Washington Parish Fair officials have announced that Mary Monk will serve as the 2019 Adult Fine Arts judge.

Monk has been an award-winning professional artist for over 20 years. Her work can be found in a myriad of public and private art collections, including permanent art collections belonging to St. Tammany Parish and the state of Louisiana.

She has appeared in numerous magazines, such as Plein Air Magazine, Pastel Journal Magazine, Louisiana Life Magazine, New Orleans Art Review Magazine, and St. Charles Magazine. She was named one of the top 10 pastel “Artists to Watch” in the national magazine, The Pastel Journal, in December of 2016.

Monk received the majority of her artistic training through classical drawing lessons but is a self taught pastelist. She is an active member of the Degas Pastel Society and the Pastel Society of America.

Monk’s primary medium is pastel and she is mostly known for her country/urban landscapes. No matter the subject, mood and light are always the true focus of her paintings. Her choices of color and subject matter are heavily influenced by growing up in the city and moving to the country. The transition of urban to country sparked an infinite pool of inspiration for the artist. The majority of her paintings are en plein air (painted outside rather than in a studio).

Mary Monk grew up in New Orleans but has been living in Abita Springs with her husband and four children for the past 22 years. She is represented by LeMieux Gallery in New Orleans, and Rita Durio & Associates in New Iberia.

For more information, visit online at marymonk.com or call 985-705-5803.