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The colorful, textured digital collages of African American Artist Ron Davis on display at SCC’s East End Gallery

The artwork of African American artist Upfromsumdirt (a.k.a. Ron Davis), is currently on display in Somerset Community College’s East End Gallery in Stoner Hall on the SCC Somerset Campus North during the month of February. The exhibit is free and open to the public. East End Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Davis lives in Midway, Kentucky. His work is also on display in the 15th Annual African American Art Exhibit at Actors Theatre in Louisville. According to the website NateCreole.com, “The work of Ron Davis represents a persuasive argument against the linearity of time. Influences drawn from the history of African American cultural production are communicated through the most sophisticated of technological artistic technique. The result is work that reaches both back and forth, draws from the past to illuminate the future and provides an ideal continuum for the age old art of visual storytelling.”

Davis is originally from Louisville. His creative pseudonym, Upfromsumdirt, springs from his fascination with earth and nature. His artwork is obviously influenced by music including blues, jazz and 70's era funk music. The website states that his work creates a modern mythology for African American culture.

Davis turns his visions into Digital Collages or new New Media. The works include photographs, scanned and hand-drawn elements where graphic design and visual art meet and form a union.

"African American artists need a new dialog with one another - visual artists and writers alike. I'm often wrong, and I probably am (this time), but our creative output seems to have become stagnant since the late 1980's/early 1990's. ...not that there aren’t black artists out there doing some phenomenal work, because there are... but much of our contemporary work imitates what’s been already said/done/did/etc,” Davis said.

“The graphic design pieces that I’ve done might be seen by a few, but there's no guarantee that any of my visual artwork will ever be seen by the masses (or even appreciated if it is), so if my own art doesn’t make me happy, expressing who I am/where I'm from/where I want to go, then how can I expect it to make any of you happy as well?" he continued.

Viewers will find rich textures and vivid colors when they view this exhibit. Many of the works seem to pay homage to the strong African American woman and love. This is particularly true of a series of pieces in this show built around 45-rpm records.

Visitors will also find local themes in Davis’ work including references to Lake Cumberland. However, more often the themes of love, slavery, women, and the black experience in America predominate.

Davis, along with Kentucky poet Crystal Wilkinson, who is originally from Casey County, will visit SCC on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 5 p.m. in the Stoner Hall Little Theater on the SCC Somerset Campus North. Davis will be discussing his art, while Wilkinson will do a reading.

Somerset Community College offers drawing and painting classes for college credit each semester. For more information contact SCC Assistant Professor Darlene Libbey at 606/451-6811 or e-mail her at darlene.libbey@kctcs.edu.

Somerset Community College is a comprehensive two-year institution of higher education. SCC has campuses in Somerset and London, centers in Clinton, McCreary, Casey and Russell Counties. The website is www.somerset.kctcs.edu. Call for admission and registration information toll free at 1-877-629-9722.

KCTCS serves the Commonwealth through 16 community and technical college districts that form a seamless system of 62 campuses open or under construction. KCTCS colleges change lives by providing accessible and affordable education and training through academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. For more information, visit www.kctcs.edu.