DaytonDailyNews.com

"My personal struggle with faith, religious power and morality prevent me from fully embracing the ideals of my youth." — Artist Tom Davie

A stroll down the corridor to the Regional Artists Gallery on the lower level of the Dayton Art Institute transports you from the din of museum traffic into a surreal world of disembodied faces and a prayer meeting frozen in time.

Mounted in the gallery is "The Parishioner Series," a collection of pointillist-inspired art from the mind and pen of Cincinnati-based visual artist Tom Davie.

"The parishioners depicted in my portraits are members of the small religious community in Sandusky to which I belonged as a child and young adult," Davie explained. "The faces are real people from the 1974 church directory. I chose 1974 because it was the year I was born."

Davie's art is both inscrutable and forgiving. Stand too close and all you see are random dots. Take a few steps back and a clearer image zooms into focus. His preferred medium is permanent marker with acrylic and varnish on canvas, while his style reflects the ascetic, abstract expressionism of artists such as Chuck Close and Andy Warhol.

Davie said the seeds of "Parishioner Series" were sown during his undergraduate years at the University of Dayton.

"The priest I had in Religion 101 was the first person from the clergy I heard say you need to question religion and decide where religion stands for yourself," Davie said. "Up to that point, I'd been spoon-fed religion like most children are.

"Although my work depicts a church community, it's not my intent to be viewed as a religious artist. The work represents a physical manifestation of my thoughts and is intended to be a conversation starter for topics that are not often discussed in public."

While the majority of the 35 images in "The Parishioner Series" are rendered in black and white, "The Flower" is a bright red portrait that depicts a nun sporting demonic horns.

"When I was a kid I had very distinct memories of nuns," Davie said. "One was I remember being comforted by a nun during a storm. The other was a nun I had in fifth grade who used to just hit me for whatever reason. I didn't understand it. There's always been a dichotomy for me between the good nun and the evil nun."

Davie said each portrait — from "Revelation" (unveiled in eight rectangular boxes) to the nebulous "He Shall Inherit" — was created on computer and completed by hand.

"The imagery is scanned and layered using a photo-editing program," he explained. "Once the composite image is created, the file is printed and drawn onto canvas. These individuals represent righteousness and unwavering devotion. I'm jealous of their commitment to faith."

"The Parishioner Series" is on display at the Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park North, until Dec. 2. It is free. Call (937) 223-5277 for more information.