By CHRISTINA MUNSTER, Student Reporter
Fueled by creativity, imagination, and youth, she lingers over her workshop. Focusing on the little things, such as people and animal behavior and positions, textiles of different cultures, plant connections, how attentions are captured, social pressures, and lights and color. Britynn Davis from Little Rock, Arkansas, finds the little things and makes them into art.
With an MFA from the School of Art Institute of Chicago in Fiber and Material Studies, along with BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Central Arkansas, Davis is this month’s Artist in Residence.
Davis has a history with Northwestern. Her grandmother was Homecoming Queen and her Grandfather played on the basketball team. Campus sweethearts, they later married after graduating from Northwestern relocating to Coldwater, Kansas. Davis would spend some of her childhood summers and holidays in Coldwater and would sometimes visit Alva.
Coming to Alva, from Chicago has been a good adjustment from the hustle and bustle of the city. Davis hopes to add to the conversations at Northwestern, holding workshops, learning from the people and culture in the area, and the students. “I’m learning, and the students are learning from me.” Davis said. Sculpture and fiber material studies aren’t offered at Northwestern, and Davis is exposing them to it.
After her time at Northwestern is done, she plans on continuing to exhibit and teach other places such as Memphis, Little Rock, and Oklahoma. She is grateful of the opportunity that Northwestern has given her.
“My advice to rising artists is to be really open, get really involved in creative events, take risks, and be okay with messing up. Learn to collaborate with others, be true to your interests, and be happy with the work you are doing.” Davis said.
When Davis was middle school, she had a teacher named Ms. Joliff. “She made me realized that I was creative in my awkward middle school stage and that I had something to share.” Davis said. Ms. Joliff helped molded, October’s Artist in Residence Britynn Davis.