During her travels, artist Sally Davies observed people of different cultures doing what people of all cultures do: going about their daily lives. She watched and documented from unique perspectives and vantage points, photographing people under the dramatic evening shadows of the glass pyramid of the Louvre in Paris, or the long morning shadows off of the medieval Sforza Castle in Milan. Davies then went back into the studio and translated what she saw onto canvas. Coupled with hints of architecture and dramatic lighting and shadows, the collection “Global Views: Light & Shadow” came together – a series of paintings that demonstrate the common bond of humanity that we share around the globe, regardless of culture or place.
“Global Views” refers to both the high-up vantage point of the artist and viewer, and the many countries represented in this collection. “Aside from recognizable architectural clues for a specific place, the people in my paintings look and feel so familiar. They are doing ordinary things, like going to work, taking kids to school, cycling home, and meeting with friends. “Global Views” shows our planet as one whole place, a community. The image of a mother holding her child’s hand while crossing the street is universal. I want to show that bond of humanity throughout the world.”
When photographing and piecing together her images, Davies looks for a dynamic composition, interesting play of light and shadow, intriguing characters, and a suggestion of architectural details. She begins with an abstract under-painting on a blank canvas – swirls and patterns with lots of movement. In the final works, only a hint of the abstract under-painting remains visible. The result is a strong, uncluttered design – always from a bird’s eye view.
About the artist: Davies was born in England and immigrated to Canada as a young girl. She studied illustration and graphic design at Sheridan College in Canada and has illustrated magazines, cookbooks, menus, posters, textbooks, and many children’s books. Her illustrations are done with ink line and bright watercolor washes and are very different from her fine art paintings, which tend to be looser in style. Over the past 15 years, Davies has shifted her interest to exhibiting her fine art paintings in various galleries in the mid-Atlantic region. She’s a member of The Art League and a signature member of Baltimore Watercolor Society and the Potomac Valley Watercolorists.
