Airlie art a tribute to Minnie Evans

Minnie Evans used wax crayons, vibrant colors, and mystical creatures in her art, and what better way to remember her at Airlie Gardens than with a chapel made from glass bottles?

Virginia Wright-Frierson designed and built the bottle chapel. It was a year-long project that had her braving the outdoor elements.

Five years later, she looks back fondly on one of her most precious pieces of artwork.

“I still get a sickening feeling, even though I loved it, recalling the heat, and the cold and difficulties,” said Wright-Frierson.

The chapel has withstood hurricanes, tornados, and tropical storms. Every time Wright-Frierson visits Airlie Gardens, she takes a walk around to check on her masterpiece. “It scares me to look for damage,” she said.

With only a few bottles cracked here and there, the beauty of the chapel lives on, just like the legend of Minnie Evans.

“As you come closer and closer, and walk around the spiral pathway leading inside, there are so many details that we all worked so hard on,” Wright-Frierson said.

Mixed among thousands of glass bottles donated by the community, Wright-Frierson put in some pieces that remind her of family and friends.

And at the entrance to the chapel, there is a glass hand, representative of Minnie Evans watching over her cave of colors.