Pa s t e l
Volume 10, Issue 1
S o c i e t y
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t h e
W e s t
newsletter PSWC
C o a s t
Spring 2017
Anna Wainright An interview with an Award winning PSWC member on art, artists, and what’s on her bucket list
Pastels USA 2017 The competition is real. The deadline is in July. The judge and jurors are talking!
Art Critique Service Artist-to-artist critique service has come to PSWC Members. Meet the Experts.
Winners
Members Show winners on display
Wintergreen by Anna Wainright, 2017 PSWC Members Onlibe Show, First Place Winner
Judge of Awards KIM LORDIER Jurors of Acceptance TOM CHRISTOPHER GIL DELLINGER JEN EVENHUS
Total Awards Value $14,000 Best of Show Award $1,800
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING WORK ONLINE IS JULY 15, 2017
Lowyn
Claire Verbiest, PSWC-DP, PSA-MP Pastel USA 2016 Best of Show
The 31st Annual International Open Exhibition
SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 - OCTOBER 21, 2017
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NEWSLETTER
FEATURES The Interview Anna WainrightArtist, Teacher, & PSWC Members’ Show First Place Recipient Pastel USA 2017 The Premiere Event of the PSWC Judge & Jurors Meet the Man and women who will make the tough choices at Pastels USA 2017
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ABOUT ART Art Shows and Competitions New Competitions
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Art Critique Service A New Member Service to Improve Your Art
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Workshops Upcoming Workshops for Pastels
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Art School Even if you’re an old dog at pastels, there’s always a new trick to learn!
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REGULARS Letter from the PSWC President A few words from Susan Goodmundson Art Show Winners Top Honors to PSWC Member Show Members Only Here’s what’s happening to PSWC members New Members Here’s what’s happening to PSWC members
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Letter from the Editor
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Dear PSWC Members,
Want to get involved? There’s always room for more. Let us know what you want to do, and we’lll find a spot for you!
Keep In Touch & Follow us!
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www
About This Issue We are trying something new this issue. Our newsletter will be in magazine format! This allows us to add more art and gives readers a PDF version or an online digital version to read on mobile devices.
InDesign Magazine Template Designed by Erick Ragas StockInDesign Inc. www.stockindesign.com @stockindesign Fonts: Capitals and Open Sans All photos are property of the artists
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I have always imagined how much fun it would be to be locked in an art supply store overnight (or for a couple of days) with the instructions to, ”Do as you please!” That’s sort of how it felt to put together this issue of the PSWC Newsletter! I have had the honor of talking with many of the artists featured. Anna Wainright might just be my new BFF - I felt like I had met a kindred spirit whose artistic life was so familiar to mine. Tom Christopher is just the most down-to-earth guy, and I am fascinated with his texturing technique for pastels. Gil Dellinger is the art teacher I always wanted, but didn’t know existed. His students Laguna College of Art and Design are so fortunate to have access to him. He also offers workshops, so if you are in Southern California, do some research and sign up for anything he teaches. There are lots of ideas floating around for making this newsletter better than ever. If you have a show or open studio coming up or are teaching a workshop, let me know. If there is something you would like to see in the newsletter, call me. If you are in San Jose and want coffee with an art friend, I am always near a Starbucks! What I learned from the artists in this issue is if you’re a painter, paint. Paint everyday, even if it’s just for a short time. Exercise those painting muscles. You will be thrilled with the results. I promise! Finally, every large project--like this newsletter--involves a team effort. Thank you to the PSWC Board for all the suggestions, to Margot Schulzke for allowing me to reprint her amazing Art School piece, to Susan Goodmundson and Linda Roemisch for proof reading and lots of encouragement, and to my daughter, Chelcie Hill, for doing the painstaking error catching on the computer, editing, and figuring out how to add page numbers! Namaste,
Letter from the President
Hello, Pastellists! We have just finished the Membership Show. Thank you so much for your participation. Congratulations to our Award Winners. Plans are underway for another Online Membership Show with a deadline of March 1, 2018. The ARTISTS CRITIQUE SERVICE is a new membership benefit! This was established for members who need help in rising to the next level of their artistic pursuits. Linda Roemisch and Diane Blakley have made the process very user friendly. A big “thank you” to Linda and Diane for your hard work. For more information on how to use the service, go to www.pswc.ws. PSWC needs some volunteers for key Society positions. Join our leadership team and become part of the second largest Pastel Society in the United States. We have an amazing organization due 100% to the amazing volunteers we have had over the years. This is a great year to jump in and try something new. Everyone has experience and expertise to offer. There are two major positions that are currently opened: •
Treasurer. If you have experience with Excel and Bookkeeping, we need you. The system is set up and user friendly.
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Pastels USA Exhibits Chair. If you have exhibition and show experience, you may be our person! Your hard work will be rewarded with new friendships and lots of fun! Tina Moore is Pastels USA Awards Chair, so you would be working with her. We have a lot of help available to make your job easier. Our Board Members are very supportive and dedicated to our artists and Society.
