November 7 – December 19
Rechnitz Hall’s DiMattio Gallery
Opening Reception: Friday, November 14, 2014 from 7 – 9 pm
Born in 1924, Evelyn Leavens is a life long resident of Red Bank. Her first solo show was in 1952 at the Old Mill Gallery, Tinton Falls, known then for the introduction of Alice Neel and Martha Graham.
In 1958 a book of drawings “Boswells’ Life of Boswell” by Leavens was published by Simon and Schuster which became #2 on the New York Times children’s best seller that year.
She has received two fellowships from N.J. State Council of the Arts and was included in the 1977 N.J. Arts Council biennial at the Trenton State Museum. Her work has shown, notably, at City Without Walls, Aljira, Tweeds, Summit Art Center and the Morris State Museum.
Primarily self taught, she attended the Vermont Studio Center in 1987 where she studied with Malcolm Morley, Archie Rand and Niel Welliver.
“Black Convergence is a bit hard to describe. First, it is not an abstract. It takes nothing from nothing. This painting is non-objective because it has nothing in its mind to start with. The first mark on the paper is the way to the second mark. This progresses, through many marks and changes to become a true non-objective. It makes many changes until, through love and hate, eventually becomes acceptable. I never give up”.
– Evelyn Leavens
This exhibition will include works from throughout the artist’s life.
Image Caption: Black Convergence, 2012, Watercolor on paper, 16″ x 20”