Kai Samuels-Davis

Creative Contemplation

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May 29, 2024
Creative Contemplation
S3E4 Kai Samuels-Davis
Creative Contemplation podcast host & creator Suzanne Lago Arthur has an enlightening conversation with American painter Kai Samuels-Davis about his journey to becoming an artist, his re-discovery of self and how in the process he discovered his own artistic voice. Kai describes in detail the inspiration behind his current body of work and his solo show "Emergence" at Ryan Graff Contemporary. This mind-expanding episode delves deeply into the topics of spirituality and creativity.
Website: kaisamuelsdavis.com
Instagram (Painting): @kaisamuelsdavis
Ryan Graff Contemporary: "Emergence" Solo Show of Kai Samuel Davis
Bio:

Kai Samuels-Davis is a New York born artist living and working in Inverness, CA. He attended classes at the Woodstock School of Art at the age of 16, followed by a stint at the Art Students League of New York the following year. In 2002 he received his Bachelors in Fine Arts degree at State University of New York Purchase before moving to California where he completed the graduate program in film at Art Center College of Design in 2006.

Though not directly pursuing film, cinematic themes often arise in his paintings, giving them the sense of being fragments of a larger framework of thoughts. His work is composed mainly of portraits and figures focusing on introspective moments we keep to ourselves. By primarily using found imagery as reference material, a separation is created between artist and subject, allowing the imagery to distance itself from representing specific individuals. The portraits instead change and evolve into a new persona which is abstracted and intentionally ambiguous. This gives the viewer the opportunity to create their own narrative, meaning or associations and makes each piece uniquely personal.

Painting primarily with oils on wood using a combination of brushes and metal and rubber scrapers, paint is applied layer upon layer highlighting its history and texture. Structures and spaces are fragmented or blurred to accentuate the balance between distraction and clarity in daily thought. The images are cerebral and visceral, creating a mood of melancholy and solitude with an appreciation for their necessity and beauty.

Host Bio:
Suzanne Lago Arthur is a contemporary realist painter from Northern Virginia. Born in Puerto Rico to Cuban-American parents, her artistic explorations were nurtured from an early age by her family.
Through her paintings Suzanne explores the themes of beauty, transience and memory. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally in such venues as the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Art Museum of the Americas in Washington DC, Booth Museum of Western Art in Cartersville, GA, the United States Interests Section, Havana, Cuba and in art galleries across the United States. She holds a BFA from the Corcoran School of Art and an MA in Museum Studies from George Washington University.
Website: www.lagoarthurstudio.com
Instagram: Suzanne Lago Arthur (@lagoarthurstudio)
Logo design by Elisa Nader, Mag7
Artwork, "Abby in Contemplation" by artist Suzanne Lago Art