Please call me at 530-887-1987 for questions and information for these very important volunteer opportunities. Now, please welcome Sabrina Hill, our Newsletter Chair person and her first published Newsletter.
HAPPY PAINTING TO YOU!!!!
Susan Goodmundson PSWC President
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Shows And Competitions
Art Shows and competitions In addition to PCWS’s Pastels USA Exhibition, there are many competitions and exhibitions around the country. There is nothing like the experience of entering (and possibly winning) a competition to hone your art development. If you are not sure your work is ready, consider a critique service. See page 18 for more information on PSWC’s Art Critique Service. Here is a list of other competitions: 45th Annual Exhibition: Enduring Brilliance September 5 - October 1, 2017 www.pastelsocietyofamerica.org Jury of Selection: Gwenneth Barth-White PSA-Master Pastelist (FL), Robert Carsten PSA-Master Pastelist (VT) Jimmy Wright PSA-Master Pastelist, Exhibit Chair (NY)
Deadline for Entry June 16th, 2017
Deadline for EntryAugust 1, 2017
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Awards Juror: Charlotta Kotik, former curator of contemporary art, Brooklyn Museum of Art.
Sponsored by Pastel Journal, America’s leading magazine devoted to pastel artists, this annual competition offers cash, prizes and publicity to its talented winners. Get rewarded for your finest work! Winners will be featured in the April 2018 issue of Pastel Journal. for info, click here. OnlineJuriedShows.com is a website that hosts the largest number of shows, rxhibitions, and competitions on the webs. PSWC uses this website to offer artists a convenient way to submit applications and upload images for Pastels USA. Look online for other shows and enter!
News & Notes
PASTEL USA 2017 PSWC’s Premiere Event Every year, the hard-working volunteers of PSWC move mountains to gather, process, judge, award, and stage the PASTEL USA competition. This event, to be held this year at A Sense of Place in Fresno, California is the defining event for pastel artists looking for special status in their societies. Winners of past years’ events are also recognized in the Pastel Society of America and the International Association of Pastel Societies, which is holding its biennial conference in June in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When the PSWC was formed in 1985, Margo Schulzke envisioned meeting the artistis development needs of fellow artists. In her word, “Artists want to paint, to compete, and test their work...so we limit our meetings in order to emphasize quality competitions.” The show is now the second largest pastel competition in the United States. Let’s meet the jurors and judge who will help determine the awards and winners for 2017!
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News & Notes
Judge-Kim Lordier Kim talks about how she came to art, what she looks for in a good painting and what sage advice she would give to her 20 year-old self!
I have always drawn or painted. Crayons, paint by numbers, and “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain� led me to the art department in college. 15 years of a regular job, all the while painting animal portraits, led me to plein air, and in 2001 I went full time as a professional artist. Pastels are my primary medium; however, I love to paint in oil any chance possible. Pastels are beautiful, different, and also a security blanket for me. They are my comfort zone, my work horses, and I don’t have to think about how they are going to react, as I have been painting with pastel since I was 15 years old. I do not see a difference in the technical role of juror or judge. I believe the same process is used in both, and only the outcome is different: acceptance or an award. All four of us are working together to find a collection of paintings that represent our medium to is fullest. From abstract to high realism. I believe that great draftsmanship, a strong understanding of the principles of design, value, composition and color are paramount in the work to be presented for this n ational caliber show.
paintings accepted/awarded in past years, and have an objective look at your own work. Do you feel your work is at that level? Do you see things in your work that are stronger or different than what you see at the shows? Start locally, and when you are consistently in the ribbons, look to a wider more regional exhibition, and when successful there consider going national. Acceptance to shows and exhibitions are a confidence booster. However, I do want to say that they are not the only way to achieve success or satisfaction. Not everyone is competitive, and that is just fine.
Emotional content, concept, idea, mood are extremely valuable in determining acceptance or an award. I also look for a unique way of presenting a fundamental, or ideas. So often we see the same idea presented again and again. I am culpable of that in my work, too.
If you find you are getting into shows/ events only periodically, I suggest you look at your work with a fresh eye. Ask yourself, what do I need to work on to strengthen my understanding of my craft? Paint from your heart that which makes you smile, that which you know, and from a place of truth. If you are getting into shows/ events regularly, then look to the next level of competition and consider moving in that direction.
For many, entering a competition or juried show can be scary. I recommend taking a look at the
My 20 year-old self should have been painting from life!!!! As much as possible!!!!
