as I do. ;0)

"Horse" print in Launa's room. This is my cousin Mindy's sweet little girl.
This print is available in my shop.

Got one to share? Send it to me at JenniferDavisArt@gmail.com

Robyn may have a bit of a problem...and I love her for it! 

"you cannot give yourself a nickname"

My painting, "Big Baby" is featured on the cover of John Jodzio's new book, 

"You Cannot Give Yourself a Nickname."

There is a book release party tonight at Honey Mpls featuring micro readings by: 

COURTNEY ALGEO / JENNY ADAMS-SALMELA / SARAH ASKARI / DENNIS CASS / NATHAN HILL / MARY MACK / TRACY MUMFORD / ROSS NERVIG / ANNETTE SCHIEBOUT / ANDY STURDEVANT and EMCEE = KATE CONDON

You can also pre-order the book online here.

"You Cannot Give Yourself a Nickname is the winner of The Rusty Toque's 2014 Fiction Chapbook Contest. 

"The stories in the collection, You Cannot Give Yourself A Nickname, are all perfectly flawless, flawless portraits of deeply flawed characters, unlucky as well as making bad decisions—these are funny, true, candid, often absurd vignettes of real life." —Lee Henderson, 2014 Fiction Chapbook Contest Judge 

John Jodzio is a winner of the Loft-McKnight Fellowship. His stories have appeared in a variety of places including This American Life, McSweeney’s, and One Story. He’s the author of the short story collections, “If You Lived Here You’d Already Be Home” (Replacement Press) and “Get In If You Want To Live” (Paper Darts Press). He lives in Minneapolis. Find out more at www.johnjodzio.net"

Art4Shelter - Fifth Anniversary- TONIGHT!

I have donated three little paintings to "Art 4 Shelter", a MASSIVE one-night art sale to benefit Simpson Housing Services and their mission to house, support and advocate for people experiencing homelessness. 

Featuring over 1000 original works of art on paper priced at $30 each 

Wed, May 6, 2015- ONE NIGHT ONLY! 

At Burnet Gallery, Le Meridien Chambers Hotel in Minneapolis 

Preview: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Art Sale: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

It's a FUN party! Here's a photo from one of the past benefits:

...more photos here.

IAMKXNDNESS at Burnet Gallery

"I AM KXNDNESS is an art show in which money is of no value. All of the artworks being shown will be available only by performing acts of kindness – ranging from playing with animals at a shelter to volunteering at a nursing home to assisting a gallery during open hours. Each work of art will have a designated kindness chosen by the artist. To “purchase” the works the patron will put their name into a bowl next to the work of art they are wishing to obtain. At the end of the evening a name will be drawn from each bowl and that is the person who will receive the artwork once the designated act of kindness is completed."

Saturday Feb 21, 2015
6 pm
at Burnet Gallery at Chambers, the Luxury Art Hotel in Minneapolis
Facebook event page here.

Featured artists include: Justin James Sehorn, Jesse Draxler, Terrence Payne Art, Norah Stone, Noah Harmon/RELAX ADULT, Nick Howard, Nick Kovatch, Nick Carroll, Mike Carney, Michael Thomsen Art, Melissa Loop Art, Lindsay Splichal, Leanna Perry, Lauren Roche, Garrett Perry, Caitlin Karolczak, Kate Iverson, Alec Soth, Eddie Perrote, Danielle Voight, Josh Wilichowski, Jennifer Davis Art, Christopher Atkins, Carrie Elizabeth Thompson, Bryant Locher, Andrea Carlson, Shelly Mosman.

My painting, "Lucid", will be available for the low low price of: 

Volunteering to deliver meals for Open Arms. Sign up for a delivery route on the day of your choice. Open Arms will load you up with enough food for several clients, you’ll get a friendly hello from the staff as well as directions for your route. After delivering food to 3–6 clients, you’ll return the delivery bags to Open Arms.

