$1,000.00

Original Painting. More info coming soon…

About Raul Davis

Raul is a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. He was born and raised in the mountains of Mescalero where he acquired a love for the outdoors. His mother the late Vickie (Chino) Davis was born and raised in Mescalero. Raul’s dad, Jimmy Davis Jr., is African American from Sweetwater, Texas. Growing up Raul experienced many hardships, however, instead of focusing on his challenges he has chosen to grow strength from his adversities. Raul gains his inspiration from his Apache ancestors knowing their survival tactics and fierce fighting abilities. He also recognizes African American ancestry because they too suffered and persevered through being oppressed.

He started painting with watercolors as a little boy. He is still inspired by his older brother Rueben Chino, who in Raul’s eyes was the best artist ever. In the late 1990s, Raul worked as a wild land firefighter where he ran a chainsaw for a number of years. With his chainsaw experience he taught himself how to carve statues, bears, bowls, etc. Raul’s love for the outdoors took him out hiking and gathering elk and deer antler sheds. He taught himself how to make elk and deer antler furniture.

Since Raul has worked with several different mediums, he is concentrating on Apache Ledger Art. Ledger art finds its roots in the artwork that used to adorn tipis, clothing, shields and drums. Ledger art is a term for narrative drawings or painting on paper or cloth. He combines ledger art and historical documentation. His works often reveal political commentary about the past, providing food for thought and a sense of humor. His drawings tell a story, perhaps of a battle or other significant event, religious or otherwise. Raul has traveled across the country and scours antique stores to find old documents that form the backdrop for his work. These may be pages of diaries, bank notes, recipes or sheet music. Each of his documents come with a certificate of authenticity. The text inspires the art. Davis says the art and the document are interconnected.

Raul preserves the ancestral history of his people by bridging the gap through his ledger art. It is his intent to convey Apache history because so much of it is not taught in schools, nor do people remember how the Apache suffered. His focus is not how his people suffered but how they overcame and how they thrived. Native Americans are underrepresented throughout America and he, not only sheds light on the past, but shares his faith in our bright future.