BIOGRAPHY

Working in the Ozarks, Chuck Davis (he/him/his) is an independent curator & photographer – a visual artist whose work critically observes Ozark history and the adjacent lands once described as Indian Territory. Of Indigenous and European descent, Chuck's message traverses inter-generational tensions of both new and Native residents.

Chuck Davis (b. 1954) earned a BAFA – (History of Photography) from the University of New Mexico, and an MFA in Visual Arts from Lesley Art + Design in Cambridge Massachusetts. He studied Photojournalism at the University of Missouri, earning an B.A. Honors degree. Completing a residency at Casa Ranzini in Sao Paulo Brazil in 2019, he was also awarded an Arkansas Arts Humanity Grant in 2022, and an Art + Everywhere Grant in 2024. He received a stipend award in 2021 and his work was entered to the collection of the Regional Art Museum (RAM) in Fort Smith, Arkansas. This year he exhibited at MASS MOCA while on retreat, and will be again in residency at RAG Gallery in Rocky Neck MA in July 2025. His next solo exhibit is at Mount Sequoyah, Fayetteville AR.

Arts
Education

Arts
Residency

  • BA – (Photojournalism) University of Missouri - Columbia (1975)

  • BAFA – (History of Photography) University of New Mexico - Albuquerque (1982)

  • MFA – Art Institute of Boston / Lesley Art+Design (2019)

  • Casa Ranzini - Sao Paulo, Brazil (2019)

  • Al Capp’s Home - Cambridge, MA (2018 & 2019)

  • MASS MOCA - North Adams, MA - Art+ Everywhere Retreat (2025)

  • RAG Gallery - Rocky Neck, MA (2025)

EXHIBITION HISTORY

& ARTS ENGAGEMENT

2025

  • Roots/Wings Exhibition – MASS MOCA, North Adams, MA – curator, Naima White. (January 2025)

  • Living Image 2024/2025 – Halide Project – Philadelphia – Juror Adam Finkelston (Feb-Mar 2025)

  • Love Wins – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator Laurie Foster (Jan-Feb 2025)

  • Ozark Giraffe at Mt. Sequoyah – awarded solo exhibition by Creative Spaces NWA , Mt. Sequoyah Hall Gallery, scheduled for November-December 2025.

2024

  • Innovation Grant – Ozark Giraffe. Awarded by ‘Art + Everywhere’ – (January 2024)

  • Distant Dialogues – Float Magazine. Honorable Mention. Curators Lisa Beard, Micah McCoy, and Vann Powell – (February 2024)

  • Your Daily Photograph – Keetoowah Elder, Photogravure (Artist Proof) – March 29, 2024

  • 9th Anniversary Show – Local Color Gallery, Fayetteville AR. Jury: Jeff Jackson, Bethany Springer, and Jeff Rhames
    (April-May 2024)

  • Cambridge Art National Show – Cambridge Mass, juror Ben Sloat (May-August 2024)

  • Healing Waters and Segregated Springs—Stereoviews of Arkansas. Presenter during History of Photography sessions during 3D-Con 2024, Wichita KA (July 2024)

  • Word Play – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator, Susan Idlet (July-August 2024)

  • Nexus of Northwest Arkansas – Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville AR – Curator, Susan Idlet (October 2024-January 2025)

  • Ozark Giraffe:Beyond a Home’s Walls – Two-person fence wall exhibit with Mario Quiroz (October 2024-January 2025).

  • Surreality – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator, Zeek Taylor (October–November 2024)

  • Current Works 2024 – Leedy Volkus Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri, juror Adam Finkelston. (October–December 2024)

    2023

  • ‘Art + Everywhere’ – VanDernoot Gallery, Cambridge MA. Lesley Art + Design 20th Anniversary Show. (July 2023)

  • ‘Magnificent Monochromes’ – Sage Gallery, Sheridan WY. Curated by Keith Davis (February 2023)

  • Les Femmes Fâchees: Angry Women – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator Laurie Foster (May 2023)

  • Current Works 2023 – Albrecht Kemper Museum, St Joseph MO – Juror Elijah Gowin (October 2023)

  • The Avoidance of Othering - Ozark Giraffes. Presenter at the Ozarks Symposium, Missouri State University - West Plains (October 2023)

  • Around Town – Local Color Gallery, Fayetteville AR. Curator Alex Cogbill (October-November 2023)

    2022

  • Paper Routes – Collaboration with Simone Wicca (Brazil), Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women traveling exhibition with interpretation by Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. (January 13 – February 26, 2022)

  • ‘The Wheel’ – solo exhibition, Martha Jones Gallery, Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM). Stipend Grant - Lecture Series. (March-June 2022)

