Today we’d like to introduce you to Evander Banks.
Evander, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in middle Georgia, I grew up in a train yard town. The only art I was ever exposed to at a young age was folk art. I didn’t get a chance to see fine art until I got a little older visiting my father’s family up North. I tell people all the time if it wasn’t for graffiti I wouldn’t give fuck about art. I transitioned from an admirer and a fan of graffiti into a composer of street art and now currently a fine artist. I tell people how much do you care for your art, I was locked up for mine.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has always been a rocky road, there were periods of my life where I just traveled and made music with friends. I was homeless. It wasn’t until the death of my brother that I gained an extreme sense of urgency in my life. Four months later I got back into school, junior college actually. Towards the end of my dual degree enrollment I took a couple of elective art classes, I excelled and kept making things, eventually my professors convinced me to go to university to get a bachelors, I wasn’t crazy about the idea but at the time me and my fiance were at a fork in the road in our lives, continue our education or maintain. We ended up moving to Atlanta Georgia, that was four years ago.
Please tell us about ECKOFATL.
I am a working visual fine artist, I am also a printmaker, majority of my work is 2 D on paper or on wall, sometimes on objects. The work I’m most proud of would have to be my scrap prints, there are tons of artists out there who make their art out of byproducts. I take the byproducts of cropped down print maker’s paper that have been thrown away or deemed useless, then I attach them to each other almost like a quilt and then print on them.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over I would probably start showing work earlier on, I didn’t publicly show artwork until April of 17. Since then I’ve done 20+ shows, I could only imagine what I would’ve been able to conquer if I would’ve started years ago.
Contact Info:
- Website: wix.com/eckofatl
- Email: ebanks0530@yahoo.com
- Instagram: eckofatl
- Facebook: eckofatl
- Twitter: eckofatl
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Edward Darden
May 3, 2019 at 6:10 am
Evander, your work is highly evocative and eye catching. I am only disappointed to be seeing it on a tiny iPhone screen. I can imagine the power it possesses in person or in a gallery.
Just a personal note, I believe that true artists like you well up energy, joy, pathos, and messages from deep within their being. It is the stuff that comes through the work and leaves marks on the souls of your audience. I was touched when you mentioned your brother’s passing as a clarifying point in your development. Now, remembering Kelly who’s longevity was a miracle so soon after her home-going, I wonder how or whether her light might shine through you in some way. If something like that were to happen, your family, we left in Washington, would cherish it highly, even extended family like me. I am so happy to know how personally and professionally you are maturing. Amen, good brother, and you will always be remembered. I am Edward, Jacqueline’s spouse.