Pastelagram/Summ 06.qxd

Pastel Society of America

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A Review of Pastel Painting and Technique

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Spring 2012 Volume 39, No. 1


“Portrait of Flora” by Duane Wakeham, PSA. Article on page 2.

Celebrating Our Fortieth Anniversary

S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 3

C O N T E N T S

42

PSA Celebrateswith Two MajorExhibitions

Recollections

18 Building a Legacy

1614

6 LIZ HAYWOOD-SULLIVAN

Landscape

81012

5 “Hall of Fame”Honoree 2012

“Friend of Pastel”Honoree 2012

PastelagramSPRING 2012

The Pastelagram is a publication distributed to

all members of the Pastel Society of America,

Master Pastelists, Honorary Members, PSA

donors and advertisers. The contents of this

publication may not be reproduced in whole or

in part without the consent of copyright holder,

PSA. © Copyright 2012

I am happy to greet all members of the PSA , new members and those who have beenwith us for many years, in this New Year of 2012.

Of course, this year is so very special — it marks 40 years since our dear founder,Flora Giffuni, followed her dream to create an organization FOR PASTELS ONLY. Inthis 40th year, we are almost at the 1,000 member mark!

When I attended the IAPS Convention last June, I was able to meet and greetso many of the PSA members, and those who want to become PSA members, whohave never come to NY. This was a wonderful opportunity for me and others of our

board to speak with artists from across the United States and abroad.Our workshops and special classes have been and continue to be

very successful. Make sure you register early for any you wish toattend, because they all seem to fill up quickly! It is a special time tocome to NYC, to the historic and newly refurbished National ArtsClub, to learn and paint with your colleagues! The workshops arelisted on the back cover.

Two outstanding museum exhibitions will be part of our celebra-tion this year. For the first, PSA has been invited to have a juried,signature member exhibition at the Noyes Museum in Oceanville,NJ. The Museum will jury the exhibition which will take place May4 - September 2, 2012. The title and theme is ENDURING BRIL-LIANCE: The Pastel Society of America at 40. We will have demosand perhaps a paint-in (or out) at the Museum, which is on a verypretty lake. The Noyes Museum is very close to the Jersey Shore, andhas many summertime visitors, so it will be a great opportunity formany of our members to show their best works! The prospectus was

mailed in January to signature members directly from the Noyes Museum. In the late fall/early winter, 2012 - 2013, The Butler Institute of American Art

will present THE PASTEL SOCIETY AT FORTY: In Tribute to Flora Giffuni, anexhibition of forty pastels selected from our 40th Annual Juried show at theNational Arts Club.

The deadline for entries for the 40th Annual Juried Exhibition is Friday, July 6,2012. So you have months to create the most exceptional pastel painting of all time!This year we are entitling our Annual Exhibition, ENDURING BRILLIANCE: ThePastel Society of America at 40, sharing the title of the Noyes Museum show. Eventsare being planned to make this year really special!

It is always important for me to hear from our members of The PSA. So pleasee-mail me with any questions, comments or ideas. We pastel artists are all so fortu-nate to have this passion for painting — so I wish you much joyful inspiration in thisNew Year!!

Rae Smith, PSAPresident

Artists’ FeaturesA Message fromOur President

Celebrating Forty Years ofPromoting Excellence

From the EditorAs the new editor of Pastelagram, I am both excited and humbled to be asked to continue in the traditionof excellence established by all past editors. A portion of the success that this publication enjoys, in my opin-ion, has been forged by flexibility to change — evolving hand-in-hand with an ever-growing, flourishingsociety of outstanding artists. So, I have initiated a few changes and I hope you like them. I’ve added aRecollections page, so if you have a special memory or photos of earlier days at PSA, please contact me. Also,I have experimented with shortening in length each member’s feature in order to include more artists.Featured artists are mainly chosen from exhibitors in the annual juried exhibition. In this issue, I asked eachto respond to a set group of topic headers. I plan to vary the format from issue to issue. I thank each con-tributor for their outstanding work and carefully considered responses. If you wish to express your thoughtsor ideas, I warmly welcome your comments.

Robert K. Carsten, PSA, [email protected]

BY SIGMUND ABELES, PSA

At one of PSA’s open-ings, I had what struckme as a bright idea,just how much fun

and what a challenge it wouldbe to attempt to capture ourillustrious leader and uniqueindividual, Flora Giffuni, in aportrait sitting for us members.

It is downright special to getto know a founder of such a ter-rific institution and witness theirimmense devotion and effectivecommitment. Well, FloraGiffuni, visionary, founder andprime mover of the PastelSociety of America was itsGeorge Washington — and shewas able to successfully shapeand form her beloved PSA andmake each member who she hadpersonal contact with feelimportant, valued and welcomed.

A unique, always fashionablelady, she dressed daily as if shewas heading to a sitting for a famed portrait artist.Colorful clothes choices, always capped with a stunning,eye-catching hat, Flora could be counted on being seatedat the top of the stairs at the entry of the large gallery intowhich we hauled up our annual entry. There she alwayswas, Flora Giffuni, with her big smile and eager curiosity.“Let me see what you brought in this year,” she would say.Our leader had charisma and hands-on involvement; noother institution remotely was similarly led.

