Tony Davenport hails from Vicksburg, Mississippi. Davenport earned his BFA in fine arts from Jackson Stat University in 2002 and received a MAT in Teaching degree from Memphis College of Art in 2019. Tony is a certified K-12 Visual Arts teacher who taught visual art in Mississippi and Tennessee for 18 years. As an art education, he believes that arts integration is vital in teaching children to use creativity to navigate social interaction among people, cultures, and communities. As an artist, he is tasked to use creativity as a driving force for change. His work is purposed to spark dialogue and awareness concerning issues related to social and cultural relevance. In addition, visual representations are expressed in concert with historical and musical references to tell stories that transcend place and time. His painting style is influenced by artists Ernie Barnes, Norman Rockwell, and Jack Vettriano. Davenport ha illustrated magazine covers for the Jackson Free Press. In addition, the artist has designed the official posters for Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festivals (2006, 2008, 2015 & 2023). The artist was recently awarded a Visual Artist Fellowship form The Mississippi Arts Commission (2024). In addition to being an accomplished artist, Davenport also performs as a live event painter. Davenport's creative process is Neo-Mannerism, consisting of painted elongated figures expressing movement and emotion coupled with historic southern landmarks, symbols, icons, and themes. He also incorporates both under paintings and collages in his compositions, created the illusion of depth and dimension. His art is intended to engage the viewer, inviting them into the conceptual thought of the work as an active participant. Moreover, the painted interpretations of locations and figures are not just limited to going beyond an aesthetic appeal but challenge the viewer to make connections between what they see based on diverse social and cultural experiences. His work aims to empower people and communities to create conversation through creativity. Whether he uses an arts integration approach to educate through historic people or vistas to the transcend time and place without boundaries.