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the artist |
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As an only child, Rojean spent her early years imaginatively exploring nearby forests, watching people interact, and contemplating the quiet mysteries of life—such as tadpoles emerging from frog eggs in a millpond. She drew all kinds of scenarios, which influences her narrative art today. Educated at both Lewis & Clark College and Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon she graduated with emphasis in Painting and Humanities. Creative thinking afforded her opportunity to hone her managing skills by organizing fundraising for charity and art organizations via the use of volunteer groups. Ultimately she created a 16-store shopping center out of historic buildings in her downtown. Her expertise caught the attention of The National Trust’s Main Street Center in Washington, DC. The Trust recruited her to work 20 years for them as a traveling consultant to America’s communities on how to economically put life back into dying towns. Each city presented unique circumstances, so original thinking was required. The experience was a true creative endeavor. It may sound like a round-about way to get to Rojean’s life as an artist—but she believes creativity is innate, and putting together a lot of variables enriched her past job as well as her art. Many of her works are in private collections around the country, including bright contemporary portraits of the founders of the Trust’s Main Street program, hanging at its headquarters in DC.
artist’s statement The story each painting wants to tell dramatically influences my choice of subject matter. As I set up canvas and palette prior to painting I listen to myself think about what I want to express. Thinking about it as I prepare evolves into decisions about subject and presentation style based on my feelings at the moment. It is common for me to interject both humor and pathos in a finished work. Seldom is my art passive. There is always a sense of something else happening not quite apparent to the viewer. Being the only child of divorced parents in wartime I relied heavily on my imagination. I trust what I can imagine will magically appear on canvas. 99% of the time it does. There is seductive power of taking a inner vision and making it appear right before your eyes on a canvas. A very powerful and creative experience! It is a joyous act to create. |
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www.rojeanevans.com |
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©2010 Rojean Evans |
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photo by Valorie Valo |