Bing Davis

Willis "Bing" Davis (born June 30, 1937) is an American artist and educator, notable for his contributions to African American art and culture.

Early life and education Willis "Bing" Davis was born in Greer, South Carolina, on June 30, 1937. His mother, Verona Hargrove Davis Buffington, and his father, Livonia “Lee” Davis, would later move their family to Dayton, Ohio, when Davis was an infant.

During his childhood, Davis attended Washington Elementary School within Dayton Public Schools. In 1951, he would attend Wilbur Wright High School and was involved in basketball and track.

Teaching Career After his undergraduate graduation, Davis would teach art at Colonel White High School in the Dayton Public School system, resulting in the decision that he would be furthering his education.

Davis retired from teaching in 1988.

Davis works primarily with found objects and mixed media, though he has also created photography, drawings, paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. He considers clay his most expressive medium due to its direct physicality. In 2001, he showed at the Indianapolis Art Center.

In 2010, University of Dayton held a celebration exhibition.

In 2023, Davis donated his personal archives to the University of Dayton Archives and Special Collections. The university celebrated the donation in 2024 with an exhibition and public event, supporting the PBS/ThinkTV documentary Willis “Bing” Davis: Reach High & Reach Back.