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Minnie Evans was born in Long Creek, North Carolina, to a Southern black family who traced their origins to Trinidad. Most of her images were inspired by dreams. "My whole life has been dreams. Some times day visions. They would take advantage of me. No one taught me to paint. It came to me."
Evans' initial drawing efforts began after a compelling spiritual experience. On Good Friday in the year 1935, she said she heard God's ammand telling her to draw, inspiring her to paint for the next fifty years.
Evans did not see her work as "art." Her son, George Evans,
reports that his mother was initially reluctant to draw, but was
unable to resist the powerful spiritual admonition. "Something told
me to draw or die. It was shown to me what to do."
