Anne Evans was born on January 23, 1871, in London, England. The daughter of
Margaret Gray Evans and the second
Territorial Governor of Colorado,
John Evans. Before he was governor, he was a physician, businessman, and educational benefactor. He was one of the founders of
Northwestern University and founded the
University of Denver. His investments in the railroads made him wealthy. Both of her parents were involved in religious, philanthropic, and cultural endeavors. Her mother was a patron of the arts. In Denver, she attended Miss Mary Street's School and
Wolfe Hall. she studied overseas at Misses Ferris' School in Paris and the Willard School in Berlin. She became interested in the arts from an early age, likely due to the influence of her parents. Her mother was a patron of the arts, and her parents had their own art collection. She was also encouraged by
William M.R. French, the director of the
Art Institute of Chicago who visited the Evans home, and Henry Read, her art instructor at Wolfe Hall. She also so masterpieces of art during her visits to Europe and New York. She preferred to spend her time at the family's
Evans–Elbert Ranch in
Evergreen. She was expected to be a lady while in Denver, but she could run and play in the country. ==Art study and collection==