SECTION HEADING
AS A SELF-TAUGHT artist who fell into cartoon drawing and then graduated to computer games animation, Davison has honed a very distinctive look which is currently attracting plenty of admirers. His art is a clever amalgamation of comic book styles and infl uences which are both arresting and also unashamedly nostalgic in their evocation of childhood. “The inspiration for the new collection is without doubt that of my childhood” explains Davison. “It’s a series of scruffy but happy and energetic children just like me who were sent out all day in their old ‘playing out’ clothes to run wild.” He has captured what he refers to as
those ‘endless summer holidays' when gangs of children played out mythical and imaginary games on the streets, inspired by the characters and storylines of the fi lms and TV they watched. “It was a golden era of BMX bikes and fl ares and nothing to stop you staying out with your friends until teatime,“ laughs Davison who says the iconic fi lm ‘Kes’ encapsulates the tone of the northern childhood he wanted to convey.
26 FINE ART COLLECTOR SPRING 2011
The paintings in the 'We Can Be Heroes'
collection have a beautifully inter-connect- ed feel to them as they are all produced with a beige backwash which projects the interior world of the children’s imagination in silhouette. The inspiration for the games come from the monster TV hits of the 1970s, like Charlie’s Angels and Batman as well as Spaghetti Westerns, and the defi ant and cheeky children appear to be almost dwarfed by the visual expression of their imaginations. Davison has been both surprised and delighted by the reaction of collectors who say they can relate and ‘emotionally connect’ to the paintings. “I think that what happens is that once in a while, particularly on a bad day they might look at a picture and just for a split second get transported back to a time when their imagination was allowed to run free and everything as a child seemed possible.” In the energetic painting 'Quickly to the
Batcave' Davison says that Batman was the very fi rst word his two older brothers taught him as they were obsessed with the cult TV series. “By the time I reached junior school the walk back home would
Fistful of Quavers Giclée edition of 150 Image 18" x 13½" Framed £299
Canvas edition of 50 Image 24" x 18" Framed £425
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