In my work, I explore the complex dynamics of familial relationships as they change, calling to the bittersweet “slipping away” from family as we grow apart, physically leaving the space in which we grew together.

Kephira Davis always knew she wanted to be an artist. Growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, she spent afternoons drawing Disney characters and hosting tea parties for her older sisters. Davis’s childhood memories and familial relationships have a profound influence on her artwork. She currently explores themes of identity, lineage, and memory as she passes through the phases of life. With painting as her meditation, Kephira evidences the enduring love and self-definition of the black family through thoughtful remembrance. In 2023, Kephira received her BFA from Lander University. She is a teaching artist, working with students every day to help them develop both their skills and artistic voice.