From biology student to owning and running a creative agency in London to a career as a fine artist, life has taken Jon Davenport on a rewarding and unconventional journey. Despite his scientific beginnings, he’s always had a strong artistic streak weaving its way through his different career paths.

Growing up in Ipswich, UK, Jon was always an avid drawer, and could often be found with a pencil and paper in hand. With the arrival of his first computer, he embraced the new frontier of digital art, and had work published in one of those early computer magazines. The stage was set!

His creative urges took a backseat to getting a biology degree at Brunel University in London. It was afterwards, in his first job working at Archant newspaper group in Ipswich, that he quickly progressed from plate maker to becoming an integral member of the art studio. It was during this time that he taught himself photoshop, desktop publishing and graphic & web design.

After a few years he setup a design agency, and eventually went full time and moved to London. This proved to be a successful move, working for a number of clients such as Nike and Virgin, and gaining praise from the likes of Richard Branson and Tony Blair.

It wasn’t until Jon moved to the USA to marry his wife, Atlanta artist Christy Kinard, that he began indulging his pure creative urges, with her constant encouragement. Thanks to all the previous twists and turns, as well as embracing a new found love for photography and the paintbrush, it was only then that he could truly begin to create artworks that he was proud of.

Jon start’s out with photos of his paint stained studio floor and collages in articles/advertising from an array of vintage magazines collected over the years; plus any other interesting stuff captured on his travels. He then transfers the images to a panel board, layering them on with gel medium, together with strokes, splashes, drips and splats of paint. Once its dry, another layer of gel medium is poured on to give it a melting effect. After it drys off again, another layer of paint is added to embellish a few areas and to accentuate or fade out certain aspects. Then finally a coat of water based polyurethane is added for protection and to make the colors pop.

2016 Art In The Row Exhibition – Chattanooga TN

2016 American Dream at Kobalt Gallery – Provincetown MA

2015 Matre Gallery – Atlanta GA

2014 Matre Gallery – Atlanta GA

2021 Affordable Art Fair With Lilac Gallery – New York NY

2021 Euro Streets Show – New York NY

2020 Husband And Wife Show – Marietta GA

2018 Romance of the Nude & Figure – Marietta GA

2018 Kaleidoscope Explosion at DK Gallery – Marietta GA

2017 Husband and Wife Show at Shain Gallery – Charlotte NC

2017 The Boyz of DK Gallery – Marietta GA

2016 Gallery 1401 – Chattanooga TN

2014 Shain Gallery – Charlotte NC

2014 Anniversary Show at Matre Gallery – Atlanta GA

2014 Way to the the Beach Show at Matre Gallery – Atlanta GA

2014 Matre Gallery – Atlanta GA

2013 Matre Gallery – Atlanta GA

b. 1972 Ipswich, UK

Lives and works in Lookout Mountain, TN

2004 – Present day
Artist, Illustrator and Freelance creative, working on art, advertising, print and web contracts in UK and USA

1999 – 2004 Creative director, Round Window Ltd, London, UK
Creative director/owner of a small international design consultancy, providing fresh, idea-driven solutions for magazines, brochures, corporate identities and branding, as well as web and multimedia projects.

1996-1999 – Graphic Designer, Art studio Archant Ltd, Ipswich, UK
Graphic designer, working in the in-house art studio of a magazine and newspaper group.

1994 – 1996 – Production assistant, Art studio Archant Ltd, Ipswich, UK
Pre-press department, Archant Ltd, Ipswich, UK

Education

1990-1994 – Brunel University, London, UK
Bachelor of Science, Honours degree, Biology

Four year sandwich course in Biology. In addition to academic studies It involved three work placements in the industry:

Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge 1993: Research assistant working creating an in vitro model of the gastro intestinal tract.

Harris Ltd, Ipswich 1992: Testing food products for any microbial presence.

Westminster Hospital, London 1991: Assisting with research on creating a urine test for the presence of malignant melanomas.