Miguel Davis Jr. is a Washington, D.C.-born artist whose work explores themes of identity, healing, and transformation. A proud graduate of Howard University, Miguel earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 2022 and his Master of Fine Arts in 2024. While completing his graduate studies, he also continued his athletic career as a standout member of Howard’s Swim and Dive team, serving as team captain for two years. His leadership both in and out of the pool helped elevate the team’s academic and athletic performance. Miguel exemplifies balance between discipline, creativity, and service.

Miguel’s commitment to social justice and community engagement is a recurring theme in his artistic work. During the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, he was commissioned to paint two murals in the heart of D.C., using public art to amplify voices and catalyze community healing. His live painting sessions throughout the city have resulted in works that were either sold or donated to local schools, expanding his creative impact beyond traditional gallery spaces. At Howard, Miguel showcased his work in several on-campus exhibitions and curated his first show, Notes to Self, in fall 2023, marking a pivotal moment in his creative evolution.

In spring 2024, Miguel presented his thesis exhibition, Take Me to the Water: Trust in the Current, a deeply personal exploration of water as both metaphor and memory. Through abstraction, expressionism, and figurative work, Miguel investigates the ways water has served as a source of healing, harm, and refuge throughout his life—from his Cancer birth sign to his collegiate swimming career. Using texture, color, shape, and pattern, each painting captures a fragment of a larger story. “Water is life,” Miguel reflects. “It is steady yet forever changing; present through high and low tides.” His work encourages viewers to embrace life’s currents and trust the process, one wave at a time.