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Grandmother finally rediscovers her art
Works on display at 'Tis the Season
December
11 , 2005
The Brampton Guardian
Tina Depko
Betty Evans
Betty Evans never thought she'd be spending her later years in life sketching every day, travelling to Europe to paint the countryside and preparing for public shows.
Despite all of this, the Brampton grandmother, who is in her 70s, maintains she isn't an artist, but rather that this is just a hobby for her.
"I never thought I'd be sitting here talking about my art," the energetic senior said during an interview at Visual Arts Brampton. "I can't believe a hobby has taken me so far and allowed me to do so many things."
Evans' interest in art emerged early. The first recognition she received was for a sketch of a trillium she did as a 12-year-old girl for the Brampton Fall Fair in the 1940s.
"The subject was a trillium and I didn't know where to find one, but there was one on the old railway bridge," she recalled. "I sat on the fence and drew it and it turned out well."
Evans took illustration lessons from a local graphic artist when she was a teenager, but never considered it a career choice. She took various classes over the following decades, but her responsibilities as a wife and a mother were a priority.
"Life always seemed to get in the way," the grandmother said. "But, even when I couldn't take classes or workshops, I was still sketching as much as I could."
Evans' interest in art finally took a front seat again when her son, Mark, bought her a gift certificate for Christmas 14 years ago for a class with Jack Reid, a renowned Brampton watercolour artist.
"Jack Reid's demos are like magic," she said. "Watching him paint is amazing. He is also a very encouraging teacher and I've never heard him say a discouraging word to anyone."
Evans has been travelling to Europe with a group of artists for the past eight years for Reid's two-week overseas watercolour workshops. Her favourite countries have been Wales, England, and Ireland, which was last year's destination."The scenery is outstanding and I think, 'Here I am sitting here trying to draw and paint this beauty. I can't believe I'm doing this,'" she laughed. "I wouldn't be travelling if it weren't for Jack Reid's classes."
Evans' other artistic influence is Keith Moreau, president of Visual Arts Brampton. After taking a coloured pencil class from him three years ago, it became her favourite medium.
"He introduced me to what coloured pencil could do," she said. "After that, I joined Visual Arts Brampton and have had my first public shows with them, including a show with Jack Reid, which was a dream come true."
Evans does not limit herself to specific subjects. She has three shoeboxes of Polaroids that she digs through when she needs inspiration.
If she had to choose a favourite subject, she said it would be Brampton landscapes. As a resident of the city since 1940, she misses how it used to be and is doing her part to remind people of it.
"There are many areas in Brampton that if you don't paint them, they will be gone before you know it," she said. "Thankfully, the house I grew up in is still here and I have a very good picture of it. One day I will try to paint it."
Betty Evans' works are currently on display in Visual Arts Brampton's Christmas show 'Tis the Season at Artway in Shoppers World. They are also on display at Visual Arts Brampton, 1 Bartley Bull Pkwy.
For more information, call Visual Arts Brampton at 905-453-9142.