Leya Evelyn’s abstract paintings are about explorations, possibilities, imaginings and openings. The work considers the painting process, the marks, the color and the impact of these to be image itself, without literal references. Washington, D.C. and educated at both Brown and Yale Universities in the United States, Leya Evelyn moved to Nova Scotia in the early 1980’s after having lived and worked for some time in New York City. Evelyn’s self-admitted intention of “making statements” with her work has given us paintings and prints that, while self-referentially recounting the very history of their making, declare themselves to be meaningful well beyond any attempt on our part to pigeonhole them. Evelyn’s art actively resists the construction of tidy little categorizations while simultaneously exploiting them. It’s a risky balancing act that has made for some powerful art.
