Fred Eversley facts for kids

Fred Eversley (born in 1941, died in 2025) was an American sculptor. He was known for creating amazing art using a special process called "centripetal casting." His art often focused on light and space. Fred Eversley was also a pioneer, meaning one of the first, Black artists to create abstract art. His unique sculptures, made from a material called resin, have been shown in many museums and galleries around the world.

Early Life and Education

Fred Eversley was born in New York City and grew up in Brooklyn. His father, Frederick W. Eversley Jr., was an engineer who helped build many important buildings in New York. His mother, Beatrice Syphax Eversley, was a school teacher. Fred was the oldest of four children. He had a sister, Rani, and two brothers, Donald and Thomas. His family background was very diverse, including German Jewish and Shinnecock Indian heritage.

Even as a child, Fred was fascinated by science. He loved reading about famous scientists like Isaac Newton. He spent time in his father's workshop, playing with radios and photography gear. This early interest in science helped him later in his art.

Fred went to Brooklyn Technical High School, which focuses on science and engineering. He then studied electrical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. He was the only Black engineering student there. Even though he didn't take any art classes in college, he later received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon in 2023. Fred Eversley passed away on March 14, 2025, when he was 83 years old.

Becoming an Artist

From 1963 to 1967, Fred Eversley worked as an engineer. He helped design special sound labs for NASA's APOLLO and GEMINI space missions. This work was very important for space exploration.

In 1964, he moved to Venice, California, where he lived for over 50 years. In 1967, a serious car accident changed his life. He broke his leg and had to use crutches for more than a year. This event made him decide to leave engineering and become a full-time artist.

In 1969, Fred took over a studio in Venice that was once a laundromat. Many other famous artists lived nearby, like Larry Bell and James Turrell. These artists were part of the "Light and Space" art movement.

Fred Eversley became the first artist in residence at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in 1977. This meant he had a studio inside the museum for three years. He also had art shows in Washington, D.C.

In 2019, he moved back to New York City. He lived there with his wife, Maria Larsson, who is also an artist.

Eversley's Unique Artworks

Fred Eversley was a pioneer in abstract art, especially for Black artists. He made sculptures mostly from cast resin. He called his special way of making art "centripetal casting." Instead of shaping the art with his hands, he used a mold. This mold helped him create sculptures in a special shape called a parabola.

His art was all about light and space. He wanted his sculptures to connect people through positive energy. He used simple shapes to play with how light bends and reflects. His work often looked like thick lenses or mirrors. In the 1970s, he was known as part of the California Light and Space movement. This group of artists explored how light and space affect our feelings and perceptions.

Fred Eversley's art is in the permanent collections of many famous museums. Some of these include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Tate Modern in London.

Key Exhibitions

Fred Eversley's sculptures have been shown in many important art exhibitions:

• "Contemporary American Sculpture" at the Whitney Museum in 1970.
• "Fred Eversley" at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in 1976.
• "Fred Eversley: 50 Years an Artist, Light & Space & Energy" at the Muscarelle Museum of Art in 2017.
• "Fred Eversley: Reflecting Back (the World)" at the Orange County Museum of Art in 2022.
• "Parabolic Light" in Central Park, New York, in 2024.

Awards and Honors

Fred Eversley received many awards for his amazing art:

• Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 2023.
• Lifetime Achievement Award in Three-Dimensional Art from Howard University in 2018.
• Artist of The Year Award from LA Artcore in Los Angeles in 2010.
• City of Florence Award at the Florence Biennale in Italy in 2003.
• First Prize – Sculpture at the Florence Biennale in Italy in 2001.
• Individual Artist Fellowship Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1972.