By Emma Holinko-Brossman ’20
Thomas “Detour” Evans, a Denver-based muralist, focuses on the connection of music and fine arts through traditional methods and technology. He looks to break down barriers when creating his art so the viewer can become engulfed and understand his message.
“Detour” is Evans’ current installation at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. His installation at the Fine Arts Centerwill be on display now through Dec. 8. “Detour” is a duel interactive piece that allows people to create sounds through the two string installations. These sounds can be changed remotely by him. Evans says he hopes to bring something new to a space, create new conversations, and individualize experiences. The use of multimedia for him evokes different feelings. “The sound is another brushstroke.”
Around Denver, Evans creates many portrait-based murals. These colorful and moving murals capture the spirit and diversity of the city through a singular face to be seen by the masses. The color aspect is not lost in his interactive installation; the background is painted to bring the feeling of two abstract mountain ranges forming one.
Evans did not start out on the path to become an artist. He has a background in business from University of Colorado-Denver with a focus on advertising. After traveling, he moved into becoming a full-time artist. He says interactive installations are interesting to him since he is able to use technology to create new layers into his artistic pursuit.
The artist and his work have been featured by CNN, numerous digital and print publications, radio and television outlets, and most recently, on the Netflix show: “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman,” for which Evans painted two portraits, one of Letterman and one of guest artist Jay-Z.