How it works:

6pm: Event starts! You will enter through the hotel on 9th street. Fulton beer has generously provided valet parking! You will be given a bag when you enter the gallery from Fulton Beer. Each bag will include a couple goodies, 5 tickets and a list of the artwork and associated acts of kindness.
You can use your tickets to put towards the act of kindness you are willing to do in exchange for the artwork. You can put all of your tickets toward a specific piece to increase your odds or spread them throughout the different artworks. You can only "win" one piece of art in total.

8pm: We will start drawing names and announcing winners. MUST be present to win. If your name is called, you will head over to the administrative table and proceed to "check out" by providing your contact information. We will follow-up and coordinate the acts of kindness with you to ensure a smooth process.
10pm: "I AM PARTY" (after party) presented by Fulton beer at Marin Restaurant & Bar (downstairs) at the Le Méridien Chambers hotel.

Did I mention- FREE COCKTAILS and appetizers by Le Méridien Chambers from 6-7?!

I am KXNDNESS is the brainchild of Sarah Edwards. The exhibition is curated by Jesse Draxler.

I LOVE THIS IDEA and I'm honored to participate in this show.

"Stripe Tease" at Walker Art Center in Minneapolis

It's FINALLY happening!

Postcard mailer for "Stripe Tease" at Walker Art Center.

"Stripe Tease" will debut at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis Feb 19-21st, 2015!

An snapshot from our summer 2014 residency at Walker Art Center.

STRIPE TEASE

"Named Best Choreographer in 2013 by City Pages and steadily gaining national attention, Chris Schlichting creates beautifully designed, meticulously constructed dance worlds combining movement, visual art, and music. Building on a commission for the Walker’s 25th-anniversary celebration of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden in 2013, he collaborates with rock/pop guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker (Andrew Bird) and his band Alpha Consumer, which includes Mike Lewis and JT Bates, whose repetition of musical phrasing is a perfect foil for Schlichting’s movement art. The collaboration also features Minnesota-based visual artist Jennifer Davis, whose collages and paintings strike a magical balance between childlike playfulness and dark yearnings.

Crafting a deeply satisfying mix of patterns and set structures, large-scale spectacle and delicate intimacy, recurrence and surprise, Schlichting’s newest work Stripe Tease embraces and slyly subverts dance history. Copresented with the National Performance Network (NPN)." - Walker Art Center

Chris and Jeremy are supermodels but I am not quitting my day job. (Woof!) Photo by Gene Pittman for Walker Art Center.

I've been collaborating with Chris- and his team of AMAZINGLY TALENTED dancers (Tristan Koepke, Krista Langberg, Dustin Maxwell, Dolo McComb, Max Wirsig, and Laura Selle Virtucio), Musicians (JT Bates, Mike Lewis, Jeremy Ylvisaker) and Lighting Designer (Joe Levasseur)- for over a year to design the set environment for this performance. This project is unlike anything I have ever done before... I don't even remember what it feels like to be in my "comfort zone."    

Making stripes during our Dec 2014 residency at Carleton College.

It all started with our piece, "Rag Den" for the Sculpture Garden's 25th Anniversary birthday party last summer. (Read my blog post about it here.)

"Set Design" for Rag Den in the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden.

For this new iteration of the performance we have completely transformed the set design, music and performances to bring the piece in to the McGuire Theater at WAC.

We are so excited to FINALLY share this piece with you! 

(Photo of the balcony view swiped from WalkerArt.org)

Our lighting wizard Joe Levasseur.

Making stripes during our Dec 2014 residency at Carleton College. We couldn't have pulled it off without Caitlin Dippo and Katrina Matejcik!

Please join us! 

Date February 19-21, 2015

Time 8 pm

Place McGuire Theater at Walker Art Center

Price $25 ($22 Walker members)

Tickets here.

Oh and did I mention we are taking this show on the road?! Next up we'll be at the Fusebox Festival in Austin, TX in April (free show!)

Thank you for reading. Hope to see you at the Walker. 

