Leroy Evans: Painting Rent

Olin John “Leroy” Evans, was an artist in the Lafayette community who rarely pursued attention for his works but ceaselessly painted. The title “Painting Rent” is a reference to the artist’s dedication to painting as his sole vocation in life. He earned what little income he had by selling his artworks to a close circle of life-long patrons, often just in time for a rent payment. He was rarely exhibited during his lifetime but was celebrated by his many supporters.

Evan’s works center around the traditional painting genres; still-life, portraiture and landscapes – yet they have a twist of the macabre added in. His works show a talent in draughting and an electric choice in color. Evans most striking works are post-modern allegories populated by a host of revelrous characters and symbolic animal motifs. He references Acadiana’s traditional rural Mardi Gras, archetypal battles of good vs evil and characters from popular culture, all together weaving his personal experience into a landscape of universal experience.

The artworks within this exhibition are on loan from a circle of collectors who knew Leroy 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.

Link to The Advocate’s Posthumous Article on Evans

The Blue Monday Mission Website