So I proposed we schedule a day to have Flora pose forus pastelists and wouldn’t it be the case, I was ill andunable to make my attempt at capturing her. That was oneof my big regrets and disappointments. Flora, you are verymuch missed!

RecollectionsTwo "Hall of Fame" Honorees Recall "Capturing" Flora, PSA's Beloved Founder

BY DUANE WAKEHAM, PSA

On a Sunday afternoonin December 1995, Ihad the opportunity topaint a portrait of

Flora Giffuni, PSA when sheconsented to pose for PSAMaster Pastelists in the Society'sstudio in the National Arts Clubin New York City. Until then,my only encounter with her wasreceiving congratulations and abrief handshake on the occasionof being named a MasterPastelist three months earlier.

When Mrs. Giffuni arrived forthe sitting, she was greeted by justtwo master pastelists - one ofwhom she didn't know- plusthree students who had beenworking in the studio and wereurged to stay on. The model,obviously, was not pleased, butshe had agreed to pose and shedid - for an hour - broken intothree twenty-minute segments.

For the painting session, I had placed my easel beside themodeling stand. When she finished posing, Mrs. Giffuniturned and asked to see my painting. After looking at it, sheinquired who I was and where I had learned to draw. Butwhat seemed to make the biggest impression was hearingthat I had made the trip from California to participate in thepainting session. That was the beginning of our friendship.

Eleven years later, on an afternoon in September 2006, Ihad the opportunity to participate in filming an interviewwith Flora to be shown when she was honored at theInternational Association of Pastel Societies convention thefollowing May. At one point in the interview I asked Florahow to say "tough cookie" in Italian. When she respondedthat she didn't know the words, I laughed and asked whethershe thought she was a tough cookie. She looked at me for afew seconds before replying, "I had to be." Through the yearsI came to realize that beyond her graciousness, generosity,passion, and loyalty, what I loved and most admired aboutFlora was that, when necessary, she could be a tough cookie.I think my portrait of her captures that aspect of her charac-ter, although it was not my intention to do so. All I wasattempting to do was to get a likeness as quickly as possible.

Portrait of Flora, Duane Wakeham, PSA, 19" x 15", 1995 (Gift

of the artist to PSA in honor of Flora B. Giffuni) RAY HASSARD

Figure

ISABELLE V. LIM

Still Life

GWENNETH BARTH-WHITE

Portraiture

JEN EVENHUS

Abstraction

JULENE BAKER-SMITH

Animals

4 P A S T E L A G R A M S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 5

PSA Celebrates With Two Major Exhibitions

“Hall of Fame” Honoree 2012exciting but recogniz-ably consistent. Thishas been the key todirections where to‘step out of the box’ forcreative purposes andpersonal reasons con-flicts with the practicalworld of galleries andbuyers. Ultimately, Ibelieve the gallery orbuyer will recognizeand embrace that aspect of the cre-ative artist.”

About PSA, Frank enthuses, “Imust say that PSA is the ‘Queen Mum’of all pastel societies, the epic center,the foundation of pastel in the U.S. I

As the Editorof PastelJournal,

Anne Hevener workswith artists andindustry leaders tocreate content thathelps pastel artistsdevelop ideas, buildskills, explore tech-niques and nurturetheir artistic passion.

Anne earned herB.A. at The Collegeof Wooster, whereshe majored in histo-ry while cultivating an ongoing inter-est in art with studies in drawing,painting and printmaking. She con-tinued her education at DukeUniversity, where she earned an M.A.in history, but then detoured from anacademic career to pursue a job inpublishing. Her skills and interestsdovetailed nicely when she landed aneditorial position on a start-up artmagazine for children. She’s been

Frank Federico, PSA “Hall ofFame” Honoree 2012, has beenworking in pastel for over five

decades. He is a PSA Master Pastelist,IAPS Master Circle Member, pastPresident and Signature Member ofConnecticut Pastel Society, and holdssignature membership in many otherprestigious societies. A renownedpainting instructor and demonstrator,he has taught workshops and classesthroughout the U.S. and in Europe.Federico’s paintings are widely collect-ed and have won numerous awards.

Of his creative ideal, Frank states,“Painting is first an energy, then atechnique. I am essentially a romanti-cist; wherever I go, I need to relate to,to respond emotionally to, and toromance my physical environment andits sensual atmosphere. In this regard,my approach to painting is sponta-neous and I don’t like to confinemyself to one particular style. RatherI like to consider myself as having anever-adaptable attitude in respondingto stimuli.”

For artistic advice, he says,“Although I am a maverick who lovesto explore options, in all fairness, Iwould recommend that a studentmaintain a certain continuity that is

Forty pastel paintings will be selected by the Butler Institute fromPSA's Fortieth Annual Open Juried Exhibition For Pastels Only.

