Contributor: LAGCOE

LAGCOE organizers held a special breakfast today at the Petroleum Club featuring a meet-and-greet with 2019 LAGCOE Looey Cornelius “Corny” Dupré. At the event, attendees were treated to an unveiling of the official 2019 poster, created by Lafayette artist Hannah Smith Mason, entitled “The Future of Energy.” 

The 18” x 24” poster is made from an original 24” x 36” palette knife and acrylic-on-canvas painting created specifically for LAGCOE. Taking her inspiration from the iconic offshore rig, Mason layered colors and textures to create a sense of movement and motion. The sun rising is an expression of her own positive outlook for the future of the industry. 

“To be the LAGCOE poster artist is my greatest professional endeavor so far,” says Mason. “I’ve painted a number of similar rig scenes in the past, but I have always wanted to create one specifically for this important industry event.” 

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 U.S. with her husband, Marcus Mason, while he was working for Baker Hughes, before the couple decided to move back to Lafayette to raise their family. They founded a new company together, 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 the poster. 

Those interested in obtaining an official LAGCOE 2019 poster may do so at this year’s event in New Orleans, October 9-11. Hannah Smith Mason will be signing posters on Wednesday, October 9, following the conclusion of the Keynote Breakfast at 10 a.m. on the Expo Floor in the Recharge Zone. Her original acrylic-on-canvas composition, which she graciously donated to LAGCOE, will be sold via silent auction during this year’s event. 

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.