The journey from childhood to adulthood is filled with both rapid change and great nuance. In my work, I explore the dynamics of familial experiences and the idea of growing up, maturing, and feeling the slow, bittersweet “slipping away” from family as we get older. As I am currently in this transitional period from girlhood to young woman, I ponder the experiences of others in my family. From my childhood memories to stories I have grown up hearing, the need to share these narratives and changes that I notice as time goes on comes naturally. In this way, I preserve my family narrative while writing my own.
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 heavily influence her work today. Exploring themes of ancestry, dreams, memory, and where they intersect, Kephira shares the stories she grew up hearing, keeping the past ever present. Surveying her family's history, Kephira presents viewers with past moments that now exist in a realm of memory. She closely examines her place within her family and how the passage of time influences each phase of life. In 2023, Kephira received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Lander University with a concentration in 2D studio. She continues to develop her interest in her family history and culture as a whole. Kephira uses her experience in curatorial gallery practices and teaching as a Visual Arts instructor in the Greenville County Schools ARMES program, giving students a well-rounded introduction to the visual arts space. Kephira is a Brandon Fellowship alumnus and working studio artist.