The Ascent of Donnie Evans (“The Artist”)

UNDRGRND Magazine | July 5, 2021 | by Cooper Clark

Donnie Evans is best known for utilizing bright colors in contrast to beautifully detailed black and white portraiture. After crafting a career out of his passion, Evans (“the Artist”) now travels city-to-city selling out exhibitions as he goes.

The 29 year old grew up in Durham, North Carolina. He credits the 270,00 person city as the place of his artistic beginnings. It is a promising community with an art scene on the rise, but still remains relatively slept on by the outside world.

“My third grade art teacher recommended that I go to this school called the Durham School of Arts,” says Evans, 29. “But I didn't. I didn't really take it seriously, and my family didn't really take it seriously. It wasn't until I graduated high school that I went to the Art Institute. But it was just for like, two semesters — I didn't like it, I felt like I wasn't learning anything. So I just started doing it on my own.”

Evans had been working at a hotel when he was contacted by an event group that displays artists' work in cities all over the country. He quit his job the following day to take off and pursue his passion. It was at this point, Evans says, that he began to understand that a career in art was a real possibility.

Evans’ art is recognized for his unique, heavily-detail oriented, portrait style.

“My style is very different from others, he says. “Normally, when you see artists paint or draw portraits, they just paint them in color or just draw them in pencil. I use color and I use pencil, but I draw the person in pencil again. Everything else is in color. So I just like to make my stuff stand out from others.”

Before starting on a portrait, Evan’s places importance in researching the subject in order to most accurately capture their true character. Not only does this allow him to create a more memorable piece, but Evans says this preparation allows him to actually imagine an optimal finished project in his head.

“I do a lot of research on the person I'm drawing,” he says. “I see what they like, or their favorite colors or something, and then I just add it into my work. Just knowing when I'm about to do a piece, I know how it's gonna look before I do it, and then it comes out exactly how I knew it would.”

As his career has progressed, Evans has formulated ideas and goals that he wants to reach down the road. He hopes to open up art studios to harbor creativity and function as safe spaces for all kinds of talent.

“My biggest goal is to inspire people to do what they love. To have my work in art studios and museums,” he says. “Then have art studios in a bunch of locations. Not just for painting. If you like to do hair, sing, rap—I want to have it all in one building.”

Evan’s has had an impressive start to his career, highlighted by traveling between cities and selling out a multitude of shows. He has a very recognizable style and aesthetic, and more work on the way. 

Some of his most notable pieces include the 90’s cartoons painting featured at the top of this article, and a Breonna Taylor portrait. 

Evans left UNDRGRND to share a message to any aspiring artists out there:

“Whatever art you create,” Evans says, “make sure your art stands out from others, because there's so many artists out here. So just make sure your work stands out.”

Find Donnie Evans on Instagram at @1dnyce

Find Cooper Clark on Instagram at @coopclark_