Patricia Davis
At the core of my art practice lies a deep curiosity about the concept of containment. To be contained suggests both presence and support, but also restriction, restraint, and control—how it is perceived depends on one's perspective. This duality fuels my exploration of liminal spaces, the boundaries between what we know and what we fear about ourselves: the uncomfortable and the unknown.
Driven by an obsession with color and the possibilities of paper, my work spans a variety of media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, papermaking, and installation. My abstract compositions often begin with text—words that serve as titles, visual prompts, or conceptual cues, hinting at deeper meaning. These words and phrases emerge from conversations, songs, books, movies, social media, advertising, and my own writing, each one responding to the world around me.
From there, I layer imagery, often twisting it into forms like wonky grids, mazes, and spirals. The resulting work examines themes of balance, fear, hope, and curiosity. Common motifs—portals and pockets, openings and exits, barriers and possibilities, release and pressure—invite viewers to reflect on the tension between chaos and clarity.
Through these symbolic landscapes, I create a space to explore universal human struggles and truths, offering a visual language for the emotional and psychological terrain we all navigate.
Patricia Davis (she/her, b. 1985) is a visual artist, curator, and educator. She earned her MFA in Studio Art from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (2016) and a BFA in Studio Art with concentrations in printmaking and sculpture from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa (2010). During her time at UA, Davis distinguished herself as a first-generation Ronald E. McNair Scholar and a Windgate Fellow, demonstrating her commitment to both academic excellence and artistic innovation. Her international experience includes studying at the Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence, Italy, where she deepened her artistic practice and cultural perspective.
Davis has shown in exhibitions across the United States and internationally. Her residency at the Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala, NE, allowed her to engage deeply with the natural environment, influencing her creative approach. Recently, she served as the Curator and Manager of UNO Art Gallery and Collections at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she developed dynamic programming and exhibitions that fostered community engagement with the arts. In addition to her curatorial role, Davis has held significant positions at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, including Director of the Eisentrager-Howard Gallery, lecturer, and faculty advisor for the MEDICI Student Gallery.
Since moving back to Alabama in 2023, she became a member of the ALWCA. Currently based in Huntsville, Alabama, Davis teaches part-time at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and works as event coordinator for The Land Trust of North Alabama.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Davis enjoys traveling, cycling, hiking, trail running, reading for fun, all things Halloween, conducting kitchen experiments, and the thrill of keeping plants alive.