Growing up in the mid-nineteenth century, Evelina was one of the few women on Long Island who surpassed the constraints of her time to become a successful artist. One of the main reasons Evelina was able to work around the propriety and social standards for young women was her familial connection to her artistic paternal uncles, especially William Sidney Mount. William was a mentor to Evelina and encouraged her to practice her artistic skill through informal training and observation with him. He provided instruction regarding perspective and choice of paint colors, freely offered commentary on Evelina's work, and when asked, he added finishing touches to her paintings. Several of Evelina's paintings are copies of William's paintings with small changes or additions of a feminine quality. For example, Evelina's oil on canvas Mount House from Road is a meticulous replica of William's oil The Mount House (1854) except for her addition of a bonneted figure of a woman in the background who stands next to the original male figure.Szabo, Julia All-American Paintings, 2 Women Depict Life on 19th-century LI, Newsday, April 18, 1997, pg. B21
