LAGCOE 2019 Official Poster

Artist: Hannah Smith Mason

 

 

 

For each biennial LAGCOE Exposition, an official poster is commissioned to represent and commemorate that year’s event. For LAGCOE 2019, Lafayette artist Hannah Smith Mason created a striking and upbeat design that brings together her family history in the oil and gas business and the promise of a brighter future.

Those interested in obtaining an official LAGCOE 2019 poster may do so by contacting the LAGCOE office at (337) 235-4055.

A limited number of the 18” x 24” posters are printed each year for volunteers and participants. Additional posters can be acquired for a small donation to the LAGCOE Education Fund at the event.

The poster was made from an original 24” x 36” palette knife and acrylic-on-canvas painting created specifically for LAGCOE by local artist Hannah Smith Mason. Growing up in the oil and gas industry, Mason witnessed her parents, Randy and Helen Smith, take a company from the depths of the 1980s bust to a successful business through hard work and dedication. She traveled around the US with her husband, Marcus Mason, while he was working for Baker Hughes, before the couple decided to move back to Lafayette to start their company and raise their family. They founded a new company, Smith Mason & Co, to carry their hard-won expertise forward and continue serving the industry. Through all the ups and downs, Hannah Smith Mason and her family remain optimistic about the future of oil and gas and Louisiana — a feeling that is evident in her work.

About the painting:

“I was eager to create this piece expressly for LAGCOE 2019 — I’ve painted a number of similar rig scenes for oil and gas businesses over the years, and I felt I could bring something both familiar and new to the tradition. As I began working, I decided on a sunrise setting to emphasize the great possibility and unknown future of our industry. I used the yellowish gold of the LAGCOE logo for the sunlight, balancing it with a softer blue for the surrounding sky. A trace of pink was my subtle nod to the increasing number of women who are proud members of the energy industry today.

I continued to add texture and layers to show the movement of light and waves in the offshore environment, surrounding a deep sea platform and a standby boat. I asked my father, Randy Smith, to look at the work-in-progress, since his keen eye will often detect things others would miss. And sure enough, after looking at the painting his question to me was “How am I getting there?” I knew immediately what he meant — so I added in a helicopter using my palette knife, scraping its silhouette into the sky, providing the perfect balancing touch.” — Hannah Smith Mason

About the artist:

  Local artist Hannah Smith Mason paints a variety of compositions from impressionistic landscapes and abstracts to realistic portraits and handwritten quotes in various mediums. She grew up in Lafayette and after graduating high school, earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2014, she moved back to Lafayette with her husband, Marcus Mason, and three young children. They partnered with her father, Randy Smith to form Smith Mason & Co., a well-control, safety and leadership training company. She has always been inspired by her oilfield upbringing, southern roots and the creative arts. More of her work can be found at www.hannahmasonart.com.

 

Purchase a poster:

LAGCOE 2019 Official Show Posters are currently available for pickup or delivery with a small donation. Pick up your poster from the LAGCOE office for a donation of $10 or have it shipped directly to you for a donation of $20. All proceeds will benefit the LAGCOE Education Fund.