CLINTON, IA – The paintings of artist Larry Jon Davis will adorn the Clinton Community College Library Art Gallery walls throughout the month of April.
Larry Jon Davis is a Clinton, Iowa native. He has enjoyed a career as a professional artist and Professor of Art that spans 60 years. Over that time his works have found their way into numerous private, corporate and public collections across the US. He has also been active in various civic arts organizations and has often served as an exhibition juror.
Davis started his education in the Clinton public schools, followed by undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Iowa with his Master’s degree being awarded at Jacksonville University. During his career, Davis was an instructor at Clinton Community College, sharing his experience, “My eventual privilege of teaching visual art at CCC evolved through a fortunate set of events. Following my bachelor’s degree in Art and a minor in Education from The University of Iowa, I had taught one year at the elementary level before being drafted into 4 years of military service. With return to Clinton in 1972 I continued as a professional artist while teaching art part time at CHS. So it was, early in the 1980’s, I hatched the idea for a series of annual silkscreen prints depicting the 4 seasons at Clinton’s Eagle Point Park. Teamed with my wife, we pulled the first edition. Then, more or less on a whim, I decided to pitch a proposal to the dynamic new CCC President, Dr. Charles Spence. The deal was for sharing the profits from print sales as a fund raiser for the CCC Foundation. The resulting lifetime friendship with Dr. Spence, based on mutual interest in art, culture and philosophy, presently led to my first college teaching position at CCC.” The popular silkscreen prints are found throughout Clinton Community College and the community.
Larry retired from college teaching and administration at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida nearly a decade ago. He and his wife Jacquie returned to the Midwest and set up his studio at their residence near Galesburg, Illinois.
Larry Davis’s paintings have a unique abstract look, often meshing figure drawing and his extensive travels resulting in landscapes that contain hints of figures. A new Larry Jon Davis painting, CCC at 75, was unveiled in 2021 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary in September. The piece features students entering and exiting the main entrance of the college, with features depicting a variety of students through generations. The colors used reflect Davis’ appreciation for deep rich hues. Davis commented about this painting, “I eagerly agreed to the request for a painting in celebration of CCC at 75. It proved to be a great chance to visualize old experiences while still emphasizing the College’s ongoing mission. In so many memorable friendships and experiences with administrators, faculty, staff and students, Clinton Community College has helped define my direction as an artist and a teacher. It was been a great place to begin and now to continue that journey.”
Davis commented about the current exhibit at CCC, “About five years ago I experienced proof that an old dog can still learn new tricks when I first combined cold wax into my traditional oil painting process. This technique encouraged me to explore a whole new range of layering and texturing methods. Whether in realistic or more abstracted manner it has enabled me to selectively uncover colorful and calculated underpainting in the finished work. The whole process really opened up a more free and expressive process of mark making and color relationship.”
Visit Larry Jon Davis’ website at https://www.larryjdavis.com/collections. The CCC Library Art Gallery is open during college hours. For more information, contact Clinton Community College at 563-244-7001.
