Andrew Perry Davis is originally from South Carolina, where he completed his BFA at Winthrop University in 1998. After completing his MFA in Ceramics at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2002 he relocated to Michigan where he taught ceramics and drawing at Central Michigan University. In 2008, he was a juried nine-month resident at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Maine. He has been Ceramics Program Technician at Herron since 2011. His work has been featured in numerous group shows ... view more »
Artist Medium: Visual Arts: Clay
I am fascinated by the wide variety of lines and forms that can capture an idea or feeling. Artifacts or antique toys inspire many of the forms I make. The feeling I get is often based on how something is put together or how the surface is wearing off. Old objects can seem to exist only partially in the concrete world. The other world, not usually visible to the human eye, is leaking through. I aim to capture this kind of dream logic by implying a narrative, but leaving part of the story a mystery.
Anthropomorphic animal characters appear in my work to express human extremes of weakness and strength. The animal characters seem at first to be from a familiar story. Recurring character archetypes relate to personal experiences. An oversized snout can be humorous or menacing, or both. I combine elements that at first seem to be contradictory and invite the viewer to play with interpretations. I want to hold on to that fleeting moment of translation that happens when you encounter something new.
