John Phillip Davis - Bio / Statement / Vitae / Exhibits 

Artist's Biography

Born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1968, John Phillip and his family moved east to Dayton, Ohio soon after his birth where his father served as Dean and President of a Smaller Private Bible College.  Growing up in this segment of academia John Phillip admits that it not only served as a great conduit for aestheticism but also the importance of emotion and mystery as it pertains to the human experience; the polarities of life, the irony and the muscular play of forces which are very evident in his work.When looking at the work of John Phillip a few things come to the forefront. Muscularity is one. Davis relies not solely but significantly on actual and implied texture. Having had an extensive career in design, 3D modeling and animationwhen similar principles are applied to a flat surface a unique quasi-dimensional aspect is appears. Another significant attribute is the almost inescapable polarities involved. Davis weaves a visual tapestry challenging the viewer to accord the beauty of line and composition with the “controlled” chaos at work on the surface. Davis asserts that he hopes that the overall result is a pleasant but unexplained passion that grows with the viewer. Having studies and worked largely with mixed disciplines, Davis’ influences are as mixed. From classical Renaissance works by Michelangelo and Conova, to moderns such as Rauschenberg, Dekooning & Geiger just to name but a few, the result is a strength of line, a solidity in suggested motion on the surface and an adherence to the vibrancy and passion of the uneven and opposed married together. In fact Davis most particularly classifies his process as “reactive”. He asserts that with his background heavily in ornate religious backdrops as a child and his business career in design and animation, the result is a product that has weight, age, and yet is distinct, clear and viable.


Artist's Statement

A continuum. 
The point at which deliberate order and reactive composition come together. 
The place where aestheticism meets spontaneous textural muscularity.
 Charged by relational and discordant influences and polarities, the thrust
is to pool these diverse energies and disciplines to build up and dismantle
them at will thereby creating a new relationship between them. Art has a
design.

 The result is an expression that elevates both tendencies by giving presence to the planned 
and the primal, logical and visceral mind. The work is therefore not relegated to materials, color, scale or 
format but rather the philosophical relationship between chaos and control. 
Push and pull. Heavy and faint. Delicate and harsh. This is the constant ingredient. Chaos has a
design.

As it relates to the viewer, my art is meant to provide all of the initial
breadth of visual information, depth of compositional drama and the
verisimilitude of style and environmental completeness to which the viewer
can then extrapolate a personal meaning. The art is non-objective but has an
agenda. The emotive is implied but perceived and exercised individually. A
continuum, the point at which the work transforms after creation.


Curriculum Vitae


Education 

BA. Graphic Design
BA. Visual Art

Grand View University 
1200 Grandview Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50316


Exhibits  (selected)  

Solo . “UNDERLAND” . May – July – Moberg Gallery . Des Moines, Iowa

2-Man . “Disconnect” . September 7 – December 3 – Washington Pavilion . Sioux Falls, South Dakota 

Grp . “Art For Life” . Benefit for The Mercy Foundation . (featured/guest artist) . Moberg Gallery . Des Moines, Iowa 

Grp  . “Transcending The Figure” .  August 26 - October 1 . Bing-Davis Memorial Gallery . Fayette, Iowa 

Grp  . The Large Works Show 2009  .  Dec 4 – Feb 6 . ICON Gallery  .  Fairfield, Iowa 

Solo . Moberg Gallery . April 26 – June 13, 2009 . “GENUS: Rush to Omega” . Des Moines, Iowa 

Grp  . Arboretum Sculpture Exhibition . May 15 – October  1, 2008 . Overland Park Kansas 

Solo. Moberg Gallery . October 9 - November 24, 2007  . “MAGNUS RED ” . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo. Principal Financial Corporate  One . October / November 2007 . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo. Moberg Gallery . October 17  - December 2, 2006 . “MONOLITH ” . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo.  Moberg Gallery . July 4 - July 30, 2005 . “Crossovers Volume 2 ” . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo.  Moberg Gallery . June 6 - July 2, 2005 . “Crossovers Volume 1 ” . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo.  Hallar Art Gallery . September 10, 2004 . Kansas City, Missouri 64111 

Solo.  Look Gallery (Macy’s) . Oct 2005 . Chicago, Illinois 

Solo.  Absolute Art Gallery . May 2004 . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo.  Absolute Art Gallery . July 2003 . Des Moines, Iowa 

Solo.  Bauhaus Gallery . April 2003 . Des Moines, Iowa

 
Permanent Collections

Aviva 
Wellmark 
Blue Cross/Blue Shield 
Northwest Financial Group 
Allied Insurance 
Mercy Medical Center East
Des Moines University
Gateway Hotel Center, Ames
Hy-Vee, Inc. 
The Barclay Group
“The Plaza” Condominiums
The Vroman Group
Freddie  Mac Corporation, Manhattan NY
Trostel's Dish


Articles
 
"Home Sweet Warehouse" Juice Magazine . January 2012

“RSVP: Mercy Foundation ART OF LIFEDSM Magazine . Pg 176 . Featured Artist . November 2010 

“Making A Scene” Jan/Feb 2010 The Iowan Magazine Jim Duncan 

“Des Moines’ gang of four” May 21 . Cityview Magazine . Jim Duncan . 2009 

“Showcase DSMARTS” (art featured) May/June/July . dsm Magazine  Pg 110 . Christine Riccelli 2009 

“High-Tech Envisioning” (art featured) August. Des Moines Homestyle  Pg 32 . Emily Perkins

