As a multidisciplinary artist, Debra Evans’ work transcends disciplines. Her uniquely crafted, out-of-the-box designs each tell a story – sometimes through delicate, colourful textures and palettes, other times through dark, rougher tones and patterns.
‘I want to add a touch of serenity and harmony to someone’s space,’ says Evans, who creates with a single goal in mind to make beautiful, meaningful pieces of art. ‘When they look at it, or wear it, I want them to feel it lift their spirit over and over. I always want the recipient to be joyous and feel that what they received exceeds their expectations.’
Cherisse Moe, HER Magazine
From art jewelry to wood carving, clay sculpting, painting and illustration to threedimensional (3D) art and graphic design, the Maraval-based creative masters them all.
Just recently, her work was on show at the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago, at a themed exhibition where artists were encouraged to submit pieces that were different or unfamiliar. Evans chose metal, ‘which is new to me but I must add it as my new favourite medium’. Exhibitions, too, are new to this professional artist as she’d usually promote her pieces on social media. But, so far, she’s been pretty pleased with the feedback. This month, she’s showing more pieces at the Rotunda Gallery, located at the Red House, Port of Spain.
“For the past year, I have only shown work at the Art Society’s events as I tend to work on commissioned pieces. It has been a really positive experience, and I sold work at each of my last two exhibitions.’
A lover of art history, Evans draws inspiration from the old masters like French artist Henri Matisse and Czech painter, illustrator and graphic artist Alphonse Mucha. She credits local Carnival designer Peter Minshall with inspiring her to make kinetic art and Carnival costumes.
‘It is important to me to have work that is both original and distinct, so I keep learning and practising the different disciplines. This works well for me as I now have pieces in private collections as far away as Australia.’
A mother of one, Evans is a proud graduate of Naparima Girls’ High School, and although her professional background is in marketing and advertising, she believes that art is her true creative calling, ‘but having not been to formal art school, I felt it would be impossible to find employment”, she admits. ‘A combination of my sister’s encouragement and a serendipitous job offer directed me to this career. Since that time, I continue to have opportunities to grow as an artist.’
Being a full-time artist, Evans asserts, is a full-time commitment. What’s a workday in her studio like?
“At times, I am guided by a specific re quest from a client for commissioned work. They trust me to choose the appropriate method and medium for a project. When I am doing a piece for myself, I put it together in my head first. For the most part, I have free rein regarding how to go about creating. The next stage is creating a sketch of what you would like to do. This is a crucial stage because attention must be paid to design and balance.
‘Then comes the fun part when the medium is chosen and the work can actually begin. The design I have in my mind and the overall look is what determines my choice of medium. I also enjoy working outdoors, especially for messier projects involving wood or calabash. Often, I spend entire days working on a project as my labour-intensive methods create slow art. I am privileged to do what I love, so these hours seem to go by in a blink.’
Evans’ pieces can range in price from less than a hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. For her, it’s all about catering to the needs of her clients, and giving them something they will remember for a lifetime. ‘I love making unique jewelry or little carvings that have special meanings for the owner or wearer, little talismans that give comfort. I use colours that are beautiful and materials that are durable, although alarmingly, several people have worn their jewelry to the point of needing some TLC.
My pieces appeal to the senses, via sight, sound, touch and, sometimes, even smell by infusing them with various oils.’
