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The Irma Lazarus Award

Willis "Bing" Davis, Artist/Educator, Dayton

Currently the president of the National Conference of Artists board of directors and a retired professor of the arts, Willis “Bing” Davis has contributed greatly to the field of fine arts and arts education. Combining African artistic traditions with modern art movements, he has taught his students the importance of heritage in the arts. After teaching in the Dayton Public School System, Davis taught art at DePauw and Miami Universities and later went on to spend 20 years as the chair of the art department at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He also has been an artist-in-residence with Dayton University and a scholar-in-residence at Wright State University. Working with a variety of mediums including clay and oil pastels, Davis blends rich cultural traditions together to educate and mesmerize his audience. His work has been exhibited in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, West Africa, South America, England, Russia and Italy. Davis is also an outstanding community leader, pouring his efforts into urban education initiatives such as the Urban Peace Quilt Project and the Mound Street Academies Enrichment Program. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2008 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Service Award, 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award from Culture Works, the National Leadership with Virtue Award, the Global Youth Peace Award, and the 1997 Ohio Art Educator of the year. Known as a gentle, talented and magnetic man, Davis has devoted his life to educating young people in the fine arts. Throughout his life he has used his artistic skills to better young minds and help shape healthy communities.

Since 1994, The Irma Lazarus Award, presented at the discretion of the Ohio Arts Council Board, honors the memory of Irma Lazarus, who made countless contributions as an arts patron, advocate and leader in the development of state funding for the arts in Ohio. It is presented to organizations or individuals who have helped shape public support for the arts through their work as advocates and have brought statewide, national and international recognition to Ohio through sustained dedication to artistic excellence. Nominations are not accepted for this award.