About the Artist: Sonja Griffin Evans

November 2025 Issue
About the Cover Artist — Sonja Griffin Evans
by Lindsay Gifford

We’re thrilled to bring internationally acclaimed, mixed-media artist and U.S. Military Veteran Sonja Griffin Evans to Pink’s cover once again. Born and raised in Beaufort, SC, Sonja’s poignant work captures the spirit, history, and beauty of the African American Gullah culture. She is deeply connected to the Lowcountry and the Gullah Sea Islands that continue to inspire her art. Her vivid, textured compositions bridge tradition and innovation, offering profound visual narratives celebrating spirituality, heritage, and resilience.

A self-taught prolific artist, Sonja developed her craft through extensive independent study, earning recognition as one of America’s leading contemporary visual art voices. Her distinctive style—rich in color, texture, and symbolism—transforms the traditional Gullah aesthetic into a powerful contemporary form. Each piece conveys emotion, faith, and identity, reflecting her divine inspiration. Her paintings carry stories or messages meant to uplift and inspire, making her art highly sought after by collectors and institutions worldwide.

This month’s cover features Fruits of Our Labor, one of Sonja’s most profound pieces to date. Inspired by the contributions and sacrifices of her ancestors, the painting embodies the Akan word Sankofa—“Go back and Get it.” From her upcoming I Too, Sing America collection, it calls us to remember where we come from, to honor those who came before us, and to carry their wisdom forward, which is especially important as we celebrate the season of harvest, hope and Thanksgiving. The vibrancy of the colors keeps alive one’s faith and radiant hope for the future. More than art, Fruits of Our Labor is a declaration of gratitude, perseverance, and faith.

Collectors who have followed Sonja’s journey will also rejoice in the revival of her Ancestral Path Door Series, originally created in 2005. In Gullah tradition, doors are portal spaces where stories linger and spirits dwell. Each handcrafted piece is adorned with a poem, a quiet prayer meant to ground, inspire, and remind us of our own sacred journey. These doors are not just works of art, they are spiritual companions, inviting reflection, remembrance, and renewal within the home.

Sonja’s reach has extended further than she ever imagined. She was commissioned to create original artwork for the Off-Broadway musical Welcome to the Big Dipper, which premiered at the York Theatre in New York City. This is a remarkable milestone highlighting Sonja’s ability to merge fine art with performance and storytelling on a world stage. Today, her colorful and vibrant creations transcend the canvas, as she’s recently released new pieces from her 2018 Heart of the Lowcountry clothing and accessories line which features her artwork.

With each collection, Sonja Griffin Evans does more than create art, she reminds us that legacy is not something we inherit, it’s something we nurture and pass on. 

Follow Sonja Griffin Evans’ on Facebook: @TheArtofSonjaGriffinEvans and Instagram: @sonjagriffinevans. Prints and originals of other works, and many other products featuring Sonja’s artwork are available through www.sonjagriffinevans.com.
To see or purchase Sonja’s art in person, visit Red Piano Art Gallery in Bluffton, SC. Clothing, handbags and accessories: www.americangullah.com