  • ‘PhotoSpiva’ – Spiva Arts Center, Joplin MO. Jurors Eric and Erin Dodson (March-May 2022)

  • ‘A Sense of Place’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator Laurie Foster (April 7th-May28th, 2022)

  • ‘Light Sensitive’, Art Intersection, Gilbert AZ – Juror Elizabeth Opalenik (July 2022)

  • ‘Our Art, Our Region, Our Time’ (2nd Annual) – Walton Art Center, Fayetteville AR.  Juried by Kathy Thompson (October 2022)

    2021

  • ‘Exploring Mindscapes’ – Invitational, Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM). Stipend and Solo Show Award
    (Feb-May 2021)

  • ‘Re-Emergent’ – Millar Building, Mount Sequoyah, Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Laurie Foster (July 2021)

  • ‘Our Art, Our Region, Our Time’ (1st Annual) – Walton Art Center, Fayetteville AR.  Juried by Kathy Thompson. (July 2021)

  • ‘Fresh From the Studio’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curator Laurie Foster (August 4th-October 1st, 2021)

  • Día De Los Muertos – Mount Sequoyah, Creative Spaces, Fayetteville AR. Curator Lourdes Valverde (October 22-November 6, 2021)

    2020

  • ‘Control’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Ciara Froning (January 2020)

  • ‘Chaos and Confusion’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Laurie Foster, Pat Hennon, and Octavio Logo (March 2020)

  • ‘PhotoSpiva’ – Spiva Arts Center, Joplin MO – Juried by April Watson. (March 2020)

    2019

  • ‘Rewilding the Grid’ – Raizes Gallery, Cambridge MA. Curated by Andrew Mroczek (January 2019)

  • Published in PROCESS – Zine, Cambridge MA (January 2019) – ‘The Nexus of Northwest Arkansas’

  • ‘Collaborations and Conversations’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Steven Schneider  (March 2019)

  • ‘PhotoSpiva’ – Spiva Arts Center, Joplin MO – Juried by Patty Carroll (March 2019) – Juror’s Stipend Award

  • ‘Flagship Heritage Biennial’ – VanDernoot Gallery, Cambridge MA. Lesley Art + Design Alumni Show (May 2019)

    2018

  • ‘One Year Down’ – New Deal Studios, Little Rock AR. Curated by Rachel Trusty (January 2018)

  • Fenix at Nadine Baum – Nadine Baum Studios, Walton Art Center, Fayetteville AR (February 2018)

  • ‘2018 Delta des Refusés’ – Butler Center, Little Rock AR. Curated by Rachel Trusty (June 2018)

    2017

  • Listed Artist – Arkansas Arts Council (August 2017)

  • ‘Finding your Vision: Creating a Message with Dan Snow’ – MapSYM, Eureka Springs AR (Moderator – May 21st, 2017)

  • ‘Light Sensitive’, Art Intersection, Gilbert AZ – Juror Ann M. Jastrab (January 2017)

  • Published in The Hand (Issue 17, July 2017) – ‘Halloween 1981’

  • ‘Current Works - 2017’ – Mallin and Jacqueline B. Charno Galleries, Kansas City MO – Juror Keith Davis (Nov 2017)

  • ‘In Our Natural State’ – Rogers Experimental House, Rogers AR. Two-person show with Dan Snow (November 2017)

    2016

  • Instant Film demonstration and ‘Pop Up’ Exhibit – Crystal Bridges Museum (April 2016)

  • Gallery Conversation – ‘The Open Road’ – Crystal Bridges Museum – With curator Ali Demoritski (May 2016)

  • ‘4Square’ – KCAC Underground Gallery, Kansas City MO – Group Show (July 2016)

  • ‘A Study in Photographic Diversity’ – John Baltz Gallery, Springdale AR – Juried Show (August 2016)

  • ‘Current Works 2016’ – Haw Contemporary, Kansas City MO – curated by Larry Meeker & Jan Schall (November 2016)

  • ‘North by Southwest’ – PSNWA Gallery & Studios, Bentonville AR – three person show curated with Cleeo and Keli Wright (December 2016)

PORTFOLIOS

Nexus of Northwest Arkansas

  • Jack – 1976 (portfolio #1)

  • Biddy – 1978 (portfolio #2)

  • Halloween – 1981 (portfolio #3 – unique chromogenic prints)

  • Dogpatch – 2017 (Mail Art on DiBond™)

  • Nexus of Northwest Arkansas – 2019 (Dye Sublimation on Aluminize™)

CURATION

  • Our Natural State – Works by 18 national and international 18 artists – including Alec Soth, Mike Disfarmer, Tim Hursley, and Sabine Schmidt. Art Center of the Ozarks, Springdale Arkansas (July-August 2018)