The Butler Institute of American Art is both proud and honoredto host the Fortieth Anniversary exhibition of the Pastel Society ofAmerica. It is fitting that our country's first museum of American Artshould pay tribute to an organization of artists which has devoteditself to celebrating the medium of pastel. While American artists didnot invent the medium, I believe that pastel art truly excels here inthe United States. Themost innovative practi-tioners of the mediumare in fact members ofthe PSA . We owe sovery much to the visionof Flora Giffuni who rec-ognized that a pastel soci-ety would help to insurethat this magical medi-um, so respected by American artists, would forever be elevated. TheButler will, of course, always be linked to the Pastel Society ofAmerica. Flora Giffuni recognized that the organization which shefounded and the gallery which she inspired would collaborate onexhibitions such as this. She correctly realized that the medium whichshe loved would be in very good hands.

Dr. Louis A. Zona Executive Director and Chief Curator Butler Institute of American Art

Open to all Signature Members. Forty pastels will be chosen bythe curators of the Noyes Museum.

The Noyes Museum of Art of The Richard Stockton College ofNew Jersey is pleased to host Enduring Brilliance: The Pastel Societyof America at 40. The excellence of the work of your pastelists is testament to the outstanding talent of your membership. We areproud to assist in celebrating this landmark year.

As the sole fine art museum in the region, the Noyes Museummaintains our founder’s dedication to preserving, highlighting, inter-preting and celebrating the arts. The museum’s 10,000 square feet ofexpansive exhibition space and serene outdoor sculpture gardens pro-vide inspiration with every visit. In addition, educational workshops,lectures and programs for all ages provide opportunities to learn moredeeply about the arts. The bucolic surroundings of the adjacent EdwinB. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and tranquil Lily Lake set thescene for guests to appreciate the museum’s exhibitions and collec-tions.

We are delighted to collaborate with the Pastel Society ofAmerica, bringing their work to the attention and appreciation of ourviewers throughout the entire region.

We extend our warmest congratulations to the Pastel Society ofAmerica on its 40th Anniversary and look forward to hosting thisexciting exhibition.

Dorrie PapademetriouDirector of ExhibitionsThe Noyes Museum of ArtOf the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

ENDURING BRILLIANCE: The Pastel Society of America at 40The Noyes Museum of Art, Oceanville, NJMay 4 - September 2, 2012

THE PASTEL SOCIETY OF AMERICA AT FORTY:In Tribute to Flora Giffuni The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OHLate fall/early winter, 2012 - 2013

n To set standards of excellence and to encourage the useof pastel

n To unite outstanding pastelists through membership inthe society

n To establish pastel as a separate category in major artexhibitions

n To focus attention on the renaissance of pastel and toeducate the public regarding the permanence and beautyof the medium

n To offer workshops, critiques, classes, demonstrations andscholarships as part of our educational program

n To offer a vehicle of communication for the exchange ofnews and ideas through our Web site and our publica-tions, Pastelagram and PSA Update

n To hold members’ shows at prominent galleries andmuseums

n To culminate the year’s activities with a national annualjuried exhibition, open to members and non-members

n To honor, yearly, a pastelist of exceptional accomplish-ment, with election to the Pastel Society of America“Hall of Fame”

n To select, yearly, a “Friend of Pastel” whose activitieshave generated public awareness of the medium

T H E A I M S O F T H E P A S T E L S O C I E T Y O F A M E R I C A

may be prejudiced in say-ing this, but I do believeit. There are some won-derful societies in theU.S. and Canada, but, tome, PSA is the base of itall. To belong to PSA isto take another step topastel heaven!”

Frank lives in Goshen,Connecticut with hiswife, Cheryl, and their

Scottish Terrier, Mackenzie.

working in the pub-lishing field for 20years now, contribut-ing to a variety ofbooks and magazinesfor fine artists andcreative enthusiasts ofall kinds.

She became theEditor of Pastel Journalin 2006, developingthe vision and contentof the magazine andwebsite, as well asinterviewing and writ-ing about dozens of

today’s top pastel artists. IAPS has rec-ognized her contributions at the maga-zine with a “Golden Mentor” award in2007 and a “Urania” award in 2009.

Anne lives with her husband,Keith, and her two daughters,Caroline and Eliza, in Cincinnati,Ohio, where she participates as ajuror for regional art shows and as acommittee member for a local artsorganization.

“Friend of Pastel” Honoree 2012

“Painting is

first an energy,

then a technique.

I am essentially a

romanticist . . .”

F R A N K F E D E R I C O , P S A

A N N E H E V E N E R

Frank Federico will be presenting a pastel demonstration in the GrandGallery of the National Arts Club

on Saturday, September 29 at 1-3PM.


as representational as it did. I was nottrying to consciously control the out-come, I was just so happy to be paint-ing. That being said, what I saw in myartwork were the graphic influences ofmy college design training, my child-hood hero N.C. Wyeth and theBrandywine School artists, the TaosArt Colony artists, and the great illus-trators of the 70’s.

