NEW IBERIA, La. --- Join John Poon, Shadows Plein Air judge for 2024, for coffee, donuts, and an informal conversation about art. 

John will share his insight into painting en plein air, what to look for when analyzing a painting, and describe his method for critiquing this year’s award-winning artwork. 

Coffee with the Judge will take place on Sat., March 16, from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at the Shadows Visitor Center (320 E. Main St., New Iberia). Some of the artwork from the competition will be on display until 4 p.m. The event is free to attend and open to all.

About Poon:

John Poon has been a working artist for over 25 years. He graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and was offered a position as an instructor of Drawing and Painting. He eventually served as Director of Foundations overseeing classes in Drawing, Sketching, Perspective, and Color and Design.

A sought-after instructor and painter, his works can be found in both private and public collections across the country. Among his numerous awards and recognitions, his most recent honors include Best of Show at the National Wildlife Museum Annual Plein Air invitational, Artist Choice 2016 Maui Plein Air invitational, and the Gold Medal Artist Choice Award at the Maynard Dixon Campout.

He resides in Utah with his seven children, and Sasha the dog.

The Shadows-on-the-Teche Plein Air Painting Competition will take place March 9-16, 2024. Visitors are invited to travel around the seven-parish area and watch artists paint en plein air.

Other festivities planned during competition week can be found below. Additional details about these events can be found on the Shadows’ website.

Schedule:

• March 9: Quick Draw at 3 p.m. in downtown New Iberia
• March 10: Paint Delcambre – more info coming soon
• March 12: Painting Demo at 1 p.m. at Hilliard Art Museum (710 E. St. Mary Blvd., Lafayette)
• March 13: Art Chat with Judge John Poon at 2:30 p.m. at University of Louisiana-Lafayette in Fletcher 134
• March 14: Painting Demo at 2 p.m. near the Shadows
• March 15: Paint Out from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. in downtown New Iberia; Awards Ceremony & Fine Art Sale at 6:30 p.m. at Shadows Visitor Center (320 E. Main Street)
• March 16: Paintings up for view at the Shadows Visitor Center until 4 p.m.

About Shadows-on-the-Teche Plein Air:

The Shadows-on-the-Teche Plein Air competition debuted in 2015, introducing the community to painting en plein air. The tradition of “painting outside” is one explored by William Weeks Hall, the last private owner of the Shadows, who advertised for and taught painting classes in the gardens in the 1940s.

In the 10-year history of the competition, over 180 artists from 28 states, Canada, and the Philippines have applied to participate. Over 100 of these artists have traveled to New Iberia for the opportunity to spend a week painting Acadiana, helping to preserve unique landscape and historic, urban, and rural viewscapes. Painting sales, the driving force behind the event and a clearer measure of success, increase each year with a grand total of $200,000 over the history of the event, providing support to the artists and the Shadows.

About Shadows-on-the-Teche:

The Shadows-on-the-Teche, National Trust for Historic Preservation site, opened to the public in 1961 with the mission to preserve the buildings, landscape, collections, and historical integrity of the site; to research and interpret through education programs a 19th century southern Louisiana plantation economy and community and their evolution; and to encourage an appreciation of and interest in historic preservation.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which owns and operates the Shadows-on-the-Teche, is a private, non-profit organization. The Shadows does not receive funding from federal, state, parish, or city government. The site supports itself through admissions, special programs and events, and donations to the Friends of the Shadows.

For additional information, contact Jayd Buteaux at the Shadows-on-the-Teche at (337) 369-6446 or by email. Any funds raised from this event will be used for the continued preservation and maintenance of the Shadows.