Ronald Davis in the studio at Tyler Graphics Ltd., Bedford Village, New York, 1974
Gift of Kenneth Tyler 2002
Photographer: Renate PONSOLD

Born in California in 1937, Ronald Davis attended the San Francisco Art Institute in the early 1960s. Known primarily for his geometric paintings, he extended his preoccupation with shapes and their spatial relationships to the print medium while working with Kenneth Tyler during the 1970s. At Tyler Graphics he explored the versatility of printmaking, working with both lithography and screen printing to create mixed-media prints on exquisite handmade papers.

These works are typical of Davis, with brightly coloured shapes suspended in a Renaissance style perspectival frame.
Emilie Owens

Further reading

Chronology
 

1937
Born in Santa Monica, California, United States of America

1955–56
Studies engineering at University of Wyoming, Laramie

1960–63
Studies at San Francisco Art Institute; awarded grant to study at the Yale-Norfolk Summer School of Music and Art where he meets fellow student Philip Guston

1964
Begins to exhibit at Wilder Gallery, Los Angeles, California

1966
Solo exhibition, at Tibor de Nagy Gallery, New York City, New York

1967–69
Begins experimenting with sound compositions using Buchla series 100 synthesizer, the artist is already renowned for his series of snap-line paintings comprising several layers of cast polyester resin on a fibreglass base. Included in Exhibition of contemporary painting, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City

1968
Receives National Endowment for the Arts grant

1969
Included in Biennial exhibition, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Biennial exhibition,Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City; West Coast 1945–1969, originating at Pasadena Art Museum (now the Norton Simon Museum of Art)

1971
Completes Cube series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles; solo exhibition, at Pasadena Art Museum; included in exhibitions: Art and technology, at Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Technics and creativity: Gemini G.E.L., at Museum of Modern Art, New York City

1972
Included in Venice biennale, Italy

1975
Completes intaglio prints at Tyler Workshop Ltd., Bedford Village, New York including editions Arch, Bent beam, Big open box, Pinwheel, Diamond, Stripe, Upright, Slab

1976
Retrospective exhibition, Ronald Davis: paintings, 1962–1976, at Oakland Museum, California

1977
Included in exhibition, Art off the picture press, at Emily Lowe Gallery, Hofstra University, Hampstead, New York

1979
Completes several editions at Tyler Graphics Ltd., Bedford Village involving papermaking, screenprinting and lithography. Editions include: Arc arch, Invert span, Twin wave and Wide wave

1980
Included in exhibition, American painting of the 1970s, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York

 

1981
Included in exhibition, Art in Los Angeles: seventeen artists in the sixties, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California

1984
Included in exhibitions, Prints from Tyler Graphics, at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Gemini G.E.L.: art and collaboration, at National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

1988
Begins using computers to design works of art

1989
Solo exhibition, Ronald Davis: paintings 1962–1976, Oakland Museum of California; included in travelling exhibition, First Impressions: early prints by forty-six contemporary artists, originating at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

1995
Returns to painting in encaustic wax

2002
Solo exhibition, Ronald Davis: forty years of Abstraction, Butler Institute Museum of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio

Ronald Davis currently lives and works in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico

Barbara Delano © Tyler Graphics Ltd., revised Kate Buckingham, 2006
This chronology provides an overview of selected biographical information, major solo and group exhibitions held within the artist's own lifetime.

Further information will be added to this site as the National Gallery proceeds with its research and documentation.

Last updated May 2013