Born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, Neil Davison is the third of four
children. Artistic talent has been present for several generations on his
mother's side of the family. When he was a young boy, his family's favorite
summer vacation spot was Tawas, a small city on Lake Huron. Hanging out
at the docks and fishing pier was "tops" for him as a youngster. This was
later reinforced through charter fishing trips with Dad, a short stint with
the Navy, and several sailing excursions out east.
Drawn by the "zen" for the sea, Neil's artistic development went hand-in-hand with a love of the water and the desire to fulfill an already creative nature. Outside of some early private instruction from two commercial
artists in the area, Neil Davison is self-taught. His career as an artist
started in 1967. Several years in the Appalachian missions influenced his
style of painting and life deeply.
He is a master of the pallet knife, has an impressionistic style, uses
bold strokes and an atmospheric quality to create an "alive" texture in his
paintings. Often knife and brush are combined in a unique style all of his
own, whether it is historical or imaginary marine paintings, landscapes, car
racing scenes, American railroad scenes, contemporary art, religious themes
or abstract subject matter. Oils or acrylics, watercolors or pencil drawings,
make for a wide variety to choose from. Most works exhibit in several
private collections (national and international), galleries, and one man
shows.
A native of Saginaw, Michigan, he resides at the 100 year old family
home which houses his studio. It is a priority of his to foster the world
of arts, especially in youth. Neil's life reflects the same clarity and
simple structure as his art setting high standards in quality of work and
professional ethics.
It is Neil's desire to share the treasures of what we see through his
art - a timeless testimony living on.