Get Lucky 2015 in Minneapolis, MN

New Day, 11x14", Acrylic/Graphite on Mounted Panel, 2015

 

I am donating my first painting of 2015 to Soo Visual Art Center for their annual gala (silent auction) fundraiser event, "Get Lucky." The party is ALWAYS super fun- featuring food, drinks, a silent auction with art from dozens of local (MN) artists, games, raffles and super fabulous prizes. 

The theme for this year's party is Prom Night.

Saturday, January 31 from 7:00pm - 11:00pm

Get your tickets and preview more of the art donations here.

If you can not attend but would like to make a proxy bid on any of the artworks please email info@soovac.org before the event.

I've had a long and lovey-dovey connection to SooVAC - and Get Lucky. Here are some of the paintings I have donated for this event in previous years: 

PhoneFace, 11x14", Acrylic/Graphite on Mounted Panel, 2014

Assortment, acrylic/graphite on panel, 12x16", 2013

Get Lucky, acrylic/graphite on paper shooting target, 2012

Continue, 9x12", acrylic/graphite/charcoal on panel, 2011

Mind Over Matters, acrylic/graphite/charcoal on panel, 2010

Wolf Boy, acrylic/graphite/charcoal on panel, 2009

So long, 2014!

Last Tuesday I woke up to this neat surprise: l'étoile magazine has named me "Artist of the Year"!

"ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Jennifer Davis

2014 is the year the secret got out about Jennifer Davis. Known for her color-drenched yet subversive portraits of whimsical creatures, the Minneapolis-based painter was featured in a new book by celebrity art blogger Danielle Krysa, aka the Jealous Curator; presented artwork, including a custom painted handbag and 14 hand-painted shooting targets, at Art Basel Miami Beach’s Miami Design Market; illustrated a line of greeting cards for famous Internet cat Lil Bub; and exhibited at galleries around the country. But perhaps her biggest achievement was Joyride, her stunning solo exhibition at Northeast gallery Public Functionary in March earlier this year. Inspired by an East Coast tour of historic carousels, her hometown show showed the artist moving into larger scale, more concept-driven territory than ever before in a series of large-scale paintings and even a hand-painted, hand-carved carousel horse sculpture, demonstrating a heightened, ever-imaginative sense of whimsy coupled with her signature detailed pattern work. The thoughtful presentation of the show, with carousel-like lightbulbs and mounted swings, made it one of the most memorable art moments of the year. -Jahna Péloquin"

Wow! So nice. I'm flattered and blushing...and so grateful to the people that offered me those experiences. This got me thinking about all of the amazing opportunities I had this year and all of the people who helped me accomplish so many fun projects.

The biggest highlight of my year (career!?) was indeed my show at Public Functionary in Minneapolis in March. So grateful to their amazing crew for helping me pull if off.

Me with the PF crew after my artist talk.

A view of my installation via PF. I miss this so much.

In Sept I had another solo show at Low Gallery in San Diego. I travelled down with my friends, Ngoc and Amy, and we met up with my two Jr. High besties, Jodi and Kari- and our High School friend Chris! I had The Time of My Life. Huge thanks to Meegan and the staff at Low for putting on such a fun show/party and treating us like queens.

Low Gallery photos by Kari Heck.

In 2014 I also had the rare opportunity to participate in two artist residencies with Chris Schlichting's dance company in preparation for our upcoming performance, "Stripe Tease." (I'm so grateful to this team for letting me bumble alongside their grace and talent. I'm way out of my league and learning so much.)
At the Walker Art Center in August:

...with the "Stripe Tease" dancers and musicians at the Walker Art Center.

and at Carleton College in Dec:

Teasing out some stripes at the Weitz Center for Creativity in Northfield, MN. 

This year I also got to show my work in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Long Beach and of course, at various spots around my hometown of Minneapolis.

THANK YOU to everyone that has helped me exhibit, produce, publish, and print my work. THANK YOU to everyone that has purchased my art and otherwise supported me along the way. 

BRING IT ON, 2015!