in addition to painting, whether on canvas or paper (he has stated that he prefers to work on paper), davie produced several screenprints. he found a public for his work on the continent and in america some time before the british art public could reconcile itself to his mixture of ancient and newly invented symbols and his explosive brushwork. his paintings appear at once apocalyptic and triumphant. in his lectures davie stressed the importance of improvisation as his chosen method. his stance was that of an inspired soothsayer resisting the inroads of rational civilization.