I strive to capture a finite momentin time with so much having to dowith the lighting. My best pieces arethe ones where I am successful indescribing a lot of information with asfew strokes of pastel as possible. Myrecent favorite is Kaleidoscope. I havefound autumn a tough season to paint

l Comments on PSA and Pastel:Achieving PSA signature member-

ship was the holy grail. The boost itgives to your confidence as a pastelartist is undeniable and invaluable,giving you instant credibility in theartistic community. Those three ini-tials after your name feel like the artis-tic equivalent of a Ph.D. Pastel is mymedium of choice because of its tactilenature. It is very elemental with notool between the pastel and my art, itis like playing with earth. I am work-ing on two different surfaces that I likeat the moment: UART and Pastelmat.My favorite pastels are Terry Ludwig,Diane Townsend, Roche, Unison andGirault.

l Inspiration:I was born needing to create art,

both my parents are creative, myfather still paints daily at age 90. If Iwere denied the ability to create itwould be very hard to crawl out of bedin the morning. My muse is light, Iam fascinated with all different typesof lighting conditions, it just stops mein my tracks. I think this is why I amso drawn to the sky. Oh, how I havealways loved looking at the sky! It putsme in my place and gives me perspec-tive on life — observing the sky isvery humbling. I love its beauty. Ihave often thought that artists exist tointerpret our world so that non-artistscan see it - that it is through the eyesof the artist that the beauty of theworld is revealed.

l Artist Statement:When I paint I do not consciously

attempt to paint in a specific style ortechnique. I am an intuitive painterletting the image direct me. When Istarted painting full time in 1996 I wassurprised to find my work turned out

because the colors can appear too gar-ish. But I have been doing more workwith my underpainting which allowsme to use glaze-like strokes of color ontop, which in this painting gives it therichness of fall without being over thetop. It’s all about what is underneath. Ilove a painting, mine or anotherartist’s, which reveals some of theunderlying structural layers, a windowinto the artist's soul.

l Artist's News:I am currently working on my first

book, a lifelong dream, which will beout Spring 2013. It is for North LightBooks and is about painting skies andwater in pastel – it’s quite an under-taking to do all the art and writingbut I have studied book writing/illus-trating and I am enjoying everyaspect of the process. I love a gooddeadline! l

Kaleidoscope by Liz Haywood-Sullivan, pastel, 16" x 40"

Standing Ovation by Liz Haywood-Sullivan, pastel, 36" x 24"

Boulder Creek by Liz Haywood-Sullivan, pastel, 20" x 20"

The Herring Run by Liz Haywood-Sullivan,

pastel, 21" x 19 5/8"

Serenity by Liz Haywood-Sullivan, pastel,

27 1/2" x 19 5/8"

LIZ HAYWOOD-SULLIVAN, PSAArtist’s Feature:LANDSCAPE

A graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology,Liz has worked as an industrial designer, exhibitdesigner, and professional illustrator prior tospending eleven years operating Haywood +Sullivan, a full service graphic design businesswith her husband. Since 1996 she has workedexclusively as a professional pastel artist, arteducator, and community arts advocate. Heraward-winning pastel paintings have been seenin numerous local, national, and museum shows,and are included in private and corporate collec-tions worldwide. In 2011, Vose Galleries ofBoston, MA presented a solo show of Liz's workentitled, "Full Spectrum/New Works by LizHaywood-Sullivan." Visit Liz's Web site:www.lizhaywoodsullivan.com

Massachusetts, USA

“My muse is light . . .”


example, painting in India, I was oftentold “there is nothing of interest in thisstreet” by the locals. It gave me greatpleasure to show them that there was agreat deal of interest in their everydayworld, and to see non-Indians respondin much the same way. I am alwaysdrawn to people engaged in some kindof activity — even if it is just waiting at

the airport. And I love thestrange or unusual light condi-tions and surface textures ofplaces such as amusementparks or shopping malls —people surrounded by neonlights and shiny floors are allit takes to get my heartthumping!

l Artist Statement:I truly believe that any-

thing can make a great paint-ing. Over the years I havegone from an extremely

l Comments on PSA and Pastel:It took a couple of tries, but it was

a very happy day for me when I gotthe notice that I had made Signaturestatus in the country’s most importantpastel society. I was so excited that Iwrote it up in my (sometimes) month-ly newsletter and immediately gotemails of congratulations from a hugenumber of people!

Pastels are the most direct of medi-ums — no solvents, wet paint, brushesto come between me and the painting— and having the colors all ready-made and laid out before me leads toquick experimental touches and sug-gests color choices I would have over-looked. With pastels being easilychanged and endlessly manipulated onmost commercially available surfaces,creativity is enhanced and freedom toplay is given to the artist. I love GreatAmerican Artworks pastels, especiallythe blues and browns, and TerryLudwig’s super darks are great.Ampersand panels are favorites to workon, and I’ve recently found that I likeLa Carte pastel card for figure work.

l Inspiration:I have always been interested in pro-

ducing realistic depictions of things thatinterest me — I want to say to people,“Look at this! Isn’t this amazing?” For

tight, photorealistic approach to alooser, impressionistic way of paint-ing, thanks largely to plein air work.Though I am still constantly temptedby the details which are such fun topaint, I have learned that big shapesand values make the painting work.As a painter friend of mine says,“Only paint the details that are nec-essary.” Easier said than done, butworth striving for. �My best work is

marked by secure drawing, realisticdepiction of place, and usually anunusual perspective on the subject. Istrive to bring out the drama in thesituation, though I don’t want to “tella story” in my paintings. In The Slidethe strange, vibrant colors and surreallighting of a carnival at dusk, arestriking in their own right. Before theDinner Rush portrays a more subduedmood, with the composition and

