"There is something very unique about the juxtaposition of what is found in nature, and what is found and man-made, occurring in the artworks of South Coast Texas artist Steve Davis. The artist presents a consistent armature constructed from sand dollars around which the adjoining man-made objects create an endless variety of tangential connections between the desirable objects Davis finds in the junks shops and antique stores along the south Texas coast and what he finds on the beaches nearby. The artist transforms his love of time-weathered stuff, and nature-weathered stuff from the beach, into art that is uniquely his own. -DMA 2015.

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Steve Davis might begin with an object like an old wooden toolbox, a rusty metal shrimp basket, or an antique metal bathtub. Then he takes his personal collection of sun-bleached seashells or sand dollars and creates intricate patterns by suspending them from the old containers using transparent fishing line. With these unique materials and techniques Davis found a slice of his creative identity that he only guessed he possessed during his 30 years owning upscale women's clothing shops in San Antonio. In that time, however, his favorite escape was always Port Aransas - where he now calls home.

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In 1994 Davis gave up his San Antonio business and moved to Houston to work at a contemporary art gallery. That was a new beginning for him. 'Certain artists we represented broadened my horizon,' Davis said. 'They made me see things from a new perspective.' From that exposure he realized how he could transform his love of time-weathered stuff from the junk stores, and nature-weathered stuff from the beach into art. 'I stare at containers and think about what I might do with the,' Davis said. To allow the viewer as natural a response as possible he doesn't title his works other than by a simple description such as, 'Shrimp Basket.'"

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-Dan Allison Gallery