Evadney — SHE PERFORMS

I met Deborah Evadney Myrie, aka Evadney at the Other Art Fair Brooklyn in November 2021. I was immediately drawn in by the vibrant colours and the organic shapes of her works. Born in Britain, Deborah has been a New York City-based artist for fifteen years. She studied textile design at Parsons School of Design, an experience that has shaped her becoming of an artist. Constantly on the lookout for new ways of exploring her artistic processes, Evadney loves to experiment with different colours, techniques, and materials. Earlier this month she agreed to be interviewed for She Performs via email, giving us glimpses into her life, creative practice, and artistic oeuvre.

CB: Thank you so much for being so generous and agreeing to this interview. I want to dive right in and talk about the figures and "their" colours in your works. Is there a particular intention when choosing the colours for a piece? And who are the figures in your paintings?

Evadney: The figures and the colors work synergistically together to convey the emotion of the piece. I particularly like to work with colors that are vibrant and uplifting that bring the canvas to life and that convey a sense of motion.

I am often asked if the figures in my painting are of me, I would have to say that some of the images are a representation of me as a woman and they reflect the beauty and sensuality of the female form that I both celebrate and explore in my work.

CB: You were born in the UK, and then came to New York. What brought you to the states and how has your experience been so far?

Evadney: My parents moved here from the UK in the hope of creating a better life for our family. I was 13 and I was ushered into a new and exciting world that held both challenges and opportunities that were to shape me into the artist I have become.

CB: Do you feel moving to NYC has shaped you as an artist – and if so, how?

Evadney: I do feel that moving to NYC has shaped me as an artist. My mother made sure that we went to all the prominent NYC museums, and I was always amazed and enthralled by the beautiful art I was exposed to. This experience sparked a passion for art in me and I decided very early to pursue a career as an artist. Living in NYC has shaped who I am as an artist as I have drawn inspiration from the rich and diverse cultural fabric of the city. NYC is so vibrant, there is always something wonderful and creative happening at any given time and I love that.

CB: On your website you mention that you pioneered a particular way of introducing dyes to paper, which became your signature style. I am so intrigued by that (and frankly would've loved to see it in person)– Can you tell us more?

Evadney: I decided to introduce fabric dyes on paper because I wanted to recreate the textures, layers, and cells I was able to achieve with my hand-painted scarves in a more traditional form of art. The pieces are very organic, and the dyes move on paper mimicking the layers that can be achieved on fabric. I have successfully used this process to produce abstract landscapes.

Untitled, 2004. Fabric Dye on Paper 21”x 30”

CB: What are you currently working on? Any upcoming shows to keep an eye out for?

Evadney: I am currently working on a Tryptic of a new series entitled the Tree of Life. I started this series at the height of the pandemic. I wanted to create a beautiful new world, a new way of being, with Mother Earth (Gia) at the center of it all. It was also a way to heal my heart from the recent passing of my Father. Creating this series was my way to go within and escape the chaos of the outside world. Each of the paintings in this series includes the infinity symbol, as we are all infinite beings of light and I wanted to reflect that in my paintings. As we were experiencing so much darkness, I wanted to imbue these images with vibrant uplifting colours to raise my vibration, as well as that of the viewer. I will be participating in an underground event in the Spring, as well as participating the Other Art Fair again in the spring and fall of this year.

Tree of Life, 2020. Oil on Canvas, 30”x 40”

CB: Is there anything you would like to highlight/draw attention to?

Evadney: I am on a continual quest to explore new ways of expressing myself on canvas and I recently discovered the technique of fluid art. I have subsequently taught myself how to create fluid art, and it is an exciting new adventure. It is a wonderfully simple method, but you can achieve so much beauty. My work is continually evolving, and I am I willing to step out of my comfort zone, to venture into realms of expression, that are both new and exciting as I endeavor to create art that is both beautiful and evocative.

CB: Thank you so much, Deborah. I am very excited to see where the future will take you – or more so, where you will take the future to.

You can see more of Evadney’s work here.
Evadney will exhibit at The Other Art Fair in Brooklyn in June 2022. Tickets will be on sale here.