See Which Famous People Have Purchased Art from My Cousin Harry Lee--& Why He Should be Famous Himself

How many people do you know that are paralyzed from the waist down, who have still managed to  compete in special olympics, earn a living through art, give art/history presentations at schools, teach Sunday school, take martial arts, lift weights at a gym, drive his own customized van--cross country selling his art at various shows, and inspire a whole town to get on board with making more public places accessible to the physically challenged --before this was required? Well now you do.  His paintings range from religious to sports, music, African/ethnic, Americana, and seascapes/landscapes. To see more of his art than the piece below, and to purchase some, either go to his website at
http://davisartstudio.net/Homepage.html or, look for Harry L. Davis amongst the Wilmington Art Group on their facebook page

Below is just some of the additional 411 online about him, stemming from the UNCW library, but one amendment is that Oprah Winfrey owns none of his work (that he knows of) but actresses Halley Berry and the late Nell Carter, actors Denzel Washington and Bill Cosby, plus African-American novelist Gloria Naylor are amongst those who do:

MS125
Harry Lee Dav is         
Harry L. Davis, born in Wilmington, NC,  is a self taught artist and operates the Davis Studio in Wilmington. Davis is an oil painter whose use of bold bright colors and his attention to detail has become his trademark. Davis focuses mainly on African American heritage and culture and his paintings have included themes such as African/Tribal, Americana, Spiritual and Boxers.  
Although he drew as a child, Davis had no formal art training. After an accident while a member of the 82nd Airborne Davis used painting as a form of therapy. Since then he has built a successful career and his paintings are owned by celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby and institutions such as University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Home Savings and Loan Association, Wilmington and the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute at the University of Wisconsin, Monomania, WI. 
Davis has exhibited his work all over the United States in cities such as Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans. Davis has also been working with North Carolina students since 1988 to help teach them about art and African culture. In 2001 he was named the Man of the Year by the Town Hall Community Education and Cultural Center in Wilmington.
This collection is a reflection of his artistic career featuring newspaper clippings, correspondence with celebrities and children and publications featuring his work. 
This collection has been designated Accession number 125 of the Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections Department, William Madison Randall Library, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 601 South College Road Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-3297.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Processed by Mary Katherine M. Abbott
Manuscripts Collection
William Madison Randall Library
The University of North Carolina Wilmington
Summer 2006
Inventory
Manuscript/Box/File
125/1/1Newspaper Clippings
125/1/2Wayne County Public Schools Correspondence, related to a visit from Davis
125/1/3Correspondence referring to his work including names such as Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee and Gloria Naylor
125/1/4Contracts and Agreements
125/1/559th North Carolina Azalea Festival, 2006, cover designed by Davis, see p. 9
125/1/6Web Print out from "The Virtual Muse," Davis' website featuring his work
125/1/7Programs and Advertisements for Harry Davis exhibitions and work
125/1/8Program referring to Davis as Man of the Year, 2001
125/1/9Publication, Indulge, Vol. XI, Issue 1, mentions Davis p. 9
125/1/10Publication, U.S. Art, Vol. 6 # 4, p. 60 Davis' art featured in article about boxing
125/1/11
Art exhibition brochures for 2006 NC Azalea Festival, The Event, and Art on the River; email correspondence
125/1/12
Newspaper Clippings, 2005
125/2/1
Prints by Harry Davis, all with Certificate of Limited Edition

Wodaabe Herdsman 124/200
The Baptism 271/500
Southern Legacy 157/300
Hausa Chieftain 322/750
Akie Tracker 144/300
After The Drought Artist Proof One of 20
Desert Charge 48/500 (Map Drawer 18)

COPYRIGHT:  Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

My Cousin's Sept. 11th Memorial Artwork Won Him a Place in His Local Newspaper

Here Now - Local artist finds a way to connect with others

Photo by Mike Spencer

Buy photo

Rachard McIntyre, 31, is a man with Asperger’s syndrome, who creates hand drawn portraits and sells his art at the Riverfront Farmer’s Market.

By Si Cantwell
Si.Cantwell@StarNewsOnline.com

Published: Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, February 4, 2011 at 9:20 p.m.

( page of 2 )

Rachard McIntyre 31, has Asperger’s syndrome, a type of autism. But don’t define him by his disability.

