Richard Davis studied at the Museum Art School and at the school of the Brooklyn Art Museum, where he had a one-person show in 1953. He exhibited in Oregon, Washington, and California. Davis commented that it was not important if art was representational or not, but it had to be creative, dispensing with what is superficial or merely fad. He felt the true artist must have imagination balanced with reason, a will to search and discover, to understand what is momentary and what is timeless. Davis said the artist must have strong convictions, knowledge, and purpose, and be acutely sensitive to life, always growing. He hoped his art reflected these tenets.
Prior to 1959, Davis's paintings were generally small, monochromatic, evocative works, which were closely related to nature. His later works show brilliant color and a more decisive move toward abstraction. He is the son of artist Mary Davis.