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News & Notes
Juror- Tom Christopher Art wasn’t Tom Christopher’s first career choice. Although always creative, Tom spent much of his adult life counseling delinquent boys. The art was a release to cope with the stresses of the job. It was a workshop with Albert Handell that changed everything. Handell encouraged Tom to enter his work in a competition—the Pastel 100—and he placed third in Landscapes. In need of something different, Tom retired early and became a full-time artist. Tom engages with art every day because he say, “ Art requires commitment.” While most days find him at the easel, he also roams the woods and fields around his home with a camera and plein air pack in tow, looking for inspiration and new material to paint. And on the days when there is no painting, Tom works on building frames for his creations or doing research for an upcoming project. Tom is artistically influenced by contemporary artists like Kim Lordier (this year’s Pastels USA judge), Sally Strand, and Richard McKinley as well as the greats like Andrew Wyeth and William Turner. While pastels remain a passion, he has tried other mediums, but has settled into oils and pastels, splitting his time almost evenly between them. He finds it is easier to paint “big” with oil. For his pastel work, Tom uses gator boards prepared with texture to create the feeling of a linen canvas with support needed for applying pastels. Pastelists are accustomed to using sand paper as a base for their work; however, Tom has been exploring even greater texture in his work. Using primer and a palette knife and a little bit of a Jackson Pollack arm he drips, flings, and scrapes gator boards giving them much heavier texture. This gives his work a more dimensional look. Tom likes to paint
common subjects and scenes in an uncommon way, and this technique heightens the drama and movement. Tom’s skill as a realist painter, his expertise with plein air and studio painting, and his keen ability to edit details in his work and draw the viewer into his pieces make him an excellent juror. When a piece is stuck in mid-tones it usually doesn’t make the cut. He looks for an artists’ knowledge of the medium in how they apply pressure as well as the variations of design and stroke. The development of darks and lights also determines a painting’s chances of being selected. Tom looks for paintings that pull the viewer into the work. If there is a row of trees, there needs to be a path through the trees to encourage curiosity about what lies beyond the tree line. For artists old and new, he offers this advice: “Take it seriously, enter competitions from local to national, go to good workshops, and study other great artists.” See Art Workshops section for details on Tom’s upcoming classes. PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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News & Notes
Juror- Jen Evenhus Jen Evenhus is a nationally recognized, award win-
ning artist. Jennifer’s bold use of color is what first attracts the eye. Her subject is often paint itself, fascinated with the painterly effects one can achieve with pastels, or the wonderful transparency and opacity of oils. Whether with oils or pastels, Jennifer enjoys the process of painting as much as completing the work. Always sorry to see the journey end, Jen describes the process as a journey through unknown territory. Even though she has a good idea of the outcome she wants, she is mindful not to become locked into an idea, staying open to all those little accidents that happen along the way, and careful not to cover them up so the viewer might experience her travels and discoveries. These accidents she describes as unforeseen treasures that give a painting character, depth, and movement. Jennifer’s work is often very abstract, using earthscapes as a starting point, she paints out most of the detail, leaving just enough for the viewer to become lost in a new world. Jennifer has exhibited work in New York City at the
National Arts Club; Denver, Colorado at Carol Siple Gallery; Sacramento and Redding, California; New Orleans at the World Trade Center; Coos Bay and Bend, Oregon and Seattle, Issaquah, Everett, and Anacortes, Washington to name a few. She enters and is accepted in many juried shows each year and has numerous national awards to her credit. Selected Juried Exhibitions, Awards and Honors 2017 18th Annual Pastel Journal Magazine Pastel 100 - 2) Honorable Mentions - “Lemon, Cobalt and a Hooker” “Sage Ablaze” 2016 30th Annual PSWC Pastels USA Juried Open Exhibit - “Pup Den” Atlantic Papers Award 2016 44th PSA Annual Exhibition “Enduring Brilliance” - “Midnight Magic” Show Submit Award 2016 Pastel Society of the West Coast Online Members Exhibit “Midnight Magic” received 2nd Place, Signature division 2016 February “Bold Brush” FAV15% for “Midnight Magic” 2016 30th Annual NPS International Juried Exhibit Tacoma “Wheatgrass Waltz” 2016 17th Annual Pastel Journal Magazine Pastel 100 Honorable Mentions for both “Rhapsody” and Emergence by Jen Everhus “Dawn On Coyote Trail” 2016 Pastel Society of the West Coast Online MemPower” and “Late Night”
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News & Notes
Juror- Gil Dellinger
rectly from a photo. “There’s a distortion in color and value. It’s obvious.” He is interested in originality, seeing a subject with a new perspective. And he wants to see a piece that moves from front to back. The viewer should feel they are transported through the landscape. In portraiture, the first thing he looks for is the hard parts—hands and ears. If these are wrong, the work is rejected. For the new online shows, artists are required to submit a photo. His advice, “If you don’t send a great photo of your work, don’t bother entering.”
Gil Dellinger has been an artist his whole life. After more than fifty years of being a professional artist, he still paints 6-8 hours every day. Every. Day. The first 30 years were devoted to teaching at University of the Pacific. When he retired from there, he moved to Southern California and ended up teaching part time at Laguna College of Art and Design. For a dozen years he painted almost exclusively in pastels. Now he also uses acrylics and oils as well as pastels. Gil’s work demonstrates his passion for the pastel. His seascapes leave the viewer feeling wind-whipped hair across the face and a slight taste of saltwater mist.