McIntyre is an artist. He sells his works at Wilmington’s Riverfront Farmer’s Market every other Saturday during the season, which begins April 2.

“In Memory of the Twin Towers” is a series of five poster-sized works of the New York towers destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, drawn with the handwritten names of the victims. 

“Word Play and the Eiffel Tower” depicts the famous Paris landmark in facts and sentences about the tower. It’s beautiful to look at and interesting to read.

McIntyre has books filled with pencil drawings of famous people: Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Jackie Robinson, David Copperfield, Mr. T. He works from photographs but gives life to the portraits by bringing out the personalities of his subjects.

“The more he draws, the better he gets,” said Carrie McIntyre, his proud mom.

She gave copies of the “Twin Towers” set to Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., and Rep. John Lewis, D- Ga., a civil rights pioneer who visited Wilmington on Jan. 30.

Rachard lives at home and works at Food Lion.

He loves lying on the floor doing his artwork.

“I feel more intelligent,” he said. “I feel that I can do anything, no matter what it takes. It makes me feel strong.”

Asperger’s is similar to high-fuctioning autism. Autism is a brain disorder that makes communicating and interacting with others difficult. It’s less severe in people with Asperger’s or high-functioning autism.

Carrie credits an innovative public school program in Vineland, N.J., with helping put her son on a positive track.

Rachard McIntyre 31, has Asperger’s syndrome, a type of autism. But don’t define him by his disability.

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McIntyre is an artist. He sells his works at Wilmington’s Riverfront Farmer’s Market every other Saturday during the season, which begins April 2.

“In Memory of the Twin Towers” is a series of five poster-sized works of the New York towers destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, drawn with the handwritten names of the victims.

“Word Play and the Eiffel Tower” depicts the famous Paris landmark in facts and sentences about the tower. It’s beautiful to look at and interesting to read.

McIntyre has books filled with pencil drawings of famous people: Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Jackie Robinson, David Copperfield, Mr. T. He works from photographs but gives life to the portraits by bringing out the personalities of his subjects.

“The more he draws, the better he gets,” said Carrie McIntyre, his proud mom.

She gave copies of the “Twin Towers” set to Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., and Rep. John Lewis, D- Ga., a civil rights pioneer who visited Wilmington on Jan. 30.

Rachard lives at home and works at Food Lion.

He loves lying on the floor doing his artwork.

“I feel more intelligent,” he said. “I feel that I can do anything, no matter what it takes. It makes me feel strong.”

Asperger’s is similar to high-fuctioning autism. Autism is a brain disorder that makes communicating and interacting with others difficult. It’s less severe in people with Asperger’s or high-functioning autism.

Carrie credits an innovative public school program in Vineland, N.J., with helping put her son on a positive track.

Carrie grew up in Burgaw and Rocky Point. She was working in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a company that eventually became part of Verizon when Rachard was born. She moved to southern New Jersey, enduring the long commute to give Rachard a better life.

Early on, teachers noticed Rachard was different. Carrie said a team of five people observed him, including a neurologist, a psychologist and a social worker. They’d sit in his classes or watch him on the playground interacting with students.

After some intensive one-on-one tutoring, he was “mainstreamed,” put back in a classroom where he did well.

He discovered he was good at art at an early age, maybe 4 or 5 years old.

Rachard said his teachers “were amazed the first time they saw me doing it.”

Carrie said his second-grade teacher called wanting to show her Rachard’s work.

At the Farmer’s Market, Carrie said, people marvel at the meticulously drawn architectural works and the portraits.

Rachard urges other people with challenges not to become discouraged.

“If you have a dream and want to pursue it, don’t ever give up,” he advised. “Trust in God that he will provide you what you need.”

To arrange a viewing or learn more about Rachard McIntyre’s work, call (910) 794-4048 or

 e-mail carriemcentire@bellsouth.net.

To tell others how to find the article above in the news other than clicking the link at the top, which also enables viewing of his photo and some of his art, have them go to www.wilmingtonstarnews.com/photos   After getting onto the site, they must search for “local autism artist.”  My cousin Carrie here reached out to me today for help.  Please help us spread the word since this year is the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks and they are already being flooded with orders since this article broke.  In addition to putting our own heads together, we are requesting tips on making it big in the art world.  They will be coming up here to NJ promoting his art soon.  We would deeply appreciate you letting us know of any art shows, galleries, etc. he might become part of...