The Slide by Ray Hassard, pastel, 18" x 24"

Before the Dinner Rush by Ray Hassard, pastel, 14" x 11"

In Light of India by Ray Hassard, pastel, 16" x 20"

In the Night Market by Ray Hassard, pastel,14" x 18"

The Boatmen’s Boys by Ray Hassard, pastel, 16" x 20"

Raised in the New York area, Ray attendedSaturday classes at the Museum of Modern Artand later studied at Pratt Institute while takingthe opportunity to spend a great deal of time inNew York's extraordinary museums and gal-leries. Besides art, Ray's interests include contradancing, roller coasters, and travel. He has visit-ed over 75 countries, with India being hisfavorite. Three painting trips there with friendand fellow artist Debra Joyce Dawson led to atwo-person show of their paintings of India andBhutan at the Richmond Art Museum in 2010.An award-winning artist, Ray exhibits widely andteaches workshops nationally. His work was fea-tured in Pastel Journal in October, 2009. Visithis Web site: rayhassard.com

RAY HASSARD, PSAArtist’s Feature:FIGURE

Ohio, USA

strong contrasts offering a quietdrama. Complementary colors are fre-quently the basis of the color scheme,as they are in both those paintings.

l Artist’s News:I have been asked to contribute two

chapters to Maggie Price’s new book,due out at the end of 2012 from NorthLight Publications.Two plein air paint-ing trips are planned for 2012, to theUtah/Arizona area and to France.� l

“I have learned

that big shapes

and values make

the painting

work.”


a rich volume when developing pas-tels in layers. I work one area at atime, blending with my fingers forsubjects like ceramic bowls whichhave a translucent and polished feel.Other-wise, pastel pencils are used asa blending tool and for adding details.The bright colors seen in my paint-ings are in fact, painted with the lim-ited palette of only 12-15 pastels perpainting.

Both Hong Kong Residents andSunny Side Up series are common sub-jects that somehow are overlooked bythe local people. These are the thingsthat I could dig very deep into — por-

l Comments on PSA and Pastel:Being a member of PSA gives me con-fidence. Pastel gives a quality of spon-taneity in all subjects and styles and isperfect for an artist like me who likesboth drawing and painting with strongcolors. I enjoy using UArt 400 grit andWallis paper and different pastelbrands, Faber-Castell Polychromos,Rembrandt, Girault, Mount Vision,Sennelier, and blending with Derwentor Pitt Pencils.

l Inspiration:There are many compelling sub-

jects that inspire me such as the move-ment of fish in plastic bags, the gleamson Chinese ceramic bowls or the deli-cacy of embroidered shoes. To me, allof these things represent the sub-tropi-cal atmosphere of Hong Kong — itsbusy lifestyle, the claustrophobic,small, living space, and the spirit ofHong Kong people, who are alwaysready for all types of challenges.

A subject which I find particularlyinteresting is fish in plastic bags. Imade frequent trips to the aquariummarket to observe the movement ofthese decorative fish which are dis-played in small plastic bags. The col-orful fish are very lively althoughthey could not move very much intheir tight space. It was a challengeto paint the distortion and movementof those fish with lights dropping onthe puffy transparent bags. It is greatfun to exaggerate their facial expres-sion.

l Artist Statement:Pastel allows for both drawing and

a dynamic painting in one go. Mypaintings are detailed and pastel givesme a tremendous freedom to add ordelete spontaneously. The underpaint-ing, using complementary colors, gives

traying Hong Kong and the charms ofsouthern Chinese culture, invitingthem to be a part of my colorful, artis-tic journey. At the same time, thesesubjects challenge and sharpen myabilities in the medium of pastel.

l Artist's News:Recently, I received the PSA

Award of Merit at the 17th exhibi-tion of the Degas Pastel Society. Mywork is included in the followingpublications: Les Maitres du Pastel; ArtCharity Magazine; Singapore Pastel Art;Best of Worldwide Artists/Charcoal,Pastel and Pencils. l

Sunny Side Up #6 (Diptych) by Isabelle V. Lim, pastel, 10" x 24.5"

Hong Kong Residents #18 by Isabelle V. Lim,

pastel, 17.5" x 11"

Hong Kong Residents #10 by Isabelle V. Lim, pastel, 12" x 18"

Sunny Side Up #5 by Isabelle V. Lim, pastel, 17" x 22"

Sunny Side Up #2 by Isabelle V. Lim,

pastel, 12" x 17"

ISABELLE V. LIM, PSAArtist’s Feature:STILL LIFE

Although receiving an education through theOpen College of Art, a fine art correspondenceinstitution based in the United Kingdom, Isabelleregards herself as a self-taught artist. Working inboth pastel and watercolor, her subjects aremainly the objects and people of Asian art andculture. Color plays a major role in her art.Isabelle received two residency fellowships at theVermont Studio Center, USA. Her work has gar-nered numerous awards and has been shown inSoutheast Asia, Europe, and the United States.Visit her Web site: www.isabelleart.com

Hong Kong (formerly from Singapore)

“. . . these subjects

challenge and

sharpen my abilities

in the medium of

pastel.”


thing that only their solitary intuitiontells them exists.

l Artist Statement:I find a need to penetrate the inner

world of my subjects — what they’reliving at that time. In After Supperwhat’s the story? Though together as afamily, each person is living somethingdifferent, is in a different place. I’m fas-cinated by these tangent dimensionsand by the beautiful intimacy of people.

l Artist's News:Coming up is my show at Hughes

Gallery, Boca Grande, Florida, start-ing on March 9th. My greatest disap-pointment has been the cancellationof the Société des Pastellistes deFrance’s International PastelConference this coming May in Paris,due to the ceiling of the new audito-rium partially collapsing. l

l Comments on PSA and Pastel:The PSA has a standard of excel-

lence that is inspiring for all of itsartists. I love the directness and thetactile feel of pastel.

