Haute 100 SF Update: 49er Vernon Davis Opens Art Gallery In Santana Row

49er football player Vernon Davis cuts the ribbon for his Gallery 85. Photo Credit: sjchamber.com

NFL tight end and 49ers superstar Vernon Davis celebrated the grand opening of his new art gallery, Gallery 85, at San Joseʼs Santana Row for an evening of art and charitable fundraising.

The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber conducted the Ribbon Cutting ceremony as Silicon Valley CEOs, elected officials, area artists and 49ers teammates attended the opening of Davis’ new gallery on on Dec. 10.

The 49er’s tight-end hosted the Santana Row, invite-only event where he sold art to benefit his namesake organization, The Vernon Davis Foundation for the Arts. The philanthropic footballer will donate a portion of the art foundation’s sales to the Davis’ foundation, which he created to provide art education to at-risk youth and give scholarships to college art students.

Best known as one of the NFLʼs elite pass-catching tight ends and one of the 49ers most vocal leaders, Davis is a trained visual artist who majored in studio art at the University of Maryland. Like many young people in his situation, Davis grew up keeping his love for art hidden because drawing and painting were not culturally accepted means of expression in his tough Washington, D.C. neighborhood.

A fitting location, Santana Row’s affluent community is expected to be a successful location for high rolling donors.

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[Sources: nbcbayarea.com; http://www.sjchamber.com/]

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