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'A positive sense of place'

Exhibit honors those who make the Miami Valley a better place and the artists who depict them.

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By Pamela Dillon, Contributing Writer 12:11 AM Sunday, January 18, 2009

At the beginning of the Artist Reception for "Dayton Skyscrapers III" exhibit at the EboNia Gallery in December, Idotha "Bootsie" Neal was welcoming guests. She didn't realize there was a larger-than-life portrait of her hung on the wall right behind her.

Willis "Bing" Davis remembers that when she turned around and saw the 40-inch by 60-inch oil created by Dwayne Daniel, she was speechless. It's an incredible likeness of the president of Wright Dunbar Inc.

She is one of the 18 African Americans who are being honored in the third installment of the Skyscrapers series. The exhibit was organized by Davis not only to celebrate those who have made significant contributions in the Miami Valley, but also also showcase the outstanding visual artists here.

"I have appreciated the three-year commitment to the project by local artists. It has been an outstanding project that has received positive response from cities and organizations that may want to replicate the project in their cities," said Davis. "It is a wonderful way to highlight local artistic quality, local history, community pride and a positive sense of place."

"We have the first honorary Dayton Skyscraper, President-elect Obama. We communicated with his transition team and invited him down, but we know he's a little busy right now," said Davis. "He had several visits in the area and region. It has been calculated that this president, with his vision of hope and future-looking ideas actually, influenced the passing the Dayton Public School levy that had been defeated before."

Other artists and those they have honored include:

Abner Cope, oil paintings: "Dayton Skyscraper at Daybreak" of Natasha Williams, Channel 7 morning anchor; "The Dayton City Manager," Rashad Young.

Clifford Darrett, oil paintings: "Bass Man Eddie Brookshire" and "Civil Rights Advocate," Jesse Gooding.

Lois Fortson, clay sculptures: "Rev. Donald Thompson" and "Euna Thompson," a musician.

Jerome Ingram, oil painting: "Willis E. Blackshear," county recorder.

Willis "Bing" Davis color photos: "Urban Duo #2: Leo and Alyce Lucas," and "S.Y.M.: Serious Young Musicians."

James Pate, 2 acrylics: "Let Me Hear You Say, Roger Troutman," musician; "Thank You, Ricky Poole," entrepreneur; pen and ink "Obama in Technocubism."

Thelma Patterson, fiber: "100 Years More or Less" of physicians Elijah Patterson Clemens and Alonzo Patterson.

William Pettiford III, Adobe Photoshop: "Earley to Rise: Lieutenant Colonel Charity Edna Adams Earley"

Paula Ramey, origami and digital photo: "Vision," William Bell, minister/physician

Francis Turner, fiber and wood dolls: "Negro League Baseball Player and Shadow," Curtis 'Bingo' Lloyd

"Curtis Lloyd played for the Dayton Monarchs. He is the one remaining living Negro baseball league star in his nineties," said Davis. "She made a shadow doll for him because black players weren't considered 'real' baseball players back then."

"Just another Daytonian that has made a tremendous contribution to Dayton that we should not forget," Davis said.

How to go

Dayton Skyscrapers III

Where: EboNia Gallery, 1135 W. Third St., Dayton

When: Continues through Jan. 25

Dayton Skyscrapers III at the Schuster Center

Where: Schuster Performing Arts Center

When: Feb. 1-28

Reception: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 12

More information: Call (937) 223-2290 or e-mail bing@wbdavisart.com

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