artist statement
Drawing inspiration from Vivian Paley's teachings and her work on The Importance of Fantasy Play, Evans is interested in embracing the experience of girlhood by integrating inherently feminine motifs into her work. Paley defines humans as innately creative beings who need to engage in playful activities to process stress, trauma, thoughts, emotions, and information.
Evans’ background in preschool environments has provided her with firsthand experience as to how crucial play is to developing minds. Seen through the practice of repetition and exploration in play.
Playing with friends to test boundaries and social cues. Playing with balls and blocks introduces the rudimentary concepts of cause and effect. Playing games encourages communication and teamwork.
Evans' work encourages playful thinking for adults, reminiscent of that in preschools. Encouraging all to harness the power of play as a form of revolution against oppressive systems by deconstructing the rules and expectations inherent in traditional art environments.