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Green Unicorn

Recurring dreams, 1960s? by Minnie Evans, drawn & painted 1970s-80s

Minnie Evans had dreams and visions from age four, but did no art until age 43, and rarely signed, dated or added titles until her sixties or seventies. She did go back through her work, adding signatures, dates (or her best guess). Her biographer Mary Lyons says Evans repeatedly painted this dream creature, calling him Funny Green Animal, Green Animal, or Green Unicorn. The series goes back to the 1970s at least, but he may have been appearing in her dreams for decades before.

'Green Animal', dream painting by Minnie Evans.
The green creature is always male, lacks hind legs, and has a long tail sea-serpent tail. Evans was interested in Greek myth so she'd have seen the sea-horses towing around Poseidon and Triton in their aquatic chariots; there's a distinct resemblance. But her green animal has tusks and a single horn on his nose.

Some variants seem less Classical than Book of Revelations--not just green wings, but staring eyes at every joint.

'Funny Green Animal', 'Green Animal', or 'Green Unicorn', detail of 1980 dream art by Minnie Evans. 'Funny Green Animal', 'Green Animal', or 'Green Unicorn', detail of 1979 dream art by Minnie Evans.

By 2023, sculptures commemorating Evans and her art filled a section of Airlie Garden, South Carolina, where Evans worked for decades.

One of these, The Beast by Karen Crouch, is her interpretation of Evans's green creature.

'The Beast', sculpture by Karen Crouch; creature dreamed by Minnie Evans.
An elegant sculpture, but less startling and visionary than a sly green monster with multiple eyes. Mustn't scare the rubes! Keep that shamanism comfy.

--Chris Wayan

SOURCE: Painting Dreams: Minnie Evans, Visionary Artist, by Mary E. Lyons, pp.35-36 plus sculpture photo from Airlie Garden website and drawings culled from gallery sites over the net.


LISTS AND LINKS: recurring dreams - weird dream beings - animals & animal people - unicorns? - angels? - pegasi & other winged quadrupeds - color - 3rd eyes (and 4th, and 5th...) - more Minnie Evans - crayon & pastel & painted dream art - North Carolina: Airlie Gardens

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