I’m loving Wallis museum-gradepaper, Unison, and Girault pastels.

l Inspiration:I’ll be drawn instinctively towards a

certain person in a certain light situa-tion...the mystery of human existence isat the root of my fascination: itsephemeral and paradoxically eternalquality. Art targets the multiple andtranslucent layers of perception —what is it that we see?

I love painting, I think about it allthe time! In the daytime, it’s a riddle,an intriguing mystery that needs to besolved — but how? At night, I’ll dreamthat I’ve discovered some wonderfulfabulous thing — like discovering atreasure of diamonds — that willchange my perception about painting.My dreams are multi-colored, multi-dimensional, fabulously detailed andvisually gorgeous — if only I couldpaint them! Someday I’ll capture that.Artists are addicted to finding some-

After Supper by Gwenneth Barth-White, pastel, 21" x 33"

Tea and Geraniums by Gwenneth Barth-White, pastel, 22" x 22"

Refugee by Gwenneth Barth-White,

pastel, 29 x 32

Rousse by Gwenneth Barth-White,

pastel, 20" x 20"

Bastien by Gwenneth Barth-White, pastel, 25" x 17"

GWENNETH BARTH-WHITE, PSAArtist’s Feature:PORTRAITURE

An American-born, Swiss international artist,Gwenneth's fascination with traditional paintinghas led her to an in-depth study of the tech-niques and methods used by the old masters.Living in the area of Geneva, Switzerland mostof her life, after advanced music studies, sheattended the Ecole des Beaux Arts and graduatedfrom the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs . Gwenneth isa Maitre Pastelliste and Vice-President of theSociété des Pastellistes de France. Her work hasbeen exhibited internationally and she was anaward winner at the ASOPA portrait festival inNew York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.Recently, Gwenneth moved to Florida, returningoccasionally to France to teach workshops. Visither Web site: www.gwennethbarth.com

Florida, USA (formerly from Geneva, Switzerland)

“Art targets the multiple

and translucent layers of

perception . . .”


l Inspiration:I love to create something from

nothing. I love the tactile feel of scum-bling a stick of pastel over two or threeother colors, creating scintillatingeffects. Painting is sometimes magic.That’s why I go back for more, becausewhen that happens, there’s simplynothing else like it!

“Scapes” are my favorite subjectmatter – earthscapes, landscapes,rockscapes… they are full of abstractinspiration. An example of what I callan “earthscape” — a small area of earthor water — is Lavender Wind Pond, asmall pastel that I used as reference fora larger oil on canvas. I believe thatthe most important element in a paint-ing is composition, and that is what I

l Comments onPSA and Pastel:Having the AnnualPSA Juried Exhibitto look forward toeach year gives me agoal to paint andenter my best paint-ing. Knowing mywork will competewith the best artistsin the country forcesme to be brutallyhonest and criticalof my own work,and that in turnpushes me to contin-ually improve,experiment andgrow as an artist.What I love aboutpastels is that I canleave them for anhour or a month and come back tothem being as vibrant as when I left.My favorite surface is Wallis Museumgrade sanded paper and my favoritepastels are Schminke, Unison,Sennelier, Rembrandt, and Nupastels.

look for first as I explore a soggy bit ofground with twigs and smooth pebbles,or a rock cliff veiled in fog, or ponderthe landscape stretched out below me,“painted” in mustard fields and pine trees.

l Artist Statement:I am not interested in painting

pretty pictures. The process, or “jour-ney” of painting is what turns me on.It is there where I am truly myself andfeel at home. The exploration, risks,decisions, failures, and the triumphsare what entice me. When I paint I

Sunset on a Country Road by Jen Evenhus, pastel, 12" x 9"

Tumwater Aspen by Jen Evenhus, pastel, 8" x 8"

Bluebirds Over Mustard Field by Jen Evenhus, pastel, 12" x 9"

Lavender Wind Pond by Jen Evenhus, pastel, 12" x 9"

Flashback by Jen Evenhus, pastel, 6" x 6"

“I am not interested

in painting pretty pictures.

The process, or ‘journey’

of painting is what

turns me on.”

