"Chance Meeting" Leads to Good Deed and New Friend for Artist "Bing" Davis '59

December 3, 2009

December 3, 2009, Greencastle, Ind. — "It was a chance meeting, and it allowed Bing Davis of Dayton to touch the life of a young girl in a positive way with his talents and his caring attitude," begins a Dayton Daily Newsstory. "Davis is a nationally recognized award-winning artist who has a studio at 1135 W. Third St.," notes the newspaper, which tells of an encounter Davis, a 1959 graduate of DePauw University, had with 8-year-old Jalyn Jefferson and her mother at Atlanta's airport.

"I was flying to L.A. for a final visit with my brother, John Joseph Davis," Davis tells paper. "John was a noted professional photographer and  I went out there to be with him in his final days. We lost him after an eight-year struggle with ALS."

While at the airport, Davis spotted a girl and her mother in bright shirts. "They were colorful Make-A-Wish shirts, and I surmised that the child was on a special trip sponsored by an organization that provides special wishes for children fighting a serious illness.," he recalls.

The Jeffersons are from Columbus, and Davis invited Jalyn to come to Dayton for a one-on-one art workshop.  The Jackson's paid a visit in September.

"We started with discussions of traditional African textiles as a catalyst for learning," Davis recalls. "Jalyn learned about Kente cloth, Adinkra cloth, Adire cloth and other images of African-American textiles ... As goodbyes were being said, I asked Jalyn for one promise. She gave me a big smile and promised she would invite me to her high school graduation in 10 years."

Read the complete text at the Daily News' website.

Learn more about Willis "Bing" Davis in this previous story.

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