The Pastel Press

The Newsletter of the Oklahoma Pastel Society

February, 2008

 

Sure hope you were at the January OPS meeting – Debby Kaspari’s demos were fabulous!  Go to Debby’s website, www.debbykaspari.com, and check out her blog.  There you can see the numerous bits – large and small – of plant and animal “stuff” she brought to our space at the Will Rogers Garden Center and sketched.  You’ll also find out that Debby enjoyed hanging out with our group as much as we enjoyed hanging out with her.  We’ll have her back soon!

 

Becky Way program set for February

Oklahoma Pastel Society member Becky Way is our demo artist for February’s meeting.  Our group has been very fortunate to have had Becky teach several workshops – pastel and sketching.  (One of her mottos:  draw, draw, draw!)  For this month’s demo, Becky has invited everyone to bring a small set of pastels, your favorite pastel support and paint along with her.

 

Becky has an unerring eye for color, placement, value and contrast and she puts all these elements to excellent use in her paintings.  Whether it’s one of her still lifes, landscapes or portraits, her painting catches and holds the interest and attention of the viewer.  You don’t want to miss her demo – they’re always fun and so informative!

 

The OPS meeting is on Monday, February 11th, at the Will Rogers Garden Center, 3400 N.W. 36th Street, in Oklahoma City and begins at 6:30 p.m.  If you need directions, please contact Sue Ann at 330-5467 or sueann1022@cox.net.  Bring your beverage of choice; we’ll have snacks to share at the meeting.  Important note:  if you plan to paint along with Becky’s demo, there are a few things you need to remember and consider!  First – bring your smallest easel and pastel selection and a small to medium size drawing surface (it could get crowded in our room!)  Second, the Garden Center folks are very particular about any pastel dust or crumbs…so bring a drop cloth, newspapers, towels, etc., to protect the floors and tables!  And third, if you plan to stand at an easel, please don’t stand in front of those seated/working at a table.  Thanks for your consideration!

 

Future Programs – Lots of Great Stuff!

Something a bit different is scheduled for our March program – local plein air artist, and sought-after art show judge, Rick McClure will be sharing with our group how he judges artworks in a show.  If you’ve entered shows in the past, plan to enter shows in the near future or just thought that “maybe, someday” you’d possibly enter a show, then you need to be the March meeting!

 

The 2007 edition of the Pastel Society of America show will also be coming up – either sometime this spring or in the fall.  And at least two of the programs for Fall 2008 are set – Glen Thomas in September and Mitsuno Reedy in October.  Other programs are in the “working out the timing” stage – as soon as those are set, you’ll know about them!

 

There’s a word that used in Louisiana, particularly in New Orleans, that means “a little something extra.”  (If any of you know how to spell that word, please let me know!)  Well, we’re going to start doing “a little something extra” at the OPS meetings, beginning with the March meeting.  However, just to build the suspense a little bit, we’re not telling what those little extras are just yet – be watching for all the details in the March edition of “The Pastel Press!”

New Members and Member Info Updates

Please welcome two new members!  They are:

Jeanne Frazier                                     Sharon K. West

805 W. 8th                                                          405 NW 33rd

Edmond, OK  73003                                            Oklahoma City, OK  73118

Phone:  405-359-5644                              Phone:  405-823-8931

Email:  JLF40783@aol.com                                  Email:  SKwest_99@yahoo.com

 

Also, update your roster for these fairly recent email address updates (some of these could be on your latest roster…but it never hurts to double-check!):

 

Ella Moore’s new email address is ellaolivia@cox.net

Silver’s new email address is mountainwomanstudio@cox.net

Anita Tackett’s email address is now anita.tackett@yahoo.com

 

Next Show Opportunity in Guthrie!

Yes, I know – in last month’s newsletter we said that the “next show” would be in May at the Paseo Art Space Gallery.  It always pays to be open to other opportunities!  The Oklahoma Pastel Society members have been invited to display their art at the Owens Art Place Museum, located at 1202 E. Harrison Avenue, in Guthrie.  Mr. Wallace Owens will hang the show and asks that each of our members who wish to show their art bring up to three (3) framed, ready-to-hang paintings to the museum on Sunday, February 24, 2008 after 1:00 p.m.  Owens Art Place Museum will collect a 30% commission on all artwork sold.

 

The Owens Art Place Museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m.  The museum is approximately 12 blocks east of downtown Guthrie.  Mr. Owens will do some publicity for the show but efforts by our members to get the word out will be necessary too.  So get those paintings framed (no saw-tooth hangers please) and ready to hang at the Owens Art Place Museum in Guthrie!

 

Our NEXT “next” show will be at the Paseo Art Space Gallery the first three weeks of May, 2008 – and we need a SHOW CHAIRPERSON!  (Actually we need a show chairperson for the Guthrie show too - please consider volunteering!)  Seriously, the location and the dates for the show are already taken care of.  Gather a small group of your OPS buddies, divide and conquer the show responsibilities, then sit back and bask in the admiration of your fellow members!  And any of us who have worked on past shows will share any expertise and knowledge we’ve gained from our experiences too.

 

If you’re wanting still more possibilities for exhibiting your artwork, the International Association of Pastel Societies  (IAPS) has two different options for you.  First is their 11th Juried Exhibition which will be held at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown Ohio.  Deadline for entries to be received:  MARCH 19, 2008.

 

Their second option is the IAPS 12th Exhibition/Web Show.  All entries for the Web Show must be received by August 8, 2008.  (This is also a juried show.)  To get more information about either, or both, shows, call IAPS at 703-536-0308 or go to their website, www.pastelinternational.com and click on “Exhibitions.”

 

Workshops!

