15 facts you can share about Christina Davis

 

Here are 15 facts you can share about Christina Davis, a painter and muralist from Lynchburg, Virginia, for your presentation:

1. **Hometown Influence**: Christina Davis is based in Lynchburg, Virginia, where her artwork is deeply rooted in the local community. She often draws inspiration from the city's history and culture.

2. **Public Art Focus**: Much of her work is public and accessible, with murals around the city, including in schools, businesses, and parks. This makes her art a visible part of the community’s identity.

3. **Celebration of Black Culture**: Christina's work often highlights Black culture, featuring powerful representations of Black women, heritage, and historical themes. She aims to empower and inspire through these depictions.

4. **Portrait Artist**: She has a particular strength in creating expressive portraits, and her work can be found hanging in significant local institutions, including the Lynchburg Museum, where one of her portraits was auctioned and later displayed.

5. **Mural Work**: Christina is known for creating large-scale murals that reflect themes of diversity, community, and strength. Her murals aim to beautify public spaces and invite community engagement.

6. **Educational Outreach**: In addition to her art, Christina is dedicated to teaching young artists. She offers private one-on-one art lessons and group classes that focus on creativity, technical skills, and self-expression.

7. **Creative Activism**: Christina often uses her art to promote social messages, like environmental conservation, cultural pride, and empowerment. Her recent projects include painting jeans for teens with positive imagery and messages.

8. **Community Projects**: Christina is involved in many community art projects, including a selfie wall mural on 5th Street in Lynchburg. Her goal is to bring positivity and vibrancy to public spaces through art.

9. **Supporter of Reusing Materials**: She promotes reusing and repurposing materials, especially in her teen jean project, where she refreshes old clothes with new artistic meaning to reduce waste and make fashion accessible.

10. **Collaborative Spirit**: Many of her projects involve working with local schools, businesses, and community groups to reflect shared values and cultural pride. She encourages others to get involved in the creative process.

11. **Homeschool Advocate**: Christina is also a homeschool educator, incorporating art into her daughter's curriculum, focusing on creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on projects. She values learning through exploration and artistic expression.

12. **Connection to Nature**: Nature often inspires her work, whether through themes in her paintings or the settings of her murals. She also enjoys walking on Ohio trails, finding peace and creative inspiration there.

13. **Montessori Influence**: Christina’s educational philosophy is influenced by Montessori and Waldorf styles, focusing on mindfulness, flexible learning, and the natural development of creativity.

14. **Restoration of History**: She is passionate about restoring historic buildings and incorporating them into modern life, using public art to blend past and future narratives. Her projects often enhance the beauty of Lynchburg’s historic spaces.

15. **Community-Driven Art**: Christina’s work aims to make art more than just something to look at; she hopes to inspire others, especially young artists, to see the impact art can have on a community and its shared stories.

A craft inspired by Christina Davis's art, particularly her focus on empowerment, Black culture, and public art, could be "Empowerment Portraits on Recycled Materials." This is a simple, creative project that can be done in under 40 minutes and works for all skill levels.

Materials:

• Recycled cardboard (old cereal boxes, shipping boxes, etc.)
• Paint or markers
• Scissors
• Glue
• Scraps of fabric or colorful paper (optional)
• Magazines or printed images (optional, for collaging)
• Paintbrushes
• Pen or pencil for sketching

Steps:

1. Prepare the Base: Cut a piece of cardboard into a shape that will be your canvas (rectangles or circles work well). This keeps with Christina's theme of reusing materials to reduce waste.

2. Sketch a Portrait: Using a pencil, sketch a simple portrait of a figure, focusing on the face or head. You could make it empowering by giving the figure a crown, symbolic jewelry, or an outfit inspired by strength (like the Black Panther-themed clothing Christina used in one of her pieces). Don’t worry about perfect proportions — this can be abstract!

3. Add Bold Colors: Paint or color the portrait using bold and vibrant colors. Christina’s work is known for its rich color palette, so encourage participants to be expressive and free with their color choices.

4. Collage Elements (Optional): Cut out scraps of fabric or colorful paper and glue them onto the portrait for added texture. For example, use them to create headwraps, jewelry, or backgrounds, adding texture and dimension to the piece.

5. Empowerment Words: Around the portrait, write empowering words or phrases that resonate with the person you’re creating. Words like "Strength," "Pride," or "Power" can be added in paint or marker.

6. Final Touches: Add any final details, like highlights, patterns, or borders, using markers or paint. You could even add patterns that reflect cultural symbolism, inspired by Christina’s focus on heritage.

How It’s Inspired by Christina:

• Recycling & Sustainability: Using cardboard aligns with Christina’s value of repurposing materials to reduce waste.
• Empowerment Theme: The focus on a portrait of strength reflects her passion for creating work that empowers others, particularly Black women.
• Cultural Connection: The option to use patterns, fabric, and color celebrates heritage and diversity, key elements in Christina’s work.

This project is adaptable for all ages and skill levels, encouraging creativity while reflecting Christina’s artistic values!