The Evans Collection | About Walter O. Evans

Boy with a Toy Plane Aaron Douglas oil on canvas, 22 1/2" x 17", 1938

The Walter O. Evans Foundation for Art and Literature and Dr. Walter O. Evans donate African American artwork to SCAD: Art donation includes work by Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas and Jacob Lawrence

On Jan. 5, 2006, Savannah native, retired surgeon and art collector Walter O. Evans, M.D., and the Savannah College of Art and Design announced the signing of an agreement that designates the college as the recipient of 70 works of African American art. The donated work will come from the extensive personal collection of Walter and Linda Evans and the Walter O. Evans Foundation for Art and Literature. Plans for the future Walter O. Evans Center for African American Studies are currently under development.

“The Evans collection embodies a sustained dedication and appreciation for African American art and artists," said SCAD President Paula S. Wallace. “Walter and Linda have created an assemblage of works that celebrates African American culture. We are fortunate to receive this gift and will continue to share it with others."

SCAD will maintain the extensive collection, which includes original work by Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas and Jacob Lawrence, and will continue Dr. and Mrs. Evans’ aspiration to provide a legacy for the appreciation of African American art and literature. The collection surveys a range of African American art from the 19th and 20th centuries and bears witness to the Evans family’s accomplishment of creating a profound and intellectually rich collection.

“I am extremely pleased to make this donation to the Savannah College of Art and Design," Evans said. “There was a real lack of knowledge about African American art when I began collecting, and this partnership ensures that appreciation for and education about African American art and literature will be perpetuated."

Chapultepec Castle Robert Scott Duncanson oil on canvas, 24" x 31", c. 1860

The collection of original works, including painting, illustration and sculpture, and features several of Romare Bearden’s collages and paintings, including “Piano Lesson" (1983), which recently concluded a two-year tour with the National Gallery of Art. Landscapes by Robert Scott Duncanson (1821–1872) and Edward M. Bannister (1828–1901) and the iconic “Genesis Creation" series by Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) also are part of the collection.

The work of one of the greatest masters of the Harlem Renaissance, Aaron Douglas (1899–1979), is represented by several pieces, including paintings of the newness of the world at the Creation, the horseman of death, and the apocalyptic drama of the Last Judgment — all of which illustrate poems on sermons by James Weldon Johnson in his 1927 book, “God’s Trombones."

Evans said, “Linda and I know there are endless possibilities for the center for African American studies to be a springboard for community involvement, offering an opportunity to introduce children at an early age to art and literature. We know that when children are exposed to art at an early age not only will they grow to appreciate art, but studies have shown that these same children tend to perform better in their math and science classes."