Evita Tezeno's collage paintings combine richly patterned hand-painted papers with found objects. The artist’s work depicts harmonious everyday scenes, featuring a cast of characters inspired by her family and friends—as well as childhood memories of South Texas, moments from the artist’s adult life and her personal dreams. Drawing influence from the great 20th-century modernists Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and William H. Johnson, Tezeno creates scenes of joy that animate her vision of a humanity-filled Black America.

BIO:

Evita Tezeno was born in Port Arthur, Texas in 1960. The artist is a graduate of Lamar University. 

Solo and two-person exhibitions of Tezeno’s work include: Better Days (2021) at Luis De Jesus Los Angeles in California; Evita Tezeno and Jas Mardis: Sharing Memories (2021) at ArtCentre of Plano in Texas; Memories Create Our Yesterdays and Tomorrows (2019) at Thelma Harris Gallery in Oakland, California; Memories That Speak To My Soul (2018) at Stella Jones Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Thoughts of Time Gone By (2017) at Peg Alston Gallery in New York City. 

Group exhibitions that have shown Tezeno’s work include: Réinterprétation (2020) at C.O.A. Contemporary Art Gallery in Montreal, Canada; Phenomenal Women #UsToo (2019) at the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas; Love in the Time of Hysteria (2019) at Prism Art Fair in Miami, Florida; Flagrant Rules of Ensued Emancipation (2019) at John Milde Gallery in Dallas, Texas; Modern Day Muse (2019) at ArtCenter of Plano in Texas; Arts Past & Present (2018) at George Bush Library in Dallas, Texas; Daughter of Diaspora – Women of Color Speak (2018) at Hearne Fine Art in Hot Springs, Arkansas; and New Power Generation (2012), curated by Myrtis Bedolla at the Hampton University Museum in Hampton, Virginia.

Tezeno is the recipient of the prestigious Elizabeth Catlett Award for The New Power Generation.

Tezeno’s work is included in the permanent collection of: the African American Museum of Dallas in Texas; the Embassy of the Republic of Madagascar in Washington, D.C.; the Pizzuti Collection in Columbus, Ohio; Bill and Christy Gautreaux Collection in Kansas City, Missouri; and Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection in Palm Beach, Florida; among others. 

Tezeno’s work has been acquired by prominent collectors, entertainers, media personalities and athletes, including: Esther Silver-Parker, Samuel L. Jackson, David Hoberman, Denzel Washington, Star Jones, Laurie David, and Susan Taylor, among others. 

Tezeno has been awarded commissions by: the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Deep Ellum Film Festival in Dallas, Texas; and the legendary New Orleans, Louisiana Jazz & Heritage Festival ("Jazz Fest"), where in 1999 the artist became the first female artist to design the festival’s celebrated poster.

Tezeno’s work has been published and featured in numerous publications and media outlets, including: Artforum, Artillery Magazine, Art Matters with Edward Goldman, Document Journal, Black Art in America, Collective Arts Network Journal, Culture Type, The Dallas Examiner, D Magazine, Dallas Woman, North Dallas Gazette, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Dallas Morning News, Eclipse Magazine, ONYX Magazine, The Shreveport Times, Visionary Art Collective, andVisual Art Source.

Tezeno lives and works in Dallas.