Blount Library Blog

On Display from the Averett Archives: Paintings and Prints by Carson Davenport

For the summer and the bulk of the coming academic year, Blount Library is putting on display numerous watercolors, oil paintings, and prints by former Averett art professor Carson Sutherlin Davenport.

Davenport taught at Averett for 25 years (1943 to 1969, with a gap year in the mid-1940s).  Although he engaged with a wide variety of approaches and subjects over the course of his career, Davenport's work is dominated by an angular and abstract style, and an obsession two particular themes: hillsides full of houses, and the ponies of Chincoteague island.  All three of the pieces depicted in the photo below are abstractions on one of those two subjects, as are numerous other pieces held by Averett University.

Any students, staff, and members of the general public are welcome to come take a look at the art.  The three pictured here are hanging on the main floor of the library.  A further ten are hung on the upper floor: seven in the art display room (ask a librarian if you'd like a closer look), and three on the wall near the entrance to the archives.

Averett holds numerous other Davenport works.  Please feel free to make an appointment with the archivist if you'd like to see more.