Born in 1924, Evelyn Leavens is a life long resident of Red Bank. Her first solo show was in1952the Old Mill Gallery, Tinton Falls, known then for the introduction of Alice Neel and Martha Graham. In 1958 a book of drawings “ Boswells’ life of Boswell” by Leavens was published by Simon & Schuster which became #2 on the New York Times children’s best seller that year. She has received two fellowships from the N.J. State Council of the Arts and was included in the 1977 N.J. Arts Council biennial at the Trenton State Museum. Her work has shown notably, at City Without Wall, Aljira, Tweeds, Summit Art Center and the Morris State Museum. Primarily self taught, she attended the Vermont Studio Center in 1987 where she studied with Malcolm Morley, Archie Rand and Neil Welliver.
She is presently represented by the Laurel Tracey Gallery in Red Bank. Her art classes are taught both independently and through the Guild of Creative Art.