Gil offered a most poignant answer to the question, “What advice would you give to your 20 yearold self?” After a pause, he said, “I would tell him to be nicer.” Be nicer to family, friends, and colleagues. He was too self-absorbed in his younger years as he pursued his art, at almost all costs. “I still would have been a good artist, and I could have been a nicer person and not lost a thing.” He has made peace with his family, but he approaches life differently. A new project that is close to his heart is to illustrate the New Testament. And perhaps find a partner to paint with through the rest of his days. For information on classes and commissions go to www.gildellinger.com
Coming from an academic background, he offers unparelleled expertise in his role as a juror for Pastels USA. When looking at a work to select for a show, he shared some of his considerations: “If it looks like a photograph, I would reject it immediately.” He is not against photo references, he uses them himself, but says you can tell when it’s been done di-
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Membership Show
Members Show Winners The 2017 Online Membership Show, was a great success. The following winners represent some of the finest pastel artists in the country in the Member and Signature Member categories. See the rest online at www.pswc.ws.
First Place - Members Awards Wintergreen by Anna Wainright
Best of Show – Members Awards Along the Shoreline by Cindy Gillett
Third Place Chill in the Air by Christina Karras Second Place True Friends by David Lazarony
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Merit Award Waiting for Thread by Diane Mann
Membership Show
Second Place - Signature Member Owens Valley Clouds by Ann Sanders
Best of Show - Signature DP Members Award Occupy Wall Street Resident by Diana DeSantis
First Place Signature DP Members Award Schutzengel (Guardian Angel) by Daggi Wallace
Third Place - Signature Member Homage to King Cuong by Gerald Boyd
Merit Award - Signature Member Out in the Cold by Ellen Gust
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The Interview
ANNA WAINRIGHT 2017 PSWC Members’ Show FIrst Place Award Artist, Award Winner, and Inspiration. by Sabrina HIll
Wintergreen by Anna Wainright, Pastel, 12” x 12”
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The Interview
Anna Wainright is one fantastic artist. In March 2017, she was awarded the Member First Place in the PSWC Membership Show with her piece Wintergreen (see front cover). And it’s not her first award. Anna has racked up an impressive list of awards since she began working with pastels in 2007. Her first competition was the Annual NJPPS Show in 2007. Though mostly self-taught, she entered one of her first competitions, after she took a workshop with Brooke Allison (a PSWC member). Brooke encouraged her to enter a pastel, so she did and took third place. Wainright was born in Landsthul, Germany in 1953. Her father was career army, and there were lots of moves throughout her childhood. West Long Branch in southern New Jersey was where she landed, and where she and her husband raised their two sons. Before the art, before the decision to become a full time artist, Anna was like many of us, doing a regular job in an unrelated field—she was a municipal planner. She had always been interested in art, dabbled in painting and crafts, even got a degree in graphic design. The demands of raising a family kept her mostly away from art until her youngest son was in college. Anna tried other mediums, but after that workshop
she realized, “…pastels were for me.” She never imagined she would have a career in art. But she got to a point where she knew, “...all I wanted to do was paint and paint and paint.” So she stopped being a planner and started being a painter. The many accolades and acknowledgements she received from organizations and societies from PSWC, PSA, and the IAPS among others helped to bolster this emerging artist’s confidence, even if some self-doubt remained. Anna recommends entering competitions and shows because, “They help to keep you afloat, “ as you move forward in your artist pursuits. It is easy to become too self-critical, the process of entering a show, while sometimes nerve-racking, is a tremendous learning experience. Of course, like every artist ever, Anna
Freshwater by Anna Wainright, pastel
is not without her own self-doubts, in spite of the obvious success she has enjoyed. She feels she has a weak spot when it comes to color theory, but her understanding of color is evident in the emotional tone of her paintings. Tangerine (see page 17) is one of her current favorites. Her use of color—the purpley blues that suggest moisture in the air, the vibrant orange that captures the highlights and the hope of a sunny day to come, the unexpected lime that looks almost misty— prove that Wainright’s color and theory are spot on. After entering and being accepted in so many shows, she reveals that she has developed a more critical eye. While she loves pastels, “Pastels are great for learning!” she also works in oils. This PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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The Interview
Frozen by Anna Wainright, Pastel
allows her to work on bigger pieces. Her current work is about 50% in oils and 50% in pastels. Anna does about 90% of her paintings in the studio—mostly because it’s easier. She does paint en plein air occasionally, but weather in New Jersery can be unpredictable. She loves exploring and taking reference photos, though her work comes from a memory of a location, not a direct rendering from a photo. Her work has the interesting ability to remind the viewer of a place they have been, without focusing on a landmark or specific detail. (On a personal note: Wintergreen reminds me of Monterey and an ocean sprayed walk on a weekend away, while Frozen brings back memories of a snowy day spent on on a frozen lake in skates as a child.) When asked what was on her artistic bucket list, Anna thought for a few minutes and then enthusiastically offered two things, “I want a huge studio! Big windows, lots of light, a great view! And I want a week away in Mendocino with a bunch of other artist friends and a good cook. Just painting, eating, reading, and laughing.” That sounds like a slice of Heaven…
Anna Wainright enjoyed early success in juried exhibitions receiving several awards and signature level in many Pastel societies, including the Pastel Society of America and the International Association of Pastel Societies where she has achieved Master level accreditation. She has exhibited her work at the National Arts Club in New York City, the Butler Institute of American Art in Columbus, Ohio, the Slater Museum in Norwich Connecticut and the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California. Her work is presently among the IAPS
“I want a huge studio. Big windows, lots of light, a great view!”