Our workshop chairperson extraordinaire, Pam Brewer, is currently putting together several OPS-sponsored workshops.  As many of you know from last month’s newsletter, Pam has been working with Colleen Brown about teaching a workshop for us in the next few months.  Unfortunately Colleen has been battling that nasty flu bug; therefore no details are set yet.  But when the workshop details are finalized, we’ll get that information to you ASAP!

 

Also, we are working with Missouri artist Jerry Brown about a one-day “Painting Clouds in Pastel” workshop that will be right after the Paseo Arts Festival.  Details to follow! 

 

Then, later in the summer, Terry Ludwig will be back in Oklahoma City for another 3-day workshop scheduled for August 15, 16 and 17th!  Once again Terry will be teaching in the wonderful facilities at The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.  Many of you will remember that Terry is a big advocate of awarding a scholarship to his workshop.  Last year’s scholarship went to a wonderful senior art student from a local high school.  If you have an idea for selecting the scholarship recipient, please let Jan, Janie, Stuart and Donna know! 

 

ALSO – for several reasons! – the “protocol” for reserving a spot in Terry’s workshop is changing.  With so many members in OPS and only a limited number of spaces available (the number of students is set by Terry), here’s how you’ll get your name in for Terry’s workshop:

 

First, you’ll complete a registration form (the form is currently being put together and will be sent out in a few days AND handed-out at the February OPS meeting.)

Second, you will MAIL TO THE OPS POST OFFICE BOX your completed registration and deposit.  The “will not be accepted if postmarked BEFORE” date will be indicated on the registration form and will also be announced at the meeting.

Third, only mailed in, completed registration forms with the stipulated deposit amount included will be considered.

 

If more registration forms, postmarked on the first acceptable date, are sent in than there are places for (based on Terry’s maximum number of students, less one for the scholarship recipient), the forms will be mixed up and drawn out, one at a time, and written down in the order drawn.  Any forms received postmarked later than the earliest acceptable date will be added to the list in the order received.  You’ll be notified if your registration is one the “class” list or the “wait” list.

 

Remember:  the form isn’t yet completed and isn’t attached to or enclosed with this newsletter!  The forms will be available at the February 11th meeting and will also be emailed and/or snail-mailed to all current members.  (Also, Terry’s workshop fees have increased for 2008.  At this time it looks like his 3-day August workshop will be $275 for OPS members and more for non-members.)

 

Other Possible Workshops in the Future

The Oklahoma Pastel Society is definitely blessed to have so many talented artists who are not only willing but are also extremely qualified to conduct great workshops!  Some of our members who might be teaching workshops for the group during the next 12 to 24 months are Becky Way, Dale Martin, Mitsuno Reedy, Ron Chapman and Marie Weltzheimer – to name just a few!

 

If you’d like to take a workshop outside Oklahoma…

Maggie Price (her website is www.MaggiePriceArt.com) will be teaching in a variety of places in the United States and overseas in 2008.  Her workshop schedule along with contact information is listed here:

Sautee, Georgia - April 14-18 - Paint Landscape from Photos, some plein air - Art Immersion Workshops - contact Cynthia Whitney, cwhitney@hemc.net, 706-878-9943

Júzcar, Spain - May 3-12, October 18-27 - Plein air painting & touring in Andalucia - $1895 artist/$1695 companion - contact Maggie Price, pcstudios@cableone.net, 505-294-7752

Pollock Pines, California - June 2-6 - Plein air in the Sierra foothills - $425 - contact Maggie Price, pcstudios@cableone.net, 505-294-7752

Puyallup, Washington - July 14-18 - Paint landscape, indoors & out - $425 - contact Maggie Price, pcstudios@cableone.net, 505-294-7752

Portland, Oregon - July 21-25 - Paint landscape, indoors & out - $425 - contact Maggie Price, pcstudios@cableone.net, 505-294-7752

Medford, Oregon - July 28-August 1 - Paint landscape, indoors & out - $425 - contact Maggie Price, pcstudios@cableone.net, 505-294-7752

Boulder, Colorado, August 25-29 - Plein air in the foothills of the Rockies - $425 - contact Maggie Price, pcstudios@cableone.net, 505-294-7752

New York City, New York - September 15-19 - Paint landscape from photos -  contact Pastel Society of America, pastelny@juno.com, 212-533-6931

Santorini, Greece - October 7-14 - Plein air in the Greek Islands - www.toscanaamericana.com, contact infotuscany@aol.com

Charlotte, North Carolina - November 10-12 - Paint landscape from photos - contact Piedmont Pastel Society.

 

Well-known pastel artist, Doug Dawson is also teaching workshops all over the United States.  Go to his website, www.dougdawsonartist.com, where you can see a list of his scheduled 2008 workshops. Also you can email him at dougdawson8@aol.com or even give him a call at 303.421.4584.

 

A few other things you might like to check out

Pastel artist Paul deMarrais invites you to look at his newly-redesigned website at www.pauldemarrais.com.  In addition to promoting his artwork, his site provides quite a bit of information about pastels.

 

Joey Frisillo has sent along information from the Alabama Pastel Society about their 3rd National Open Juried Exhibition.  The prospectus will be attached to the email version of this newsletter and enclosed with the snail-mail ones.

 

And one more thing – the OPS Website!

Our website is currently undergoing some tweaking and re-designing and adding more benefits for our members!  If you have some specific suggestions about what would make the website more useful to you, as a member, please let us know!  You can email your suggestions to Sue Ann at sueann1022@cox.net. 

 

 

You don’t want to miss this meeting -

Monday, February 11th, 6:30 p.m.

Will Rogers Garden Center

Demonstration and Paint-along

 by BECKY WAY

 

See you there!