Fay Elizabeth Davis was born on July 8, 1916, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Georgia (née Amick) and Julian Davis.[1][2] She attended the John Herron Art Institute, graduating in 1938. That same year, she won the prize for the best entry in the Indiana Art Exhibit.[1]
Careeredit
The Illini and Potawatomies Struggle at Starved Rock, mural study, for the U.S. Post Office at Oglesby, Illinois, by Fay E. Davis, ca. 1941
Davis was one of the artists working for the Works Project Administration (WPA) to complete murals depicting regional scenes. The artists were encouraged to visit the towns where they were to work to incorporate themes important to the local area. Paintings typically were completed off-site and then sent to the building in which they were to be installed.[3] She won a commission to complete the post office mural for Ligonier, Indiana, which was installed in 1940. The painting, Cutting Timber depicted lumberjacks felling trees and removing them by oxcart.[4][5]
Davis won two commissions in Illinois, Loading the Packet for the Chesterpost office and The Illini and Potawatomies Struggle at Starved Rock at Oglesby.[3]Loading the Packet was completed in 1940 and portrays the daily lives of citizens during the peak of riverboat travel—children playing, families talking and dockworkers loading boats. It was cherished by the community as reflective of their heritage, with the postmaster once saying if the building caught fire, the mural rather than the mail should be saved.[6][7]
In 1942, Davis's second Illinois mural, The Illini and Potawatomies Struggle at Starved Rock, was installed in the post office at Oglesby. She had won the commission to paint the mural the previous year and made several trips to Starved Rock State Park to prepare the painting, which features 14 Native Americans in battle. Some of the fighters are on horseback and others are on foot. Painted in muted earth tones, the painting faded badly and was restored in 1988. In 1993, the mural came back into the news when a janitor at the post office claimed the nudity of the figures rendered the scene pornographic and filed a union grievance; while his complaint was being reviewed, the painting was shielded from the public by blinds.[8][9] After a petition drive by local citizens to remove the blinds, the mural was uncovered and back on public display.[9] Post office employees reported that the controversy had elevated the number of people who came to see the painting.[10]
On December 18, 1943, Davis married fellow artist and Herron alumnus, George M. Prout in Columbus, Indiana.[11] She worked at Staley Manufacturing Company as a drafter, while continuing to work in a studio she and her husband shared in Columbus. The year following her marriage, Davis-Prout won first prize in the 37th Annual Indiana Artists Exhibition, the oldest art competition in the state, with her entry Coal for Chicago.[12][13] In 1947, she went to work at Arvin Industries in the Columbus plant, remaining there for at least five years.[14] In 1959, the couple relocated to Sarasota, Florida, and then moved to Bradenton in 1972.[15]
Death and legacyedit
Davis-Prout died on November 30, 1997, in Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida.[16]
Falk, Peter Hastings (1985). Who Was Who in American Art (Compiled from original American Art Annual:Who's Who in Art, 34 volume set ed.). Madison, Connecticut: Sound View Press. p. 151. ISBN0-932087-00-0.
Nielsen, J. (June 5, 2008). . Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
Reeves, Ryan (December 2002). "Restoration Project". Illinois Issues. 28 (12). Springfield, Illinois: University of Illinois at Springfield: 26–32. ISSN 0738-9663. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
Thompson, Mary Emma (Summer 2000). . Illinois Heritage. 2 (3–4). Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Historical Society, University of Illinois Press: 4–11. ISSN 1094-0596. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
"Arvin Honors 238 Employees at Plants Here". Columbus Herald. Columbus, Indiana. March 21, 1952. p. 5. Retrieved March 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
"Bartholomew County, Indiana Marriage records". FamilySearch. Columbus, Indiana: Bartholomew County Clerk Office. December 20, 1943. certificate #332869. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
"New WPA Mural Installed in New Ligonier Postoffice". The Angola Herald. Angola, Indiana. September 20, 1940. p. 3. Retrieved March 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
"Post office mural is back on display". The Telegraph. Alton, Illinois. August 22, 1993. p. 9. Retrieved March 7, 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
"Prout-Davis Rites Are Read". The Columbus Herald. Columbus, Indiana. December 22, 1943. p. 3. Retrieved March 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
"Top Art". The Republic. Columbus, Indiana. May 1, 1944. p. 3. Retrieved March 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
. Illinois Women Artists Project. Peoria, Illinois. 2017. Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
"United States Social Security Death Index: Fay D Prout". FamilySearch. Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service. May 20, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
April 11, 2024
davis, american, stage, actress, davis, elizabeth, davis, july, 1916, november, 1997, american, artist, graphic, designer, muralist, created, three, post, office, murals, part, projects, deal, section, painting, sculpture, bornfay, elizabeth, davis, 1916, july. For the American stage actress see Fay Davis Fay Elizabeth Davis July 8 1916 November 30 1997 was an American artist graphic designer and muralist who created three post office murals as part of the art projects for the New Deal s Section of Painting and Sculpture Fay E DavisBornFay Elizabeth Davis 1916 07 08 July 8 1916Indianapolis IndianaDiedNovember 30 1997 1997 11 30 aged 81 Bradenton FloridaNationalityAmericanOther namesFay Davis Prout Fay D ProutOccupationartistYears active1932 1945 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and legacy 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 BibliographyEarly life editFay Elizabeth Davis was born on July 8 1916 in Indianapolis Indiana to Georgia nee Amick and