Nola Sizemore

Staff Writer

Beginning her life on a wing and a prayer, Tessa Evans was born premature and at age 2 months she suffered a 45-minute cardiac arrest. Giving God the praise for her survival and complete recovery, Tessa has gone on to become a multi-talented artist and musician winning numerous awards for her talent.

“My mom always inspired me to draw when I was young,” said Evans. “She taught me to be my best at everything I did. I took art classes from Rhonda Robinson, who with her amazing talent helped me perfect mine. I really feel like I have a lot of natural talent in both art and music.”

While in band at Harlan County High School, Evans played Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, synthesizer and cymbals. She also plays guitar, keyboard, and piano and loves to sing. Having her art chosen for a traveling exhibit with Appalshop’s “Images from the Mountains,” her art has toured community colleges throughout Kentucky and parts of Virginia. Her art has been displayed in the Harlan County Artists’ Attic and she has had first place and best-of-show placements in various Spring on Cloverlick and Swappin’ Meetin’ art contests.

Evans has sung in churches throughout southeastern Kentucky, Berea and Lexington, Kentucky Horse Park, Renfro Valley and in Robyn Bingham’s Nutcracker and Broadway Revue. While a fifth-grader, she sang the National Anthem before the opening of a basketball game at Berea College. She participated in regional and all-state choir, national honors choir and sang at The Kennedy Center of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. in June. She was chosen as one of five in the state of Kentucky and one of 17 second sopranos nationally to perform at the center.

“My aspirations are to always be involved in art and music, because that is my passion,” said Evans. “I would love to one day perform musically around the world or have an art gallery to display my work and the work of others.”

A 2011 graduate of Harlan County High School, Evans is now a student at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) where she received an art scholarship.

“After I complete my studies at SKCTC, I’d like to enroll at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU),” said Evans. “I’d like to get into EKU’s performing arts program and major in art or music.”

Evans is the daughter of Don and Linda Evans, of Evarts, she has one brother and one sister.

Reach Nola Sizemore at 606-573-4510 or at nsizemore@heartlandpublications.com