Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tedd Davis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tedd, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Wow, I have been blessed to have had many meaningful projects. When the pandemic hit in March of 2020 I sat in my art gallery waiting for customers to come in. I remember that I kept a long list of ideas just trying to figure out what I could do to keep a positive creative attitude and help my fellow artists. As an artist and a gallery owner it has always been my focus to present emerging and established artists within the local arts community. All of a sudden everything shut down and many of my artists friends only source of income had been through the sale of their artworks and now they were struggling. I though how can I help support these artists during this time of uncertainty. I had developed a large following of collectors, artists and community which providedme with a good database to tap into. So I decided to created a bi-weekly e-blast “Off the Wall” which features a different South Florida artist each month. The artist spotlight includes the artists’ bio and answers to questions on how they are navigating during the pandemic and presented several works of the artist for sale. The viewer would contact the artist directly to purchase the artwork the artist and I took no commission thereby giving them 100% of the sale. It has now been 2 years and I continue to publish
“Off the Wall’ which has featured 79 artists to date.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

In the late 80’s I had a very stressful position as a Chef/Director of Catering & Events. When I would come home after working 10-15 hours per days and it was very difficult for me to decompress, relax and rewind. I began reading art books to put me to sleep
and one day it occurred to me that I should tap into my creative side. I was most interested in the Mixed Media Constructions of Joseph Cornell & Louise Nevelson, two monumental artists who I admired dearly. I went out and purchased a trove of art supplies
along with boxes of materials that were discarded and needed to be preserved or up-cycled. I found that I had a gift and began a 2nd career as an Artist. Art provided me with a calming, no stress and peaceful outlet. Since then I have created, exhibited and
many of my Mixed Media works. I am blessed to have won numerous awards and acknowledgments throughout the past 30 years.

I moved to Fort Lauderdale in 2014 and opened my own Gallery “Tedd’s Art Works”. I have showcased and exhibit the works of over 300 local emerging and established artists thru monthly art exhibitions, art competitions and partnering with local arts organizations. The curated exhibits and exciting artworks brought in a very eclectic and diverse crowd which kept the gallery fresh and exciting. In June of 2020 during the height of the pandemic I decided to close the physical art gallery and created my online gallery that featured 20 local artists. I learned so much in creating an online gallery and how to promote and sell artworks to a broader audience. I love being able to feature artworks in non-traditional settings and through video. After a year and a half when things were looking up with the pandemic I decided, to close the online gallery to focus on my art, travel and create other projects. My next project was “SIDESHOW, Road Trippin on ART”. Which was a blog that featured artists and creatives telling their stories and showcasing their works. The blog covered Artists from Washington DC, Hudson NY, MoheganIsland, Maine, Reading Pennsylvania and Torrington CT, I had a blast meeting so many wonderful people and am planning my SIDESHOW 2022 travels.

I am a huge extrovert, I thrive being around artist energies and most importantly being able to give back to my local arts community. I have served on the Board of Arts United Florida and currently am a Board Member with Wilton Art. I believe it is important to become a member of local arts organizations to support their work and programs.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I am gonna give you two:

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is collaborating and sharing ideas with other artists.

In addition, having the freedom to escape reality for a few hours letting your ideas and creativity flow to create your artwork. I love exploring new techniques and materials and getting dirty in the process.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As I get older I find that I need to be busy, constantly moving and absorbing energies from art and the artists in the world. As well as sharing ideas, and playing a role in the community in presenting and raising funding for public art projects for all to
experience and enjoy.

Contact Info:

• Website: teddsartworks.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teddsartworks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeddsARTWorks/

Image Credits
COOPER the art Dog :)