About this Event
This year’s theme, “Nourishing the Artist Within,” invites you to recharge your creativity, connect with peers, and gain new skills. Experience an engaging keynote address from Southeastern Region Vice President Josh Drews, dynamic professional workshops, and valuable networking opportunities. Celebrate excellence at the awards ceremony and support future initiatives through our silent auction fundraiser.
Whether you teach, create, or advocate for the arts, this conference offers a space to grow professionally while fostering your artistic spirit. Don’t miss this chance to connect with Louisiana’s vibrant community of art educators and leave with renewed passion, confidence, and fresh ideas.
On Saturday, you'll rotate through four hands-on workshops designed to help you explore your voice and style, led by the McNeese Department of Visual Arts Instructors with assistance from their Student Art Association.
Accomodations:
TRU by Hilton Lake Charles
Hampton Inn Lake Charles
Saturday Workshops
The Potter’s Wheel Interactive
Cynthia Howes-Baskin and Kenneth Baskin
This workshop will take a hands-on approach to the basic principles and fundamental practices involved with making simple forms using the potter’s wheel. Kenneth and Cynthia will demonstrate the basic principles and then work individually with the participants. Expect to get your hands dirty.
Lensless Photography: Pinhole Photography in the Classroom
William Major
This workshop introduces educators to the fundamentals of pinhole photography. Participants will build their own pinhole cameras, learning the technical foundations of aperture size, focal length, and exposure calculation. Once constructed, cameras will be tested outdoors to capture images on light-sensitive paper, emphasizing how simple materials can demonstrate complex photographic principles.After exposing their images, participants will move into the darkroom to process paper negatives and create positive prints using contact printing. Along the way, the workshop will cover safe darkroom practices, exposure adjustments, and techniques for achieving proper tonal range. Designed to connect art with science and history, this session highlights how pinhole photography can bring a deeper understanding of image-making to the classroom.
The Art of the Impression
Jacob Dugas
This workshop offers a playful introduction to printmaking, focusing on creativity and discovery. Participants will be guided through simple printing methods, and Professor Dugas, along with his print students, will provide individual support as participants experiment.
Exploring the Digital Studio
Thomas Galmarini
This workshop introduces participants to the possibilities of digital media as an artistic tool. Through guided demonstrations and open-ended practice, you'll explore how digital platforms can expand your creative process and support new approaches to making.
In addition, a station will be available throughout the day where participants can learn matting, framing, display, and finishing techniques from Lynn Reynolds. There will also be an informational table on travel opportunities, hosted by our art historian, Bridget McDaniel.
Agenda
🕑: 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
LAEA Board Meeting, In-Person and Virtual
Info: Friday, October 24, 2025.
Free parking in the lot. Virtual Link provided in registration email. Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center, 1001 Ryan St, Lake Charles, LA 70601.
🕑: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Reception and Registration at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center
Info: Friday, October 24, 2025. Following the board meeting, enjoy a casual social hour on the third floor where you can sign in, mingle with colleagues, meet new faces, and have a caricature drawn by local artists. Free parking is available in the lot behind the venue, with additional street parking nearby.
Ephemera, an exhibit by Heather Ryan Kelley, Professor Emerita of Art at McNeese State University, will also be on view. The exhibition highlights her longstanding involvement with the medium of collage, involving elements from printed matter, her photographs, and fragments of her own drawings. Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center. 1001 Ryan St, Lake Charles, LA 70601.
🕑: 07:30 AM - 07:50 AM
Morning Registration
Info: McNeese State University Shearman Fine Arts Annex
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:40 AM
Keynote Speaker Josh Drews!
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Workshop Session 1
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025.
🕑: 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Workshop Session 2
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch at McNeese
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025. Lunch provided by McNeese catering and available in the cafeteria.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Workshop Session 3
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025.
🕑: 02:45 PM - 04:00 PM
Workshop Session 4
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025.
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:45 PM
Closing Session
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Awards Banquet
Info: Saturday, October 25, 2025. Door prizes and Awards banquet with the Bulber Youth Orchestra.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Shearman Fine Arts Center, 4205 Ryan Street, Lake Charles, United States
USD 87.21 to USD 311.29