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Master Circle exhibition in China, which will tour until the end of 2017. Wainright is a resident member of the Salmagundi Club in New York City, and a member of the Oil Painters of America, and the American Impressionists Society. Wainright has been published among
the annual Pastel 100, of the International magazine the Pastel Journal, three years in a row, as well as featured in her article in the Jan/Feb issue of the magazine in 2016. Her work will appear in two hard cover publications in 2017 of the best in pastel Pure Color 2, and Artist Magazine’s best in Abstract. Her website is www.ajwainright.com
The Interview
Wise Words From Wainright
Some sage advice from Anna on being an artist
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Wipe it Out. Anna is not afraid to “wipe it out” and start over. She learns more from this trial and error technique, even though it’s a little scary.
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Live with It. When a piece is done or even stalled, she puts a frame around it and hangs it in her living room. Her house’s layout allows her to see the painting as she moves in and out of her day. “Sometimes, I learn to love it, sometimes it screams for a color or change.”
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Paint Every Day. Or sketch, or read about a fellow artist. Immerse yourself in the artistic process. It builds muscle memory.
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Take Classes and Workshops. Like so many artists, Anna learns by doing it, not by reading about it. She works with her young grandson, who has shown artistic aptitude. Being an artist isn’t for everybody, but if you know someone who has an interest, encourage them!
Tangerine by Anna Wainright, Pastel 12” x 12”
PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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Member Services
Artist Critique Service If somebody has to tell you your baby is ugly, it might as well be a friend.
Compiled by Sabrina Hill
You
have just finished your masterpiece. You LOVE it. You show it to your spouse, and they love it, too! This one is gallery worthy. The last stroke is in place, you step back and doubt sets in. Does it need more blue? Is it shaded enough? Should you just scrap it all and start again? Self-critiquing is a mind field, but what every artist really needs is the good eye of another good artist. The PSWC Art Critique Service gives artists the chance to get constructive criticism from art experts. This is a new service for PSWC members where your artwork can be constructively critiqued by an artist for a small fee. If you are interested in a private professional art critique, some technical help, or just a bit of advice here is your chance to submit up to three images for one fee of $45. The process is easy. Simply go to the PSWC website at www.pswc.ws and click on Artist Critique (here). Upload your images, pay the fee, and you can expect a written response in five days. The service is just getting of the ground and already receiving rave reviews from the lucky artists who have had their work critiqued.
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grasp on the element of design. From the images you Our first critique was handled by noted artsent to me, the best example of this is in Painting #2. ist and award winner LaVone Sterling. She gave us In this painting the design has a subtle rhythm, the opportunity to see some of what she had shared with no apparent conflicting points of interest. My with her client. Her critique began, “Thank you for eye moves easily around and within the painting. the opportunity to critique your beautiful paintings. It is a very nice interpretation of the landscape. After closely examining each painting I am most imThere is pressed with your “I appreciated what LaVone Sterling had to say. good color style and sense It was very insightful and worth thinking about. harmony. of design. You Your values apparently have I think, in general, it is a very good service. are good, had some formal Wonderful to have feedback on your work.” --A Client and not training or this overstated.” Our three professinal Critique may be something that comes naturally to you. Eiartists are waiting to help you achieve your ther way I must compliment you for a job well done. goals please visit our website www.pswc.ws All three paintings affirm my impression that you are a strong, confident artist, who has a positive
Meet the ACS Artists
Gerald Boyd
Gerald Boyd became interested in art as a career when, as a schoolboy, he won a statewide contest in Oregon for a pencil portrait of his grandfather. By his mid teens, he began using pastels and with the limited set he owned, gained some notoriety for portraits of fellow classmates and the principal of his high school in the San Fernando Valley. Upon graduation, Jerry secured a position as an apprentice pictorial artist with a billboard company in Los Angeles and, for five years, was sent one evening a week to private fine art classes with an academic teacher. Gerald spent 42 years painting giant advertisents in oil, Gerald Boyd
but continued his own painting in both oil, watercolor, and pastel in his off hours and weekends. Beginning in 1983, he became more involved with the local art club and has done demonstrations, mostly in portrait painting, to over 100 such societies. He began entering exhibitions and by 1987 he had earned Signature status with the Pastel Society of the West Coast and also the Society of Western Artists in San Francisco. Since retiring in 2003 and building a studio in his backyard, Jerry has taught classes and workshops, judged dozens of art shows both large and small, and served ten years on the board of the Pastel Society of the West Coast, eight as Chairman of Pastels USA. He has also served as shipping agent
