About the Whitman Art Collection

            The Origins of our extensive Davis Collection comes from Tom Davis, who was an American banker in Japan for over 50 years.  He loved the people, the art, and everything else about his life there.  His many friends found him to be perceptive, entertaining (“the best storyteller I’ve every heard”), understanding, and loyal to a fault.  After graduating from Yale in 1926 until his death in 1979, Tom Davis was at home in Japan.  Almost every year during that time (disregarding the war years when he was a prisoner) he left Japan for trips to Europe and America to visit friends and relatives, some of whom paid him return visits in his homes in Osaka (before 1960) and Tokyo.  His Art Collection was known only to his visitors before it was willed to Seafirst Bank and subsequently donated to Whitman College. 
            The Whitman College Art Collection contains a variety of treasures ranging from Buddha statuary to modern paintings. Whitman College continues to acquire, as well as accept gifts from Alumni, art collectors, artists, and community members. As the Sheehan Gallery begins to re-evaluate and catalogue the Whitman College Collection, a new online slide show will emerge, so please, STAY TUNED!

*If you wish to donate Art or Funding to the Whitman College Art Collection, please        
  CLICK HERE to contact Dawn Forbes, Director, or Kynde Kiefel, ECM