Arthur Kdav ( Keith Davis): An Artist Story

ARTHUR KDAV's LAST PAINTING  My dad, Keith Davis - Arthur Kdav, went to college at Knox College in Galesburg, IL.  When he was there he met some wonderful people.  Included in that group of people was a fellow art student, Tom Collins.  Tom and my dad continued to be in contact throughout my father's life.  When my father passed away, Tom Collins, stopped by my house to see some of my dads work again.  He decided to create some custom ice cream bowls - tea bowls for his children and close friends.  Below is a picture of my father's last painting along with the amazing ice cream bowls that Tom created.  Amazing that the colors Tom chose matched so wonderfully with Arthur Kdav's last painting.  A heartfelt thank you to Tom Collins.   This last painting also had a similar palette as two of his early portraits from Knox College.  I have posted the earlier paintings as well.  Our family isn't certain who the models were for the portrait he did - but confident it was comp

REFLECTIONS ON BALANCE IN MY FATHER'S WORK  Yesterday I was looking through some of Arthur Kdav's pastels.  This one was not titled.  I feel like it is "The Juggler".  The ultimate circus balancing act performance; how many balls can you keep in the air? Over the past year I have begun to study more closely my father's work.  I have started to see themes, repeat images and changes to his style through the decades.  I have also started to see how these commonalities relate to his life events.  Perhaps, for me, this has been part of the grieving process.   The idea and focus on balance can be found in much of his work.  Sometimes it is a quiet fulcrum within the painting, pastel, etching or drawing.  Other times it is a smack in your face, as above, the whole image is about balance.  His theme finds itself abstractly in the images he creates, but also physically in the shape of his iron pieces.  These pieces often have one notch on the back of the painting, carved i

 I found some more great photos today of Arthur Kdav's work.  Here is a picture of him standing next to one of his finished iron pieces.  His coffee cup and pot always with him while he worked.  I just love the image.   His work .... really ... I wish I could see all his pieces in person.  

 Today I started to go through some of Arthur Kdav (Keith Davis') slides of his artwork.  While these are not the most awesome photographs of the projected image on my yellowish walls - I still wanted to share some of them. Arthur Kdav standing in front of one of his sculptural wall pieces I am still working on finding the title for this piece - I wish I knew where it was because I really love it!  If you are the owner or know the owner please send me a comment.  Would love to get an updated listing regarding where it is located. Arthur Kdav (Keith Lowden Davis) working at his sewing machine making his unique and amazing canvas shapes to be strung later on his hand made and designed sculptural iron frames. Examples above and below of his completed canvases prior to stretching them over the iron. AND ... this one.  I don't recall ever seeing it.  What stands out is the lacing work he includes on the front of the piece.  I believe it is two female forms in an acrobatic back flip

  This piece was shown 30 years ago in Chicago at the Mary Bell Galleries.  It looks amazing today!  We have the drawings he did when he was designing the frame for this one.  Wonderful sketches of dancers to create this iron piece. 

Arthur Kdav/Keith Davis first learned to sew and repair sails for boats out on the east coast in Marblehead, Massachusetts.    In 1966-67, he traveled from the midwest after college to go see the shores of Walden Pond.  While he was there he met someone who told him about a wonderful town in Massachusetts that he should go visit.  Marblehead.  So he went there and found an artist gallery to visit.  He went into Ned Fish's gallery.  He asked Ned questions about the town and told him about his own artwork and desires to stay in Marblehead.  They immediately shared a common love in the arts and a kinship.   Ned was going to be out of town the next week with his wife on vacation.  He told my dad that if his wife approved he could stay and take care of the gallery while they were out of town.  So, he met Ned's wife and she approved of Keith Davis (Arthur Kdav) so he was offered the chance to be there for the week they were away.   Of course, he accepted and this was the beginning of

Keith's oldest daughter, Heather Swan, just published an article about her dad.  The link is below.  "Living into the Blind Spots" https://www.wisconsinacademy.org/magazine/winterspring-2021/essay/living-blind-spots