Family at the Black Rodeo
for Pastels USA since 2006. In 2009, Gerald earned the “Distinguished Pastellist” status with PSWC and in 2011 gained Signature status with the Pastel Society of America. Most recently, he has been awarded “Master Circle” status with IAPS - the International Association of Pastel Societies. PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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Meet the ACS Artists LaVone Sterling is an award winning California artist whose pastel paintings are internationally recognized. She is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America; Pastel Society of the West Coast; the Sierra Pastel Society and the Alliance of California Artists. LaVone is a retired Community College Art Instructor with both Bachelor and Master Degrees. Her work has been published in magazines, books, and her painting Golden Glow is on the box lid of Sennelier Soft Pastel Landscape Set of 30 half-sticks. LaVone conducts workshops and has both judged and juried art shows. She is currently listed by the Pastel Society of the West Coast’s critique service as one
LaVone Sterling of the critiquing artists. She is married with three daughters and six grandchildren. She lives in Visalia, California with her husband and two dogs. In her own words: “From my back door I can see the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains and the soft curves of it’s foothills. The peaks, blue against the sky, are sometimes covered with snow. The grassy hills, sprinkled with trees, are draped and twist with rivers and streams, that is, when California is not having a drought. As a landscape artist having a plethora of subject matter so nearby, whether wet or dry, is a plus. The climate of my work is based on what I see and what I feel. Painting is my time of focus and meditation. There is a quiet peacefulness I experience while creating LaVone Sterling a painting, which I hope passes on to the viewer.”
“LaVone’s work is proof that her critical eye and expertise are invaluable to both the emerging and established Linda Roemisch, artist artist.”
Hidden Valley Chance Encounter
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Meet the ACS Artists Tina Moore is the new Pastels USA 2017. Awards Chair and has been a professional artist and teacher for over 25 years. She is a graduate of Lodi High School where she also did her student teaching in the art department. Her pursuit of art took her to Stephens College in Missouri, the University of Hawaii, and the University of the Pacific, where she earned her B.A. in Fine Art. She has retired from teaching high school and junior high art to devote more time to painting and doing portrait commissions of people and animals. Tina has recently started teaching blind children. She also enjoys teaching workshops in pastels and pastel portraiture, offering demonstrations, and acting as show juror. Tina is a realistic artist who primarily works in pastel and oil. She has works in many private collections throughout the United States and Canada and has done commissions for a variety of organizations. She has painted many animals including African wildlife, the famous Siegfried and Roy tigers, dogs and horses, especially drafts. Most importantly she loves colors and enjoys how they interact with each other as they meet on her paper or canvas. Her singular ability to capture a subject is a hallmark of her work. Tina has art works in many private collec-
Marisol
Tina Moore
tions and has done commissions for a variety of organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, Porsche Club of America, and the University of the Pacific. She is an award winner in local, regional, national and international shows, including several Best of Show Awards. She was accepted into the Pastel Society of America’s annual show in New York City this year and has received six awards in The Pastel Journal’s annual competition plus receiving an award again in the most recent Pastels 100. She is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and the Pastel Society of the West Coast as well as a member of the Portrait Society of America and most recently Women Artists of the West. Tina is presently serving as President and Show Chair of the Pastel Society of the West Coast and will continue the presidency in 2009. She is an active member of the Stockton Art League and has served as show chairman of the prestigious 45th through 54th Annual Exhibitions at the Haggin Museum. Tina is presently the outgoing president of the Stockton Art League having served five terms. PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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Workshops
Art Workshops
Members and friends are teaching workshops around the country. Let us know if you have a workshop you would like listed. Tom Christopher, PSA, IAPS/MC October 6, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina Each day of the workshop will begin with a demonstration of pastel painting using various textural techniques for underpainting on gator board . The attending student artists will then receive instruction and prepare their own textured surface for pastel painting. Throughout the workshop, attending artists will receive additional instruction on plein air painting as well as studio techniques. This workshop is also open to artists not currently working in pastel. The central focus of the instruction is on understanding color, value, and texture in landscape.
