William Davis

William Davis, age 81 died Wednesday, March 6, 2024 in Taos, New Mexico after an extended illness.  Davis was a long-time resident of Taos and well-known artist documenting New Mexico and the west in photography.  His gentle demeanor and insightful wit will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Bill Davis was born in High Point, North Carolina in 1943 and graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1965 where he studied Latin American History.  After graduating, he enrolled for a summer at the National University in Mexico City and decided to document his adventures with a camera.  He purchased a single-lens reflex Pentax camera that changed the course of his life.

In late 1965 he travelled to California, photographing Los Angeles, Big Sur, and the Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco, eventually driving through New Mexico in 1969 to discover the famous art colony and pueblo community of Taos which inspired his work and where he resided until his death. A Linhof 4X5 camera led to his large format images in black and white, hand-toned, and color.  More recent works were an exploration of digital photo manipulation. Bill’s art has been exhibited widely throughout New Mexico as well as in Chicago, San Francisco, and Texas, and reside in the permanent collections of the Albuquerque Museum, Yale University, Museum of Fine Arts Santa Fe, and Harwood Museum of Art.  He collaborated with John Nichols on the book If Mountains Die, and has been published extensively in magazines and journals.  

He is survived by his wife Audrey Davis of Taos, and family members Chuck Green of High Point NC, Katie Adams and Gretchen Estelle of Taos, and Stephanie Erickson of Oregon.  A celebration of his life will be held in the spring.

The family of William Davis has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home of Taos.  866-657-4019 www.devargastaos.com