CMU faculty’s art on exhibit

Israel Davis, member of the CMU Art Department, hosted a solo exhibition and workshop at the Morean Center for Clay in Florida, one of the largest potteries in the United States. 

For this exhibit, titled “Devil May Care”, Davis was inspired by the care-free spirit of Bicycle Motorcross (BMX), skateboarding, and the art of graffiti along with the thrill of all three during his youth. He presents his artwork as trying to encapsulate that feeling of risk he had while doing BMX and describes the work as “The physical action of fragmentation coalesces with collaged imagery in the guise of poetic surveillance.” 

The Morean Center for Clay has been home to many famous artists and their creations. Davis’ exhibit included many different designs that incorporated both 2D and 3D elements such as collages, pots, and wall-mounted tile. He was happy to have the chance to teach a pottery class in addition to his exhibit. 

 Davis has been inspired to create ever since he was a child, finding drawing as a way to escape. He says he now sees himself “as a lifelong learner seeking a creative and productive lifestyle”. He has enjoyed collaborations with students of both art and music programs, especially a project where 20 CMU students created and designed ceramic drums for a performance. Davis looks forward to similar projects in the future with many more students from different fields.