Julian Davis 1 2 She attended the John Herron Art Institute graduating in 1938 That same year she won the prize for the best entry in the Indiana Art Exhibit 1 Career edit nbsp The Illini and Potawatomies Struggle at Starved Rock mural study for the U S Post Office at Oglesby Illinois by Fay E Davis ca 1941Davis was one of the artists working for the Works Project Administration WPA to complete murals depicting regional scenes The artists were encouraged to visit the towns where they were to work to incorporate themes important to the local area Paintings typically were completed off site and then sent to the building in which they were to be installed 3 She won a commission to complete the post office mural for Ligonier Indiana which was installed in 1940 The painting Cutting Timber depicted lumberjacks felling trees and removing them by oxcart 4 5 Davis won two commissions in Illinois Loading the Packet for the Chester post office and The Illini and Potawatomies Struggle at Starved Rock at Oglesby 3 Loading the Packet was completed in 1940 and portrays the daily lives of citizens during the peak of riverboat travel children playing families talking and dockworkers loading boats It was cherished by the community as reflective of their heritage with the postmaster once saying if the building caught fire the mural rather than the mail should be saved 6 7 In 1942 Davis s second Illinois mural The Illini and Potawatomies Struggle at Starved Rock was installed in the post office at Oglesby She had won the commission to paint the mural the previous year and made several trips to Starved Rock State Park to prepare the painting which features 14 Native Americans in battle Some of the fighters are on horseback and others are on foot Painted in muted earth tones the painting faded badly and was restored in 1988 In 1993 the mural came back into the news when a janitor at the post office claimed the nudity of the figures rendered the scene pornographic and filed a union grievance while his complaint was being reviewed the painting was shielded from the public by blinds 8 9 After a petition drive by local citizens to remove the blinds the mural was uncovered and back on public display 9 Post office employees reported that the controversy had elevated the number of people who came to see the painting 10 On December 18 1943 Davis married fellow artist and Herron alumnus George M Prout in Columbus Indiana 11 She worked at Staley Manufacturing Company as a drafter while continuing to work in a studio she and her husband shared in Columbus The year following her marriage Davis Prout won first prize in the 37th Annual Indiana Artists Exhibition the oldest art competition in the state with her entry Coal for Chicago 12 13 In 1947 she went to work at Arvin Industries in the Columbus plant remaining there for at least five years 14 In 1959 the couple relocated to Sarasota Florida and then moved to Bradenton in 1972 15 Death and legacy editDavis Prout died on November 30 1997 in Bradenton Manatee County Florida 16 References editCitations edit a b Falk 1985 p 151 Indiana Marriage Records 1943 p 484 a b Thompson 2000 p 7 Carlisle 1995 p 28 The Angola Herald 1940 p 3 Reeves 2002 p 32 Illinois Women Artists Project 2017 Smith 1993 pp 18 19 a b The Telegraph 1993 p 9 Smith 1993 p 19 The Columbus Herald 1943 p 3 The Republic 1944 p 3 The Vidette Messenger 1944 p 22 The Columbus Herald 1952 p 5 Nielsen 2008 Social Security Death Index 2014 Bibliography edit Carlisle John C 1995 A Simple and Vital Design The Story of the Indiana Post Office Murals Indianapolis Indiana Indiana Historical Society ISBN 978 0 87195 110 6 Falk Peter Hastings 1985 Who Was Who in American Art Compiled from original American Art Annual Who s Who in Art 34 volume set ed Madison Connecticut Sound View Press p 151 ISBN 0 932087 00 0 Nielsen J June 5 2008 A career capturing human nature Sarasota Herald Tribune Sarasota Florida Archived from the original on March 7 2017 Retrieved March 7 2017 Reeves Ryan December 2002 Restoration Project Illinois Issues 28 12 Springfield Illinois University of Illinois at Springfield 26 32 ISSN 0738 9663 Retrieved March 7 2017 Smith Wes August 15 1993 Illinois janitor says mural in post office is obscene files claim pt 1 The Orange County Register Santa Ana California p 18 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspaperarchive com nbsp and Mural pt 2 The Orange County Register Santa Ana California August 15 1993 p 19 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspaperarchive com nbsp Thompson Mary Emma Summer 2000 The Depression Era Art Projects in Illinois Illinois Heritage 2 3 4 Springfield Illinois Illinois State Historical Society University of Illinois Press 4 11 ISSN 1094 0596 Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved March 7 2017 Arvin Honors 238 Employees at Plants Here Columbus Herald Columbus Indiana March 21 1952 p 5 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspapers com nbsp Bartholomew County Indiana Marriage records FamilySearch Columbus Indiana Bartholomew County Clerk Office December 20 1943 certificate 332869 Retrieved March 7 2017 Chesterton Man Win Indiana Artists Prize The Vidette Messenger Valparaiso Indiana May 1 1944 p 22 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspaperarchive com nbsp New WPA Mural Installed in New Ligonier Postoffice The Angola Herald Angola Indiana September 20 1940 p 3 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspapers com nbsp Post office mural is back on display The Telegraph Alton Illinois August 22 1993 p 9 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspaperarchive com nbsp Prout Davis Rites Are Read The Columbus Herald Columbus Indiana December 22 1943 p 3 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspapers com nbsp Top Art The Republic Columbus Indiana May 1 1944 p 3 Retrieved March 7 2017 via Newspapers com nbsp Travel Guide for Chester Illinois Women Artists Project Peoria Illinois 2017 Archived from the original on March 7 2017 Retrieved March 7 2017 United States Social Security Death Index Fay D Prout FamilySearch Alexandria Virginia National Technical Information Service May 20 2014 Retrieved March 7 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fay E Davis amp oldid 1190243739, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
