Creative Pinellas celebrates the life and art of Nick Davis, one of the 2021 Creative Pinellas Emerging Artists.
Our condolences go out to his wife Tiffany, and his family and many friends.
Nick’s body of work touched so many in our community and around the world. Inspired by the greats who came before him, such as Brooklyn graffiti pioneer Jean-Michel Basquiat, the St. Petersburg, FL native began sketching and painting at a young age. In 2019, Nick took on digital artistry after epilepsy left him unable to work. Using an iPad gifted to him by his wife, he began to experiment with computer-generated artwork. Before long, Nick constructed an entire collection of digital art that portrayed his love for his culture, appropriately titled “Black Is Beautiful.”
Nick and his “Black Is Beautiful” masterpieces soon attracted national and international recognition. In November 2019, he was recognized by BET as their Artist of the Week during a BET Air segment. UK based media company WhatsOn featured Nick’s work the following month in one of its publications. He was also featured on PBS as a part of their WEDU Arts Plus series in January 2020. Additionally, Nick had been highlighted in The Weekly Challenger, Creative Pinellas and on Tampa Bay’s Local News Station, CBS Channel 10. In June 2020, his “Black Is Beautiful” collection was showcased at the Dunedin Fine Art Center. Nick was also recently featured in a film created by Culture Books call ‘Read About: Art.”
In addition to being part of the 2021 Emerging Artist exhibition at the Gallery at Creative Pinellas, his work also appeared that year in the Carter G. Woodson Museum-created exhibition, “Reverberations,” at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, and he won Creative Loafing’s 2021 BEST OF THE BAY in the category of “Best Emerging Digital Artist.”
He will be greatly missed. His art will live on forever.
To support Nick’s family and his legacy, please visit their GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/81a628c3
#blackisbeautiful @NDArtlife
With the evolution of technology and the rise of self sufficient creators, Nick Davis is taking the world of multimedia art by storm.
Inspired by the greats who came before him such as Brooklyn graffiti pioneer Jean-Michel Basquiat, the St. Petersburg, FL native began sketching and painting at a young age. In 2019, Davis took on digital artistry after epilepsy left him unable to work. Using an iPad gifted to him by his wife, he began to experiment with computer generated artwork. Before long, Davis constructed an entire collection of digital art that portrayed his love for his culture, appropriately titled, Black Is Beautiful.
Davis and his Black Is Beautiful masterpieces soon attracted national and international recognition. In November 2019, he was recognized by BET as their Artist of the Week during their BET Air segment. UK based media company WhatsOn featured Davis’s work the following month in one of its publications. He was also featured on PBS as a part of their WEDU Arts Plus series in January 2020. Additionally, Davis has been highlighted in The Weekly Challenger, Creative Pinellas and on Tampa Bay’s Local News Station, CBS Channel 10. In June 2020, his Black Is Beautiful collection was showcased at the Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Using his art as a method of coping with anxiety and depression, Davis wants to let his community know that despite the current state of the world, your Black remains immeasurably beautiful.