JEN EVENHUS, PSAArtist’s Feature:ABSTRACTION

Award-winning artist Jen Evenhus' work in bothpastels and oils is often very abstract, a methodof painting to which she draws similarities toJapanese Haiku poetry. Naturally drawn to pat-terns, shapes, and movement in nature, shestrives to reveal the essence of her subject withsimplification and exaggeration. Fascinated withpainterly effects, Jen regards "accidents" alongthe way as unforeseen treasures that give apainting character and depth. Jen’s work isexhibited nationally and has appeared in publica-tions including Pastel Journal, and PastelHighlights by American Artist Magazine. Visit herWeb site: www.evenhusfineart.com

Washington, USA

can leave the “real world” behind. Theemotion, memories, and questions thatan abstract painting evokes in theviewer is my motivation. I first askmyself what has attracted me to thisidea. Once I know the answer, I beginwith a charcoal block-in, then startlayering pastels, reminding myself:Keep it loose. Don’t overwork. Leaverandom marks and colors so the view-er might follow my exploration andjourney.

The qualities that characterize mybest work are dynamic compositions,

bold use of color, and confident appli-cation of pastel. Tumwater Aspen is agood example of strong color appliedwith confident brushstrokes — thatexcites me! The confidence comesfrom years of painting and not beingafraid of laying down a stroke andleaving it.

l Artist’s News:I am working on a series of pastel

abstract pieces using plein air referencematerial and then enlarging those intolarge format oil paintings. l


portrait. It’s wonderful! I take so muchcare trying to capture the essence of thespirit of the animal, and fortunately,have been for the most part, successfulin doing that. It was a different subjectthough — my large format florals —that got me PSA signature status andmost of my awards and publications.But I absolutely love doing animals aswell because you can get such greatdetail in the look of hair and fur withpastels. People have told me they feellike they want to “pet” the portraitbecause the fur looks so soft!

l Artist Statement:With pastels I try to work from the

heart, to capture the subject at handin a spiritual way, mainly throughlighting and tonal values. My style isrealistic, but I do tend to push color tothe max. I use my fingers to get that

l Comments on PSA and Pastel:To me getting the PSA designation

has given my artwork more credibility,especially within the pastel communi-ty, as most of us know it’s not easy get-ting signature status. I love how flexi-ble pastel is, how easy it is to just washmy hands when I’m done, not havingto wash out brushes, palettes or mixingdishes. Also, I can’t get the depth ofcolor, luminosity of color, and detail inother mediums. I use Wallis profes-sional grade paper exclusively. Myfavorite pastels are my “work horses”:Nupastel, followed quickly by Unison,Schmincke, Terry Ludwig and recent-ly, Great American Artworks.

l Inspiration:Nothing is more joyful to me than

making a painting that gives othersenjoyment. This is especially true ofmy animal portraits which involvedoing a lot of deceased pets. I haveseen tears in the eyes of the “pet par-ents” when they see their fur baby’s

The Boss by Julene Baker-Smith, pastel, 20" x 16"

Bunny Love by Julene Baker-Smith, pastel, 8" x 10"

Gretchen Marie by Julene Baker-Smith, pastel, 8" x 10"

Jaymie by Julene Baker-Smith,

pastel 10" x 8"

Gracie by Julene Baker-Smith, pastel, 8" x 10"

JULENE BAKER-SMITH, PSAArtist’s Feature:ANIMALS

An award-winning artist, Julene is adept in paint-ing a wide range of subject matter from close-upflorals to portraits, pet portraits, equine art andstill lifes. Her pastels have appeared in, amongothers, The Artist’s Magazine, Pastel Journal,Horticulture Magazine, the 2009 State ofArkansas Engagement Calendar, and in theFrench publication Les Maîtres du Pastel. Julene’sartwork is in numerous corporate and private collections. Visit Julene’s Web site:julenebaker.artspan.com

Arkansas, USA

smooth look that characterizes mywork. I also tend to use dark back-grounds in my art to make the subject“pop.” Most people say they can rec-ognize my work, because of my style ofthe blended color, subject matter, andlighting.

l Artist’s News:I was recently included in the

French book, Les Maîtres du Pastel,published in the fall of 2011. Mywork seems to be getting moreabstract every year. I’m excited aboutmy future in pastel. l

“Nothing is more

joyful to me than

making a painting

that gives others

enjoyment.”


My pastel work over the last thirty-five years has beendevoted to the landscape. A recurring theme through-out the majority of it is “Journey.” This is often com-

positionally indicated with the use of a stream, roadway, orravine that meanders back to an area-of-interest in the middledistance. Finally, a note of mystery is portrayed with negativespace indications of light peeking through obstructions. TheJourney was began on location just south of Santa Barbara,California at Carpinteria Bluffs and finished back in my studio.I was introduced to this location by a dear artist friend and leg-endary pastelist, Glenna Hartmann. Sadly, the art world lostGlenna in 2008 but I frequently visit this location to paint andher spirit survives in every magical moment it has to offer.– Richard McKinley, PSA, “Hall of Fame” Honoree 2010

Brushing aside curtains, we enter animaginary alcove. A pillow isperched on the edge of the bed,

illuminated by a solitary beam of light,which beckons us to linger in this pri-vate chamber of dreams. – Sally Strand, PSA, “Hall of Fame” Honoree 2007

The “Tornado Brass Band” performs regu-larly at Preservation Hall, New Orleans’most famous venue for traditional jazz.

