Allens Lane Art Center will celebrate the artistry of Gloria Gammage Davis from March 15 to April 13 in an exhibit that showcases her diverse work in assemblage quilts, ceramic sculptures, fabric installations and dolls.
Davis creates pieces that speak to the stories of Black women, resistance, and ancestral connections, a reflection of the artist’s creative journey which began in childhood.
"My earliest memory of recognizing my ability to create art was in elementary school," Davis recalls. "As my aunts watched me make doll clothes, they shared sewing tips and techniques. Sewing was the first art skill I developed." This generational transfer of knowledge sparked a creative path that would eventually lead to a BFA from Cheyney University and a rich career spanning multiple mediums.
Davis’ work has been exhibited at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Philadelphia City Hall, the Da Vinci Alliance and Crane Arts. Her quilts have been published in "We Are the Story" and "Black Pioneer Legacy in the American West."
The upcoming exhibition showcases her assemblage quilts, ceramic sculptures, printmaking, fabric installations, and dolls — each piece telling its own story within a larger narrative tapestry. Her dolls draw inspiration from the African American tradition of Abayomi dolls, handmade fabric dolls created by enslaved women during the Transatlantic slave trade. The name "Abayomi," meaning "precious meeting" in Yoruba, reflects the act of resistance these dolls represented—preserving identity amid oppression.
Davis's quilts represent an evolution in her artistic journey. "My latest works — art quilts — emerged as part of a response to artist calls, a challenge that pushed me to grow and evolve in my creative process," she notes. These are not conventional quilts but rather deconstructed forms incorporating organic inclusions, abstract shapes, and sculptural elements. Ghanaian Adinkra symbols, photo transfers, embroidered text, and hairlocks transform her quilts into powerful statements of cultural heritage and personal exploration.
Beyond creating, Davis shares her talent as a teaching artist at institutions including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Free Library, and Fleisher Art Memorial.
An opening reception and artist talk moderated by Gail Lloyd will be 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday, March 15. The Allens Lane Art Center is at 601 W. Allens Lane in Mt. Airy.
