Digital artist Nicholas Nathaniel Holland “Nick” Davis died Dec. 16 at age 31. Gifted at drawing and painting, in 2016 the St. Petersburg native was diagnosed with epilepsy, which impaired his ability to work. He then took up computer generated artwork, and dedicated himself to making impressionistic portraits of African Americans – from the everyday to the well-known – as part of a collection he called Black is Beautiful. On his website, ndartlife.com, Davis wrote “My mission is to show black people living comfortably.”
He told WEDU: “With the eyes, I want them to be always looking at you. To always be showing a message. To show a story.” There is joy, depth, pathos, stoicism and raw emotion on the faces of his figures.
Not long after he began the series, Davis was recognized by BET as Artist of the Week on Instagram.
Several of his portraits peer from the windows of the Mermaid Motel, the centerpiece of St. Pete’s immersive art experience Fairgrounds. On his artist profile for the site, he wrote: “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.”
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