Harry N. Davis “Mild Mannered Artist”
A self-proclaimed “Mild Mannered Artist” and a native of Cortland, New York, Harry as painting and drawing for over 60 years. Of course, in the early years, he considered himself a “Sunday closet painter” and worked for his own enjoyment. Although mostly self-taught, he learned important techniques and color knowledge by attending painting workshops conducted by leading central New York artists including: Richard Pickering, George Benedict, Marion Simpson, Tom Fox, and George Dugan. He did escape from being a realist once in a while by producing acrylic abstracts. Harry was talked into exhibiting and did for many years following the outdoor show circuit and received numerous Best of show and First Prize Awards for painting and drawings: this year was most encouraging to him as an artist. He exhibited at SUNY Cortland, Everson Museum and the Roberson Center for the Arts. He was pleased that his decorative work was widely accepted by private collectors and adorns office walls of many Central New York banks and industries. Harry returned to his fascination with colored pencil. He was first introduced to this medium by a German artist who was a P.O.W in a camp, where he was stationed in Belgium during World War II. He was a “colorist” and the Prismacolor Pencil seemed to be the ideal tool to create his Pencil “paintings”. Harry was one of the original founders of The Cortland Arts League, Inc. and served as President for twenty some years, a member of Associated Artist of Syracuse, the Ithaca Art Association, and the Fine Arts Society of the Southern Tier. Harry N. Davis passed away in May of 2006, at the age of 81 years. He will be missed as a fun loving, colorful and enjoyable character; but his art will give people pleasure for years to come.
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