Karol and Jacqueline Davis live in their East Ridge villa surrounded by the artwork Karol has painted and the mementoes of their years living abroad.
An impressionistic landscape artist, many of Davis’ works can be found in private collections across the globe from New York to Paris and in Miami. His work was acquired by the JP Morgan Chase Art Collection, one of the oldest and largest corporate art collections in the world focusing on modern and contemporary painting. The prolific artist has over 200 paintings in storage and is eager for a gallery to handle his work.
The Davis’ life is a wonderful love story which began when they met in Guadalajara, Mexico. He had been practicing law in Miami for three years after graduating from the University of Miami Law School. He didn’t enjoy the legal profession and loaded everything he owned in a station wagon and headed to Mexico.
Jacqueline was running a French restaurant in Guadalajara and when Karol saw her he was quite enchanted. He became a frequent patron dining at the restaurant. One evening she asked him how his steak was and “this began our romance,” he said.
Jacqueline explained he was always coming to the restaurant earlier than other diners since in Mexico people dine later and he aroused her curiosity.
The couple married in Jacqueline’s restaurant and left Mexico to live in Paris. They resettled in Miami in 1960 and for 33 years lived in a home they designed and built on Old Cutler Road and Ludlum Road which included his art studio.
Completely self-taught, Karol has painted for over 40 years, inspired by landscapes from their extensive travels throughout France and Spain as well as from the Florida Everglades. His technique utilizes a palate knife and he creates the rich texture of rocks, leaves and grasses which seem to come alive in his paintings.
The couple selected East Ridge since it offered health care should they need it in the future.
“Living here has liberated my wife from running the house, shopping, preparing food and cleaning up,” said Karol. “We enjoy that everything is done for us and we aren’t a burden to our three children.”
Their daughter-in-law helped them arrange furniture they treasure and their Roche Bobois love seats and vintage French armoires fit perfectly. Artfully arranged storage cabinets display their collectibles including Lalique crystal cat figurines.
Cats are quite fitting since the couple brought their cat to live with them too.
Now settled in the community, Jacqueline has volunteered to serve on the food committee and is taking advantage of the exercise facilities. She is now finding time to paint and write.
A connoisseur of fine wines Karol amassed a collection in an underground wine cellar in their former home and still enjoys discussing the merits of a particular bottle. He plays chess and scuba dives.