In Her Honor
The Minnie Evans Art Grant
Named for Wilmington's own visionary artist, the Minnie Evans Art Grant awards $250 to the student or emerging artist whose work our Harvest Gala guests love most. Up to 17 artists will line our red carpet entrance. Showcase spots are free.
Apply to Showcase Your WorkHow the Grant Works
- Up to 17 student and emerging artists display a piece along the red carpet entrance at the Harvest Gala, Saturday, July 17, 2027, at Hotel Ballast.
- Pieces are shown on easels or covered tables as guests arrive.
- Every gala guest gets a ticket to vote for a favorite.
- The artist with the most votes receives the $250 Minnie Evans Art Grant.
- Showcase spots are free for artists.
Her Story
Minnie Evans (1892 to 1987)
Minnie Evans was a self-taught Black artist who grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her schooling ended around age 13, and she spent her working life in domestic work and then as the gatekeeper at Airlie Gardens, a job she held for more than 25 years until she retired in 1974.
She said that visions had followed her since childhood. On Good Friday in 1935, she made her first drawings. Starting in 1940 she never stopped, working on whatever she had, including paper bags and scrap stationery, first with crayon and ink and later with oils. Her work is full of faces, eyes, flowers and wings, and it draws on her faith and the gardens around her.
The world took notice. Her art was shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York in 1975 and is held by the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian and the North Carolina Museum of Art. When she passed, she left more than 400 works to the museum now known as Wilmington's Cameron Art Museum, which holds the largest collection of her work in the world. At Airlie Gardens, the Minnie Evans Bottle Chapel stands in her honor, built from reused glass bottles, with a path of stones made by children she inspired.
Why We Named This Grant for Her
Minnie Evans never had formal training, a studio or a gallery waiting for her. She had a calling, and she answered it with whatever was in her hands. She Speaks believes every woman and young person has a gift worth seeing. This grant honors her by giving the next generation of Wilmington artists a place to be seen, and a little seed money to keep creating.
Sources: Wikipedia: Minnie Evans · Artnet News · Women AdvaNCe
Are You a Student or Emerging Artist?
Showcase spots are free. Choose "Fashion / Art Showcase" on the application.
Apply to Showcase