Artist Evan Fitzgerald puts his thought-provoking works on display during Persona, his first solo exhibit at the Art League of Ocean City
Written by Alison Pappas | Photography by Grant L. Gursky
Evan Fitzgerald has been leaving a brushstroke trail of his talents across Delmarva for two decades. Although you likely haven’t seen his name painted alongside his work, odds are that you’ve come across one of his striking murals locally, at Seacrets, 410 Social Eatery and Barroom, Telescope Pictures and Sugar Planet, to name a few.
Admirers of Evan’s work have the exciting opportunity to view his Persona exhibition at The Art League of Ocean City, which opens July 7.
“This will be the third time I’ve shown there, but it is my first solo exhibition. It’s really a combination of all the skills that I’ve acquired over the years,” shares Fitzgerald. “I don’t put myself in a box and classify myself as being a part of any specific artistic movement, but my style is often portraiture, and it leans heavily on collage elements.”
The primary subjects of Evan’s artwork are people wearing extravagant headdresses made from animals and flowers. His Persona exhibition plays into this continuing theme, with pieces of painted-wood artwork that spotlight both men and women donning ornate floral headdresses.
“Every culture on this planet at some point has adorned themselves with an animal skull, feather or hide or something similar, and they did so to indicate a status. It showcases who they are and what they’d like to project to the world,” Evan says.
A unique element to Evan’s work is that he typically paints on wood, rather than traditional canvases.
“I’ve been painting on wood for almost 10 years. I enjoy the surface of the wood, and I consider the wood grain to be part of the content of what’s happening on the surface,” he says.
Evan considers Persona to be thought-provoking and he welcomes different interpretations of his work.
NO KNOCK ON WOOD
Evan has been painting on wood for a decade and considers its grain to be part of the content of what’s happening on the surface.
“I like artwork that’s a catalyst for thought instead of presenting an answer,” he shares.
The son of acclaimed artist Kevin Fitzgerald, Evan initially recognized his artistic passion as a student at Stephen Decatur High School. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at Towson University before attending graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He later taught at Salisbury University, for six years.
To see more of Evan’s work, be sure to check out Persona at The Art League of Ocean City through July 31. You can also view and purchase his prints and merchandise on his website, NobleBeastStudios.com. CS