Wilmington Art Gallery Exhibits Minnie Evans Collection

Sunday the Wilmington Gallery is exhibiting The Daniel Collection, more than 30 of Minnie Evans visionary works,that will be on display collectively the public for the first time together or to the public. The exhibit is timed to coincide with Green Day at Airlie Gardens, where the artist served as gatekeeper for a quarter-century,

Christian Daniel, a private collector and a local family doctor, has been collecting Evans work for more than 10 years. The collection showing at the Wilmington Gallery on Sunday covers Evans artistic career, with works from the 1940s to 1970s and 80s.

Miss Evans work was inspired by dreams that encouraged her to pursue her visions. her works have a profound spiritual component, many based on biblical themes. Dr Daniels is quoted as saying ‘She wasn't doing this to make money or to be somebody, She was doing this to satisfy God"

Before she was discovered Minnie Evans lived among us unnoticed as a servant, a sounder who sold clams and oysters door-to-door and a lady who minded the gate at Airlie Gardens. In the mid 1960's, Jo Kallenborn read a newspaper article about an elderly black woman who took tickets at the gate at Airlie Gardens and painted unique pictures she said were gifts from God.

She frequently gave visitors her paintings for free, but as people became aware of her talent, they started paying for her paintings. Kallenborn visited the gatehouse, fell in love with the painter and her works, and wrote a short article on her for Southern Living magazine. The article generated a great deal of interest in Mrs. Evans. Letters poured in from around the nation and she had her first gallery exhibition in New York City in 1966.

Minnie Evans is "a major visionary artist of the 20th century," according to Ann Brennan of the Louise Wells Cameron Museum in Wilmington.

Her work is coveted by collectors. Later works are owned by the Smithsonian, American Museum of Folk Art in New York City, and The Cameron Museum in Wilmington NC Dr. Daniel's Collection is by far the most impressive. Don't miss this rare opportunity to se the legendary Minnie Evans as you have never seen before.