“John Phillip Davis: Magnus is the perennial mark of a culture and mind-state” (art featured) November. Artscene  Pg 19 
“Blind Critic” 2008  

“John Phillip Davis; Vanity of vanities” (art featured)October . Cityview  Pg 39 . Jim Duncan . 2008    

“Psychological Twist to Magnus Red” (art featured)October . Cityview  Pg 39 . Jim Duncan . 2008  

“Works of Art”  Figure magazine . September  2007  

“Choose your canvas”  The Populous  magazine

“The Art of Running A Business …”  . August  2006  Des Moines Business  Record . June 2006  

“Best of 2005 / Door closes, others open”  January 2006 Cityview

“Artists mix it up today in Sata Rupa Concert” November, 2005 Des Moines Register . Life Section . Amanda  Pierre

“A Power House of Ideas” September , 2005 Des Moines Homestyle . Pg 38 . Craig Summers Black

“Recycling As An Art Form Keeps Used Items Out Of Landfills” 10/17/2005 Des Moines Business Record

“Des Moines Your Verve Is Showing: Look, up in the sky…it’s Artistry” . August-October, 2005 DSM Magazine . Pg 75-83 
August , 2005 . Beth Dalbey

“Artist on the verge” . August 4, 2005 Cityview . Pg 42 . Jim Duncan

“Festival is hot – and so is the art” . June 27, 2005 Des Moines Register . Pg 1B . Amanda Pierre

“Stylish works, from front to back” . June 5, 2005 Des Moines Register . Pg 4 . Amanda Pierre

DMJuice Magazine (cover) “Shared creativity” . June 22, 2005

“Mixing Moods, MEDIA” . March 29, 2005 Des Moines Register . Pg 11

“An OX Spectacle” . December 2004 Artscene Magazine . Pg 14 . Cory Schooley

“Des Moines artists take on Luncheon” . August 5, 2004 Des Moines Register Datebook . Pg 30DB . Amanda Pierre

“An eye for art” . November 12, 2004 Des Moines Register Datebook . Pg 28db . Amanda Pierre

“Open house doubles as fund-raiser for family” . November 4, 2004 Des Moines Register Datebook . Pg 28db . Amanda Pierre

“More must see at the arts festival. Next generation” . June 26, 2004 Des Moines Register . Mentioned in article with Chris Vance

“Be artful with your art. Lest we forget” . April 2004 Artscene Magazine . Pg 3 Issue 4 Volume 2

“Justify it: a conversation with John Phillip Davis” . February 2004 Artscene Magazine . Pg 13 . Cory Schooley

“Pushing Paint” . November 2003 Artscene Magazine . Pg 5 Issue 2 Volume 1 . Greg Swan

“Art studio endures, flourishes” . Oct 19, 2003 Des Moines Register . Page 4OP . Amanda Pierre

“Paintpushers art show hopes to make a splash” . November 2003 Des Moines Register

“’Stars’ painting nets $900.00 for AIDS Project” . August 28, 2003 Des Moines Register . Pg 25 . Amanda Pierre

“Midwest Reviews” . May/June 2003 Art Papers Magazine . Amanda Pierre

“Events that make you think: revealing show ‘twenty’” . April 24, 2003 Des Moines Register Datebook . Pg 21db . Amanda Pierre

“Hard work, luck bring inspired show to Bauhaus” . December 15, 2002 Des Moines Register . Pg 40P . Amanda Pierre

“Home front section” . June 20, 2002 The Washington Post . Pg H3

“The business of art in Des Moines” . June 10, 2002 The Des Moines Business Record . Pg 25 . Anne Mathey

“There’s no place like home” . January 20, 2002 Des Moines Register . Pg 11a

“Just another Joe” exhibit at Java Joes Coffeehouse . June 6, 2001 City View Magazine . Pg 17 . Jim Duncan


OTHER   

Judging   College Hill Arts Festival  .  2012 . Cedar Falls, Iowa

Adjunct Professor   Grand View University  .  Art Department  .  Fall 2010

Donation   Des Moines Art Center . “Vault” . May 12 2011 

Judging   Des Moines Arts Festival . 2009 . Selection Committee & Arts Competition Judge

Judging   Two Rivers Art Festival . 2008  . Selection Committee Judge 

Award   2006 Artist of the Year . City View MagazineRadio 

Interview   WHO Radio . Van and Connie Morning Show . 2005

Speaking Event   Iowa State University . Guest Speaker  2005

Judging   Grand View College . Arts Competition 2005  . Guest Event Judge

Judging   Des Moines Area Community College . Arts Competition . April 5, 2005

Art Depart Advisory Committee   Grand View College . 2005 - Present

Benefit   Stars 2003 . AIDS Project of Central Iowa . Art 316 August 22, 2003 

Donation/HostHome Show   Featured artist . June 12-27 2004 . Haskins Homes

Home Show   Des Moines Home and Leisure Show .  2004 . Guest Artist

Festival   Two Rivers Art Expo . June 25, 26, 27, 2004 . Booth  Artist

Festival   Des Moines Arts Festival . June 24, 25, 26, 2005 . Booth  Artist

Festival   Des Moines Arts Festival . June 25, 26, 27, 2004 . Booth  Artist

Radio Interview   WHO Radio . Two Rivers Festival . 2004

Television Interview   City Spotlight . access television . Des Moines . June 27, 2005

Television Interview   KCCI Channel 8 . Des Moines . November 1, 2004

Celebrity Benefit   John Tait Foundation/Accessible Arts . Silent Auction . Hallar Gallery  November 2003