Students are encouraged to bring photographs as well as plein air sketches to use as reference material. Tom will also have photos for reference as well as a good supply of gator board. Tom is careful to set aside sufficient time each day to provide individual instruction and goal planning for all student artists. Students are also encouraged to bring previous works for critique. Gallery representation, advertising, networking with social media, and teaching will also be covered. For more information about the June and October 2017 Workshops go to Tom’s website http://tomchristopherartist.com/workshops
COLOR, VALUE, & TEXTURE IN PASTEL Workshop
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Workshops
Alain Picard Workshop Four-Day Workshop $450 Tuesday-Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm May 2-5, 2017 in Napa Valley Area, California This unique workshop setting will allow you to choose which you prefer to work on landscape, still life or portrait– or all three. The workshop will take place on a beautiful private estate with gardens, sculpture, pond, pool and a stunning mansion built in 1891. Each morning will begin with a demo by Alain, as he captures the light falling on a unique subject.
Over the course of the four days, he will share a portrait, still life and landscape demo with the class. After his demo, the artists will be free to choose their subject matter and get to work. Alain will work with each artist throughout the day. On our last day, Friday, May 5, we will take a short drive to the picturesque Napa Valley where we will paint en plein air at the beautiful Robert Biale vineyards followed by an optional wine tasting and a delicious catered lunch at the winery. For more information contact PSWC Member Lisa Rico at www.lisarico.com
PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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Workshops
Painting the Lanscape in Pastels Workshop
Aaron Schuerr Workshop Painting the Landscape in Pastel June 11-13, 2017 Idyllwild, California $495 Registration opens February 1, 2017. Get ready to explore the beautiful Idyllwild campus and the surrounding countryside during this threeday plein air pastel painting workshop with award-winning artist Aaron Schuerr. Enjoy the beauty and challenge of painting in the field, and then learn how field studies can be used as a reference for studio paintings. During our time outdoors, we’ll focus on simplification, fresh color, accurate drawing, dynamic composition, and discovering “the story” within the seeming complexity of nature.
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Back in the studio we’ll analyze the plein air work and dig into the nuances of color, value, and composition. I’ll introduce the charcoal preparatory drawing as a fun and inventive way to plan a studio pastel. This class will include demonstrations in the field and studio, friendly critiques, and plenty of one-on-one time. We’ll start from the thumbnail sketch and work through flat-color plane exercises before diving into longer plein air pastel sessions. The focus of the workshop will be on process over product, in learning to see in new and dynamic ways and work simply, directly, and with confidence. To register click www.aaronschuerr.com/upcoming-workshops
Art School
Art School It’s All a Matter of Focus
outcome. As you look at your composition, and you add a
By Margot Schulzke PSA, PSWC-DP; DPS, KA
strengthen the focal point?” Or: “Did this stroke take away
stroke, ask before and after every stroke, “Will this stroke
Most of you are familiar with the example I give in my Design book of focusing past the raindrops on the windshield to see the landscape beyond. We can focus on the raindrops,
from its power?” If it took away, remove it. Although we can’t take words out of the ether after we have spoken them, in painting, we can usually correct mistakes. We can wipe them out, grab the canned air and blow them away, or lift them off. But evaluation is an absolute must
and let the car run off the road, or
as we go along.
focus past them and keep on track
As I work toward the end of a painting, I spend as much
while enjoying our surroundings.
time standing back evaluating as I do putting down the
T
h
color. I sit on my studio
e
sofa and imagine the
same applies to all we do in our
“what if I’s”. Solutions to
art endeavors; in fact, to all we
problem areas occur to
do in life. One homely example:
me, sometimes after con-
we can be the mother-in-law who
siderable
reinforces the best in her child’s
thought.
My
eye goes to areas I feel
spouse, or the one who not only
need a better resolution
sees every flaw they have, but
than I have provided, and
makes sure everyone else sees them, too.
I ask myself, “What more
Whether it is in driving a car, op-
hard would it be, really,
could I do?” or “How
erating a business, in human re-
to wipe out that section
lations or in painting, focusing on
and rebuild it?”
what counts most is utterly essential. We can see the bloom on the
to carry this painting too
rose, instead of the thorn. Everything has a not just one flaw, it has several. Focusing selectively is the
I t
would have been so easy far, to continue “finishing” Magdalen, © M Schulzke 2007
way beauty is seen. Compositionally, every painting has what should be its focal point. Whether you focus your attention – and thereby the viewer’s at-
it. Which would, in exactly the wrong way, have fin-
ished this painting. Much is said by not saying too much. Each stroke matters. Don’t be in a hurry to make mis-
tention – on that most important place is a decisive factor in
takes. Be in a hurry instead to evaluate carefully.
whether your work has power, electricity, and drama. We can
Thought matters. If you feel yourself going on auto-pi-
choose to focus all over, and thereby weaken the statement
lot, or your mind wandering, you need a break. You may
and the impact. Or we can subordinate the lesser portions
want an appearance of freedom and looseness, which is
of the painting (or in human relations, the person) and give
a great goal -- but the most successful painting is usually
emphasis, attention, focus to the strengths that are there. It
the most thoughtful. Fly at that painting in brief flurries;
is our choice as an artist and as a person. We can empower
then consider what you have done before going on. Alter-
or we can diminish.
