As Roanoke emerges into its “new normal,” the Star City is strong, resilient and ready for what’s next – home to a diverse set entrepreneurs, creatives and community-builders from around the world … and right down the road. In each installment of our blog series, you’ll meet a new face who’ll share their spin on the Star City – their favorite places to eat, drink, connect or get inspired.
Ashley Fellers
Evan Thomas Niemann sketching in one of his favorite spots: Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea.
If you’ve ventured downtown lately, you may have noticed a tall, lean, dreadlocked figure cruising through town on an electric skateboard, sporting a big smile and a backpack full of art.
That’s Florida-based artist and entrepreneur Evan Thomas Niemann, who grew up in Roanoke and returned several months ago to quarantine with family. He makes his living sketching local scenes in coffee shops and cafés, then selling the digitally-colored prints door-to-door and on the street … at whatever price a buyer is willing to pay.
“Everybody should be able to buy art, and everybody should be able to get it at whatever’s an affordable price [for them,]” says Evan, who’s both friendly and fearless in approaching strangers. “I’m doing me. I’m just sharing my artwork, so nobody can really hate on that. They say, ‘No, thank you,’ or, ‘yes, please!'”
But if Evan’s untethered way of life seems impossibly easy, he’ll be quick to tell you: it hasn’t always been so simple.
“I was a criminal,” admits Evan. “I would graffiti people’s private property, public property and I got busted. So I had to turn that negative into a positive.”
That meant transforming his spray-painting skills into colorful, expressionist airbrush art. In his early twenties, he opened a shop at the old Happy’s Flea Market, honed his craft and eventually graduated to owning a gallery in downtown Roanoke before moving to Tampa Bay on a whim – “with a bike, a drum and a computer,” as he tells it.
It was there, as a struggling artist selling other people’s prints on the side, that Evan finally discovered a business approach that worked for him.
“I try to encourage other people, because it took me so long to figure out this business model … I’d spend 60 hours on a painting and maybe get a hundred dollars for it. It just doesn’t financially work out.”
Courtesy Evan Thomas Niemann
Courtesy Evan Thomas Niemann
Courtesy Evan Thomas Niemann
Moving from selling big, expensive originals to selling prints – and selling them in person, using a pay-what-you-like approach – made all the difference, not just for Evan’s finances, but for his outlook, too.
“I’m not an introvert. I need people. I need that inspiration … Being able to sell gives me my social life, and it gives me my purpose, my income,” he says.
As Evan gets back to the people-focused life he loves, we sat down to chat about some of his favorite hometown spots.
Q: As Roanoke begins to adapt to new rhythms, you’re probably excited to get back to a few special spots. What’s a restaurant or two you’re happy to visit again?
ETN: Shoutout to Sidecar. It’s freshly opened up! Sidecar is kinda classy, and it’s new, and I like that. It feels like a different city … And then the other place is the Gospel Café. It’s a cool little place that opens on Saturday evenings and they have music, open mics. They play gospel bluegrass.
Q: How about a great spot for something to drink?
ETN: The other day I was in Botetourt Mill Mountain Coffee and I did seven or eight pieces just sitting there, so I guess that’s the place I get the most inspiration.
Q: Connecting with others has been a challenge in these past few months, but it’s been fun to see so many local community organizations and arts venues building online spaces to gather, hear great music, view great art and connect with others. Are there any you’ve enjoyed?
ETN: Valley Church … They were doing video broadcasts for a solid month or two, but they have services now, too … a huge outdoor tabernacle where you can meet and gather … It’s awesome.
Q: Are there any local artists who’ve influenced your work?
ETN: I had so many great influences: [the late] John Wilson, Suzun Hughes – they have the gallery down the street – [William] “Bill” Saari. Hanging out at Hollins [University], I used to pose for figure modeling. So I always kind of surrounded myself with other artists.
Q: Where have you been going to feel creative and inspired lately?
ETN: It’s not been the easiest thing, staying creative through all the chaos. To get the juices going, I like nature. So when I start my day, I like to go on a mountain bike ride up in the Carvins Cove area … I go for an hour, maybe a 30 minutes’ ride, sit by the creek and come back… It’s been nice, being in nature and at peace.
Q: You’ve had a freewheeling journey. What keeps Roanoke feeling special after all this time?
ETN: Roanoke is awesome … The music scene is better than a lot of big cities in a lot of ways. I grew up here and my dad would always take me out to the bars and restaurants, listening to jazz and stuff… [It’s] a great place for artists and musicians, actually being able to share what you do and get recognized for it… I’m definitely going to spend more time here.
Want to see some of Evan’s latest creations? Check out his website at evancoolart.com.
Stay tuned for our next installment of Roanoke According To …
About the Writer:
Ashley Wilson Fellers is a writer, educator, self-taught painter and contemplative photographer in Roanoke, Virginia. When she isn’t teaching writing at Virginia Western, she snaps photos of sidewalk cracks, rescues wet leaves from windshield wipers and leaves poems hidden under park benches. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Tech.