Annette H. Evans Puts a Modern Spin on Iconic Masterpieces
You may have seen Annette H. Evans’ art hanging on the walls at Laguna’s Quorum Gallery. Her work jumps out at you, begging you to take a closer look, a million questions forming on the tip of your tongue.
During a recent Art Walk, that’s exactly what happened to us. We were drawn in by the cheekily titled painting, “M. Li in the OC,” a fashionable Mona Lisa depicted against a quintessential Laguna backdrop. She’s there, staring as you walk by, that iconic smile appearing just a little more relaxed, a little more California cool. The famous Italian is decked out in Italian designers: neon pink Gucci sunglasses encrusted with gems, a rainbow colored Missoni top, a few sun-streaked highlights peppered amidst her beachy-blonde waves.
Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci and other revered painters before her, Laguna Niguel local Evans pairs her background in fashion with her love of painting, and puts a personal spin on her “Modern Masterpieces.”
“I like to take a person from history and pretend they are visiting Laguna Beach today. To dress them, I research fashion designers from their country,” says the artist who thrives on creating a contemporary, bright, and fun alternative world for these classic figures.
Past paintings have included a Burberry-clad Queen Elizabeth in Heisler Park, Venus at Victoria Beach, and Marilyn Monroe sipping a glass of white wine, aptly titled: “Sauvignon Blonde.” Next up? Frida Kahlo.
Evans grew up in Southern Indiana in a town with only 1,500 people which instilled in her a great imagination, a love for exploration, and a sense of belonging which she has found once again in art-centered Laguna. Having always garnered a passion for the craft, she sold her first paintings to family members when she was just in elementary school. “They were Disney characters for my cousin’s baby nursery,” she remembers fondly. “I drew each character on a sheet of large white construction paper, colored them in with markers, and cut them out. When I finished, another relative commissioned the same set! I'll have to check with my mom to see what I got paid,” she laughs.
That early introduction to the art world was the start of a career that led her to various locales from California to the East Coast, before finally settling in SoCal. Evans served as a fashion designer for Ocean Pacific in Los Angeles during the 1992 LA riots, and the following year, when her daughter Camille was born, decided it was time to leave the fashion industry behind and pursue her passion full time.
Today, the accomplished painter is known for her variety of techniques — from Modern Masterpieces to California Cool Abstracts to commissioned portraits — and hopes her pieces will bring smiles to people’s faces. “In life it's easier to focus on the bad than the good. So when a viewer looks at my art, my wish is, for that moment, they will be focused on the good in the world,” Evans explains, before sharing a story that’s stuck with her throughout her career. “A few years ago a woman running a website for commissioned portraits told me to quit painting people smiling. She said it wasn't traditional portraiture. But I had to disagree…
I want my people to look happy. I believe in surrounding yourself with people and things that make you feel good… and that includes art!”
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And I can attest to that statement — every morning when I see “M. Li in the OC” staring at me from above my dining room table, I feel that smug smile so very deeply.
If Mona Lisa is ready for a great and whimsical day in Laguna, so are we. Now, where’s our diamond-studded Gucci sunnies?
To learn more about Annette H. Evans’ art visit annettehevans.com, or pop into Quorum Gallery at 374 N Coast Highway, or Art & Frame Warehouse in Laguna Niguel.
Lindsay DeLong is the Editor-in-Chief of Laguna Beach Living. A brand strategist and web designer who specializes in a quick 2-week start-to-finish process, she is well-versed at building brands from the ground up, establishing online identity, and attempting to emulate Mona Lisa’s beachy-look. Reach out to her at lindsay@lagunabeachliving.com or on her personal site, iLikeLindsay.com.
Photos by: Tiffany Perry Photography.