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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 6, 2006 Essentially Ashland A dying breed in Ashland: blue-collar artist Nelson Davis’ work is now on tour around the nation Whittling away the day I’m just a woodcarver who loves to fish. I’m just a fisherman who loves to carve. Fishing and artwork run in the same stream, Some days it’s bounty some days you starve.” — Nelson Davis It was a late spring afternoon two years ago as I walked into Ashland Lumber on Oak Street, looking to purchase a sheet of plywood, which I needed cut to a specific size. Being the bane of any good handyman, I lacked a circular saw or even two sawhorses, so I was dependent upon the indulgence of the lumberyard workers to pave my way toward a decent finish as I lumbered through the day. Lance Pugh Just then a voice from the past said: “Lance, isn’t about time you broke down and got a few tools?” It was Nelson Davis, a blast from the past, who was verbally kicking my Boomer Butt, never one to let me slide too far without a course correction. I smiled and replied: “Nelson, how come you’re never more than a few yards away from constructive criticism?” I first met Nelson Davis in the early ’70s while washing down a Lithia Grocery avocado and cheese sandwich while at the Log Cabin (Louie’s) visiting with a tall Budweiser. He was sitting at one of the rear round tables, showing his scrimshaw ivory and other baubles from trays that fit into a leather doctor’s bag from the 1920s. He would sell, trade, barter, swap, entice and generally wag away until he got what he wanted. Then the medicine bag would again become sealed to await its next call like a genie in a bottle. Nelson had long hair, wore sunglasses and it became clear that you could play poker with him all day and into the late night and never win. His artistic talents would manifest, but, at that time I had no idea how this ability might morph and eventually redefine his life. Nelson made it through the decade, backing off the beer and marrying one of Ashland’s most comely women: Jonnalee. Thereafter when Nelson said that he had to go home, no one gave him any grief, for there were clear and present reasons why an evening at home was an obvious and significant improvement over downing some suds and hanging out with the “boys.” Whenever she deigned to visit the Cabin her simple entrance would cause a stampede of patrons to bail off their barstools and offer the coveted seat to her in a flair of flamboyant, well-meaning manners. I once watched her effect a departure by twirling a shawl around her with the slightest flick of the wrist, this resulting in every hat in the packed house ending up spinning on edge on the floor. Nelson Davis poses for a photo in Ashland. He was taught an appreciation of art at an early age, and spent a good portion of his life developoing his skills. Submitted photo At least that’s what I thought I saw. Back at the lumberyard I soon pieced together a quilt of Nelson’s past, though only the major events. He gave up his art and found steady work when his son was born in 1977. He taught at the Montessori school from ‘77 to ‘79, worked as a children’s program director for KSOR from ‘79 to ‘80, managed Frank’s Pizza in the days of David Pinsky’s Brooklyn on the creek from ‘80 to ‘82, ran The Beanery from ‘82 to ‘88 … all the while fitting in various construction work. From ‘88 until the present he worked first at Copeland Lumber and then at Ashland Lumber. During the last couple of years Nelson blended his job with wood with his favorite hobby, fishing, resulting in his re-emergence in art in the form of carved wooden fish. His wife was aghast at his habit of giving away his finished pieces. In retrospect, she was right — his talent was and is exceptional and is now on the verge of breaking out nationally. I went to his showing in April of 2003 at the Ashland Artworks on Oak Street and was impressed by his technique and attention to detail. We talked, joked and otherwise chewed the fat to learn that Randy Warren noticed one of Nelson’s carved fish at Ashland Lumber and arranged the guest show. I left just as a prospective customer walked up to ask a question. A gallery showing for Nelson … I had to think about what that might mean. I got lured into Nelson’s move and decided to take the lead and tackle the topic. I Googled for Nelson Davis and a link to his artwork came up as the fourth listing. I opened up the page and was greeted by a gallery of his past fish carvings and a host of new multimedia art that incorporated his finely carved 3-dimensional wood wonders in and around welded farm implements and car parts. I focused in on a recent piece entitled “Raven 1” and enlarged it, there to spot what appeared to be a disk brake, brake pads and an outer blade portion (toe) of a scythe. I needed to know more about this juxtaposition of soft, carved wood and rusty, old metal, prompting a re-visitation to the lumberyard. Nelson quickly set me straight on his new style, then dropped a hint of where I might learn more: The Society of Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh. Nelson was one of the finalists out of 231 applicants and “Raven 1” will be traveling around the country to galleries and museums for the next two years. Reasonably impressed I sat down with Nelson and stoked the coals for a properly inspired and revealing interview. A few white-hot pokers later I came into possession of the following: Nelson is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a world traveler whose mother, a pianist and published quilt designer, insisted that the family attend the opera, symphony and develop their own innate artistic abilities. His brother, John, owns and operates the Davis/Cline Gallery on A Street that is known for its high-end offerings. In short, Nelson’s got the genes for the galleries along with a unique approach and manner of expression. All this from a former medicine man at the Log Cabin who, in the ’70s worked his art through ivory scrimshaw. In a town where talent abounds, yet the cost of living is dear, I wonder just how long it will be before everyone is retired and our waiters and other members of the service industry are bussed in from shanties in the gullies, while the transplanted wealthy gather and gossip about their most recent vacation, this aside from their daily vacation in Ashland. Workers here are an endangered species and their lack usually signals the downfall of great societies. Nelson stands astride the two roads of blue collar work and artistic inspiration. I’m keeping an eye on him, perhaps best done by going fishing in the mountain lakes and reflecting on what a conspiracy between gifted hands and artistic inspiration can concoct for the betterment of the soul. Future columns will focus on various businesses as well as key individuals and events that will lead the charge from times past to lend perspective to the revival of Ashland. Send your favorite remembrances to: [email protected]. 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