A limited edition of a new book is being printed and will be available for sale at the Marion Art Center on November 21. Cecil Clark Davis: A Self Portrait (1877-1955) was conceived by Wendy Todd Bidstrup with design consultation by Barbara Gee. It is an inspiring, insightful, amusing portrait of a gracious time and an amazing woman artist who lived in Marion. The narrative in first person includes diary entries, letters and observations. The text is enhanced with drawings based on illustrations by famous artist Charles Dana Gibson, whose images often reflected the lives of his close friends, Cecil Clark and her journalist husband, Richard Harding Davis. Full color photographs of her paintings are annotated with quotations of conversations with the subjects.
Her circle of friends included many of the leading figures in artistic, intellectual and political life during the first half of the 20th century: Ethel Barrymore, the actress, was maid of honor at her wedding to Richard Harding Davis, internationally known war correspondent; Walter Damrosch, composer and conductor of the New York Philharmonic was a close friend; Isabella Stewart Gardner, society matron and art collector; John Singer Sargent, world famous portrait painter; Jane Addams, advocate for women’s rights; and Teddy Roosevelt, president of the United States. She traveled widely and often had many adventures in Africa, Europe, South America and the Far East.
Publication of this book was made possible in part by an anonymous gift in memory of Betsy Arms and Lib Davis, two wonderful women who encouraged and supported the Cecil Clark Davis research project and gave generously to the community at large.