We were lucky to catch up with Sandra Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sandra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

One of my most meaningful projects to date is titled “Pull Up A Chair” 2022. “Pull Up A Chair” was created to be a collaborative installation exhibit that let me flex my curatorial muscles. The project included twenty artists from the MD and DC area to create an art piece using a physical chair as the “canvas”. Each artist was encouraged to tell a story, share a point of view, or make a political statement on current events. The chair was used as a conversation starter between the artist and the viewer. The viewer was invited to sit on the chair and experience what the artist was conveying.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I consider myself a multidisciplinary artist that likes to experiment with materials with a focus on using mixed media, components like acrylics, found paper, newspaper, fabric, keeping a recycled theme. My work is fueled by a direct response to social issues happening in our country, including present grievances, inequality, and the identity of others. For example, after the BLM protests and the murder of George Floyd, Bank of America where I am employed used two of my images as part of an article to encourage more conversation about how employees of color were coping. Another example is a chair I created that focused on the Crown Act.
My mission is to bring artists together, particularly women of color, to highlight their art and bring their artistic voice to the public. I have had great opportunities to curate and co-curate exhibitions for the Women’s Caucus for Art since 2019.During the pandemic to ensure our local chapter of Women’s Caucus of Greater Washington stayed connected, the virtual series “Do You Know Her” was created. The group was unable to meet in person and there were so many members who did not know one another. It provided a platform to learn about our members art practice and provided an intimate view of their work while providing networking opportunity via Facebook live and zoom. 

I have lived in the city of Gaithersburg for over 30 years and have been exhibiting my art within the community since 2010.I have been fortunate enough to have my work selected and highlighted in local publications. I am super proud of two projects that I completed in the last 3 years. The first one is a co-curated exhibition titled “Why I Vote” in collaboration with the City of Gaithersburg’s 2020 celebration of the 19th Amendment Centennial ensuring that the full story of the Women’s Suffrage Movement was told in a visual manner. Diversity of voice is extremely important. Recently the City of Gaithersburg commissioned me to be a part of their permanent collection and will be highlighted at the City’s new Municipal Center located at 16 Summit Ave Gaithersburg, MD 20877. This work focuses on the diversity of the families residing in the city of Gaithersburg.

The second project was “Pull Up A Chair.” I was extremely fortunate to receive a micro grant from aShe Fund in 2022 to help finance this personal curatorial project. This exhibition included 20 invited artists to create a statement utilizing the chair as the surface or canvas for their work. This exhibition was interactive, and the attendees were encouraged to interact with the chair and have a dialogue about the subject matter with the artist that created the piece. Some of the chairs represented ethnic identity, voting rights, addiction to name a few. Based on the success of the first “Pull Up A Chair” I am currently working on a second version of this project with a focus on mental health and wellness. I applied for and received a Creativity Grant from Maryland Arts Council to fund this version. The exhibition will take place April 2024. 

I am a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where I met my husband Aaron of 41years. By getting married at age 21 and raising two sons, my art career was put on hold. I pursued a career in retail and banking where I still work full time. In 2009 I lost my job. The corporation went through a reorganization and suddenly, I had time to focus on art. My first solo was in 2012 at the Center for Green Urbanism, Washington DC. Sandra joined the Women’s Caucus for Art 2013 where she currently serves as the Exhibition Committee Chair. https://wcadc.org. also serves as a board member for the National Women’s Caucus for Art, 2022 conference committee member, as well as president elect for 2024. nationalwca.org

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

In my view, society can best support artists and creatives with their money, resources, and expertise. Individuals can join a group or provide in-kind services to an individual or group that matches a cause or initiative they may be enthusiastic about. You do not have to be a visual artist to join an artist’s group. Most artists struggle with the business side of their art practice, they can use the support.
For example, if you are a writer offer your services to help with artist’s statements or press releases. If you are proficient in the social media arena, offer your services to help promote a local organization or individual artist that you admire.
Another example would be spending dollars locally on the emerging artists. Emerging artists do not become well known unless someone is purchasing their work.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to say what is on my mind in a visual way. Not all my work will be liked, accepted, or purchased but I have to get it off my chest. The news that floods us daily can get under my skin and it may be difficult to articulate how it makes me feel verbally, so I will respond visually in my own voice. Politics can be so polarizing and my way of expressing that viewpoint is through my art. During covid and the social unrest of 2020, I was so concerned that my two sons and husband must constantly look over their shoulders and check the rearview mirror to be prepared for a police encounter. I created a piece titled “Looking Over My Shoulder” using words and phrases that were on my mind as the background of the piece. My sons are so gentle, this piece was rendered in pastel colored acrylic paint to depict that gentleness. When The Crown Act that was passed by the Federal Government in 2022 it was very personal to me as a Black Female creative. I wear my hair naturally and do not want anyone or any law to say how I can or cannot wear my hair. In my first “Pull Up A Chair” project, I created a chair seat made up of synthetic hair giving the viewer of any color or ethnic background the permission to “touch my hair. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imagerybydavis.com/
• Instagram: deedee_sandra
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.davis.1015
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandraddavis/

Image Credits
Aaron Davis, photographer