2012 April 02
53 Years and 625 Mosaics Later, 96-Year-Old Mosaic Hobbyist Has Solo Exhibit
On 02, Apr 2012 | 13 Comments | In News | By Nancie
"Two Bison" (after cave paintings in Lascaux, France) 1959 16 1/2" x 21 1/4"
The Patricia Scott Art Gallery in Bennett Hall at Ohio University-Chillicothe recently hosted an exhibit of 20 mosaics by 96-year-old retired chemist and mosaic hobbyist Phil Evanoff.
The exhibit was but a small, representative sample of Mr. Evanoff’s oeuvre comprised of over 625 mosaics – each a recreation of an image Evanoff has selected through both research and serendipity.
"Mayan Priest" (adapted from a stele in the Museum of The Americas Madrid, Spain) 1981 60" x 21"
Evanoff’s sources of inspiration are a testament to the man’s curious mind and appraising eye.
"St Gregory" (adapted from Bulgarian icon card) 2008 28 1/2" x 15"
Native American woodcuts, Bulgarian icon cards, personal photographs, Egyptian hieroglyphics, the placemat from a restaurant, the paintings of van Gogh, the label from a bottle of sherry consumed in Cordoba, Spain – all of these images have struck the fancy of Evanoff who has lovingly recreated each of them in tile, glass, stone and shells.
"Tlinget Killer Whale" (adapted from Northwest Coast Indian design) 2002 17 3/4" x 12 3/4"
Evenoff’s first mosaic was, fittingly, “Two Bisons” (above), a reproduction of a portion of the cave paintings in Lascaux, France. Today, he admits that his work is getting a bit sloppy; he is blind in one eye and half blind in the other.
"Three Kings" (adapted from a Christmas card) 2010 34 7/8" x 27 1/8"
Evanoff”s mosaic technique is straight-forward, simple and appropriate for his subject matter which, for the most part, is highly illustrative.
"Dancing Girl" (adapted from the label of a bottle of sherry) 1982 22 3/4" x 15"
Phil Evanoff knows what he likes and he knows what he does well. He choses his subject matter accordingly. He has made mosaics for over 50 years for the sheer joy of it. The result is fresh, appealing, and utterly charming mosaic art. Bravo.
Mr. Evanoff came to our attention through an Associated Press article written by David Berman. We highly recommend that you read the article to learn more about this very lovely man – there is much more to the story than we are telling here. Simply click here. Our thanks to Mr. Berman for putting us in touch with Evanoff’s son, Phil, who supplied both photographs and additional information.
Enjoy – Nancie
