|
Maurice Evans
|
The musicians in Maurice Evans' paintings dance, twist, and sway to the beat of the artist's brush. "I'm a musician and I can feel what they're doing," says Evans, who plays the guitar. "I can put that into my art."
Born in Smyrna, Tennessee, Evans' art career began early. "My mom says I started doodling as soon as I could pick up a pen," he says, "she would have to follow me around and wipe off the walls." At the age of fourteen Evans landed his first professional job as a freelance artist for a commercial art firm. This led to a scholarship at the Art Institute of Atlanta, where he studied fashion illustration. The exaggerated, elongated human figure emphasized in fashion illustration became a major element of Evans' style.
After stints in commercial art and medical illustration, Evans need for self-expression remained unfulfilled. Encouraged by a former classmate to explore the field of fine art, Evans asked himself "what do I have to offer as an artist that is unique?" His fusion of painting techniques, new and traditional, with his background in fashion provided an answer.
Following a commission for the official 1994 Atlanta Jazz Festival Poster, Evans debuted at the National Black Arts Festival with his "Colour of Jazz" series. Since then, his paintings have been featured in many group and solo exhibitions, and collected throughout the southern U.S.
|
|
