Leroy Evans: Painting Rent

Olin John “Leroy” Evans was a prolific Lafayette painter who gained a close-knit circle of lifelong patrons, who were known to frequently purchase his artwork—often in the knick of time for him to make rent, hence the title of the exhibition. While his work was rarely exhibited during his life, it was and is much-celebrated by his many supporters. While Evan's technique is rooted in traditional still life, portraiture, and landscape painting, he is known to incorporate elements of the macabre and whimsy. Acadian Courir de Mardi Gras traditions are a repeated theme in his work, as well as characters from popular culture. The artworks within this exhibition are on loan from a circle of collectors who knew Evans through his lifetime, and many are childhood friends. They’ve allowed AcA to pull together many works not seen before in public, in order to give a thorough view of this artist’s oeuvre and an in-depth look into his creative process. acadianacenterforthearts.org.