Virginia B. Evans

Virginia B. Evans (1894–1983) was an important figure in the field of art in the Upper Ohio Valley during the mid-twentieth century. A native of Moundsville, West Virginia, Evans was a talented impressionist and abstract expressionist painter, a skillful designer of art deco glass, and a teacher. 

Virginia B. Evans tells the story of this often overlooked, yet remarkable artist. Educated, willful, strongly opinionated, and independent, she enjoyed considerable acclaim in the Ohio Valley region of West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and beyond. Because of her focus on professional achievement and her disregard for the cultural and societal expectations of her era, she was often the subject of scorn and suspicion. Yet undaunted, she devoted her life to the field she loved, facilitated by a distinctive talent and unbridled energy.

Through an analysis of primary resources including correspondence, memoirs, newspaper articles, photographs, and other documents, Virginia B. Evans elucidates the compelling life and work of a versatile artist.