The Artist Dave Davis
An oral history interview with local arts pioneer Dave Davis can now be found online in the Mesa County Oral History Project (a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado).
Many Grand Valley residents know the name of Dave Davis in association with Grand Junction’s Art on the Corner, a longstanding display of art that contains standing pieces and a rotating collection of pieces by guest artists. With the cooperation of the Downtown Development Authority, Davis initiated the first Art on the Corner display on Main Street in 1984. Since then, cities large and small have looked to it for inspiration. Art on the Corner has expanded beyond the confines of Main Street to encompass other areas of downtown, and continues to draw visitors.
Davis also headed the Art Center of Western Colorado from 1986 until 1995. He helped return financial stability to the organization after the collapse of the oil shale economy, while raising the Art Center’s visibility with programming. Davis had a hand in many classes, displays and shows that helped local artists and the artistic community. In his later life, before his untimely passing, he mentored young artists.
Davis was an accomplished artist in his own right, with artwork displayed and sold throughout Colorado, in Santa Fe, and elsewhere. Today, much of his artwork can be found at davisart.com.
View pieces from Art on the Corner and find out more about Dave Davis by listening to his oral history in Mesa County Library’s 970West Digital Collection.