The Red Hot Art Show 2015 features local artists pieces centering around nothing but heat.
The exhibition is the River Region Art Association’s yearly informal art exhibition that takes place in the summer and features artwork that focuses on the concept of heat. Those who attend the exhibit can expect many different pieces that use many reds and oranges in yellow to signify Louisiana’s rise in temperature every summer.
“Anything to recognize how hot it is in the middle of July in Louisiana is accepted,” RRAA’s past president and events chairman Betty Marks said. “It can be work that depicts literal forms of heat. Someone submitted a painting of green peppers.”
Marks said that one of the paintings that took her by surprise was a submission, a painting of the St. Louis Cathedral, from someone who had not been a painter for very long.
“There is not much heat going on in the photo, no reds or yellows; but being someone who is from Louisiana, we know that standing outside St. Louis Cathedral in the summer time is very hot,” Marks said.
The mediums of art range from drawings to three-dimensional pieces of art. Winners will be chosen from the different pieces on display by people’s choice. On July 31 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the final day of the exhibition, a reception will be held to announce the winners.
“We encourage everyone to come so we can get our name out. Putting on these exhibits is our way of giving back to the community,” Marks said.
Those who attend the reception can expect different games and activities that help to get a better look at the featured art. For children and adults, there will be a scavenger hunt that involves looking closely at each piece to find something that may normally be overlooked.
“I try to find something that is in one piece and none of the rest, and I try to get people to find them all. It really makes them look at the each piece more closely,” Marks said. “The awards given for completing the list go along with the light nature of the show. We are giving away some silly prizes, like a box of Red Hots, for instance.”
The reception will also have drinks and refreshments for anyone who attends. One refreshment in particular is the Tinto Con Limon that Marks said is the RRAA’s signature beverage for the Red Hot Art Show. The translation literally means “wine with lemon,” and the drink served at the reception will be wine and lemonade.
“What makes the drink great is that you can have an inch of wine and fill the rest of the cup with lemonade, or you can have an inch of lemonade and fill the rest with wine,” Marks said.
Marks said that the RRAA’s main goal when it was founded 23 years ago was to raise general awareness for the arts.
The Red Hot Art Show 2015 is ongoing until July 31, and admission is free. The exhibit is held at the Depot Gallery located at 1008 W. Highway in Gonzales.

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