Who is Evelyn Adams?

Evelyn Adams, also known as Nana Ama Yinka Adu-Gyamfi, is a visual artist and educator from Ghana, who has been living in New York for the past two decades. Through oil  painting, drawing, ceramics, and movement Adams explores the visual representations of Black African womanhood. Her paintings honor and celebrate the power of Black female figures giving them monumental form.

Adams received her MFA from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College (2023), and a BFA from the Long Island University Post, School of Visual and Performing Arts (2015).  She also obtained an Associate Degree in Fine Arts from Nassau Community College, New York (2013). 

As an African and Ghanaian woman in the diaspora, Adams has been engaged in the Brooklyn and Queens art communities. She shared her work at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, Rochdale Village Library in Queens, HSAL Gallery, Firehouse Plaza Art Gallery, The Walter & Joan Hobbs Art Gallery, Hewlett Public Library, and Uniondale Public Library in Long Island.  In 2015, her work was part of a group exhibition that traveled to SungShin University in Seoul, Keimyung University in Daegu, University of Ulsan in Ulsan, and Honam University in Gwangju, in South Korea.  

Evelyn Adams’ work was featured in Daily Herald “Evelyn Adams, Showcasing her Colorful Origins Through Art” (2020), The New York Weekly, “Evelyn Adams Showcasing Her Origins Through Art” (2020), ArtTour International Magazine, “Art As A Healing Force” (2020), and Port Jefferson Times Herald Newspaper, “Victors of Survival” (2015), among others.

“Art is a unique language without any boundaries or limitations, every individual can interpret this language in their own way, therefore; Art is Freedom; Art is Exploration; Art is Inspiration; Art is Healing” - Evelyn Adams aka Nana Ama Yinka

“Any piece of artwork can elevate one’s soul, and be a form of healing” - Evelyn Adams aka Nana Ama Yinka