| ARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | With the prairie landscape shaping his awareness of space and beauty, Dennis Evans pursued his diploma in pottery and ceramics from the Alberta College of Art (1968) and his B.F.A. at the University of Calgary (1978) before earning his M.F.A. at the University of Houston (1980). He then worked as production manager at Calgary’s JBK Pottery (1980 – 1986). He served as consultant for both the Swaziland project of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London and the Siksika First Nation of Alberta (1986 – 1994) for whom he helped create gift ware items sold across Canada. After working as Production Manager for Calgary’s Status Factory (1997 – 2002), and as Manager for the Canadian Craft & Hobby Association located in Calgary (2002 – 2006), he moved to Naramata, B.C to own and operate his own studio.
The Okanagan challenged Evans to re-orient himself visually and artistically. He describes his landscape acrylics on canvas by saying that while his images are not “revolutionary or earth-shattering,” their details reveal deeper realities: “I see value in what others may see as rubble landscape good only to be scoured off and made ready for something where the landscape is secondary or even less.” Departing from depictions of nature, he used colour to express emotion in a series of paintings exploring the faces of his family, friends, and neighbours.
Evans has served the arts community as a member of the Drumheller Arts Advisory Committee, and of the Advisory Committee of Alberta College of Art + Design, and as treasurer and president of the Alberta Potters Association. He’s held solo exhibitions in Calgary and Houston, and participated in group exhibitions in Calgary, Edmonton, Penticton, Toronto, and Houston. |