nate a vigorous attack with quiet reflection
By focusing selectively as you paint, you will also change the
©MSchulzke, all rights reserved, 2009-2017
PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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Membership
ELECTED BOARD POSITIONS President/Treasurer Pastels USA Exhibits Chair Susan Goodmundson e: goodmundson@sbcglobal.net Acting Vice President Linda Roemisch e: artandsoul@hughes.net Pastels USA 2017 Awards Chair PSWC Advisor Tina Moore
MEMBERS ONLY
Here’s a bit of News about Members and New Members
e: mooregrafix@comcast. net Pastels Usa Exhibits Chair: Susan Goodmundson Secretary/Scholarship Marie Gonzales e: mgonzo1203@gmail.com Membership Ginny Burdick e: PSWCmembership@ginnyburdick. com
Congratulations to Rita Romero as she takes on the position of Membership Show Chair. Rita is a contemporary realist artist working in oil and soft pastel to create fine art paintings and commissioned portraits. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Rita began drawing and painting at an early age, winning her first award in a high school art competition. Her artistic journey has been heavily influenced by the work of master artists of classical realism. Rita‘s art expresses the dramatic power of 26
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representational art to capture a human experience or create an emotional dialogue with the viewer. Her work has been exhibited in national juried art shows, galleries and museums, including the Triton Museum, Haggin Museum, the Edith Lambert Gallery and M.K. Sloan galleries and museums, including the Triton Museum, Haggin Museum, the Edith Lambert Gallery and M.K. Sloan. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Members, we need your other talents, too! We have two positions opened , Treasurer and Pastel USA Exhibits Chair. Currently, the PSWC president is juggling all of these jobs, so let’s give her some much needed assistance! These positions have established guidelines and tasks and come with lots of help. Please contact Susan Goodmundson or Linda Roemisch for more information.
Newsletter Editor Sabrina Hill e: art@sabrinahill.com Ways & Means/Web Liaison Linda Roemisch e: artandsoul@hughes.net Membership Show Chair Rita Romero e: artist@romeroartstudio.com COMMITTEE APPOINTEES Eblast Coordinator/Publicity Cynthia Riordan e: clriordan@gmail.com Facebook Coordinator Lisa RIco e: lisagrico@comcast.net VENDOR/CONSULTANT Publications Designer Marianne Harris e: meb@mharrisgraphics.com Web Master Diane Blakley e: dblakley@sbcglobal.net Online Juried Shows Paula Ford
Membership
WELCOME New Members Shirley Anderson
Carla Griffin
Linda Patterson
Hot Springs Village, AR
Grant Pass, OR
Kensinton, CA
www.shirleyandersonart.net
www.carlajgriffin.com Deborah Pepin
Marcia Ballowe
Charlene Hill
Sanger, CA
Missoula, MT
Farmington, UT
www.deborahgpepinart.org
Barbara Jacobs
Linda Reynolds
Pat Davis
Sebastopol, CA
Wilminton, DE
Little River, CA
www.integralcolor.com
www.lindaharrisreynolds.com
Merrily Duzy
Sandra Jennings Jones
Diana Sanford
West Hills, CA
Woodland, CA
Wenatchee, WA
www.merrilynduzy.com
www.sandrajenningsjones.com
www.dianasanford.com
Michele Farrier
Bobbie Johnson
Mary Beth Sasso
Altay, WY
Rocklin, CA
Petaluma, CA
www.michelezfarrier.com
www.bjohnsonpainting.com
www.marybethsasso.com
Ivanie Finsvik
Virginia Kamhi
Barbara Schneider
Santa Barbara, CA
Thousand Oaks, CA
Carmichael, CA
www.marciaballowe.com
www.kamhifineart.com Mary Villon de Benveniste
Irene Georgopoulou Athens, Greece
Janet Macy
Walterboro. SC
Auburn, CA
www.maryvillondebenveniste.com
Karen Glancy Carpenteria, CA
PSWC Newsletter | Spring 2017
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ARTISTS REPRESENTED Ginny Burdick Willo Balfrey Kristine Burdick Linda Erickson Susan Ewell Kathy Gillis Alan Pierrott Lucy Hunt-Pierson Daniel J. Keys Adam Longatti
Welcome to the home of Pastels USA 2017! A Sence of Place Galley in Fresno, California is proud to work with PSWC. The gallery offers a uniquely California experience. Featuring artists from all over the state, guests are invited to emerse themselves in the artistic experience. Join us to relax, enjoy the art, music, and ambiance of the galley. We look forward to this event September 19th to October 21st, 2017!
Michelle Marco Mud Daubers Pottery Corky Normart Saralynn Nusbaum Karlene Ryan Arminee Shishmanian Lavone Sterling Rex Williams Merylyn Whited
A Sense of Place 2003 No Van Ness Blvd., Fresno, California 93704