The hall is actually a small, dimly lit roomwith peeling plaster walls, a simple woodenstage and benches for seating. In a setting justoff Bourbon Street in the French Quarter,Preservation Hall is almost always overcrowd-ed, but when the bands start playing authenticjazz, the place exudes the evocative atmosphereof old New Orleans. I try to evoke that samespirit in my paintings of the city. – Alan Flattmann, PSA, “Hall of Fame” Honoree 2006

My cars (especially Cadillacs) arealways stand-in metaphors forhumans or human emotions.

Painted in soft pastel on a long woodenpanel “Oklahoma Cadillac” is all about“escape” and the human need for freedom. Ichose the open prairie, a clear blue sky, theslick two-tone glamour of a 1955 Coupe deVille as a combined image, symbolic, notonly of physical escape, but of spiritual free-dom as well. – Bill Creevy, PSA, "Hall of Fame" Honoree 2011

Building a Legacy:T H E C R E A T I O N O F T H E L E G A C Y C O L L E C T I O N

The Butler’s Legacy Collection of choice works in themedium of pastel is a most wonderful compliment tothe Butler’s Flora Giffuni Gallery which exists to pro-

vide a strict focus on this most amazing of media. The LegacyCollection will enable viewers to see the medium of pastel atits very best since the artists included are among the most cel-ebrated pastelists in the nation. It is also appropriate that theGiffuni Gallery and the Legacy Collection are located at theButler Institute of American Art, our country’s pioneer muse-um of art dedicated exclusively to American art and artists.The history of American art and the history of American pas-tel art are one and the same. This premier collection will holdits own with the classic paintings and sculptures contained in

the Butler collection; and will serve as a source of educationalenrichment and aesthetic enjoyment for generations to come.

– Dr. Louis A. Zona, Executive Director and Chief CuratorThe Butler Institute of American Art

When fellow PSA Board members approved my proposalto establish a premier collection of pastel art to honorour late founder, Flora Giffuni, a period of extensive

research concluded and an exciting project began. PSA is gratefuland honored to have the Butler as the museum to curate andexhibit this collection of exceptional pastels, donated by “Hall ofFame” artists, as part of its prestigious, permanent collection.

– Robert K. Carsten, PSA, Legacy Collection Coordinator

The Journey Richard McKinley, PSA, pastel, 11.75" x 15.25"

(Legacy Collection, Butler Institute of American Art)

Oklahoma Cadillac by Bill Creevy, PSA, pastel, 10" x 22"

(Legacy Collection, Butler Institute of American Art)Tornado Brass Band by Alan Flattmann, PSA, pastel, 24" x 30"

(Legacy Collection, Butler Institute of American Art)

Bedside, AM by Sally Strand, PSA, pastel, 18" x 27" (Legacy Collection, Butler

Institute of American Art)

Lingering Moon at Dawn by Elizabeth Mowry, PSA, pastel,

16.5" x 20.5" (Legacy Collection, Butler Institute of American Art)

Selected works from the Legacy Collection with artist’s commentary

Now that the focus of my painting has evolved as sim-ply natural landscape components (meaning little orno evidence of mankind), I have become fascinated

by visual moments in a given day or season that expose ran-dom, fleeting occurrences at the “edges” of ordinary condi-tions. A lingering moon, still visible in the early morning isone of those, and I felt compelled to make an effort to portraythat dissolving moment. – Elizabeth Mowry, PSA, “Hall of Fame” Honoree 2009

S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 2120 P A S T E L A G R A M

PASTELS GIRAULTGirault—since 1780

Tradition, Pride, Excellence!

310-640-8388www.pasteletc.com

NEW Set by Richard McKinley,2010 PSA Hall of Fame

AVOID MAIL DELAYSWhen addressing envelopes to PSA,

please do NOT use the abbreviation ofour name, but write out the full name,Pastel Society of America, so that yourmail does not get delivered to the wrong

office at The National Arts Club.Thank you.

MARGARET EVANS

PASTEL WORKSHOPS USA

10-11 MARCH 2012

PSA WORKSHOP, NEW YORK

[email protected]

12-14 MARCH 2012

DEBARRY STUDIO, NEW [email protected]

21-25 MARCH 2012

PALM KEY, S. [email protected]

18-21 AUGUST 2012

HUDSON RIVER VALLEY [email protected]

23-26 AUGUST 2012

TERRY LUDWIG [email protected]

See www.shinafoot.co.uk for otherworkshop locations

[email protected]

“Sweater Girl,” Pastel by Flora B. Giffuni, PSA (1919-2009)

PASTEL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

For Your Reading Pleasure

A SAMPLE OF BACK

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IS AVAILABLE

ON OUR WEB SITE

www.pastelsocietyofamerica.orgGo to "Publications"

22 P A S T E L A G R A M

Visit our websitewww.pastelsocietyofamerica.org

We encourage our members to have

an e-mail address and access to the

Internet for important

communications from P.S.A.

Vol. 38, No. 1

EditorialEditor: Robert K. Carsten, PSA

AdvertisingChristina Debarry, PSA

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions ofall writers in this issue of the Pastelagram.

Pastelagram design and production Virginia Hamill, The Hamill Group, Inc.

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PastelagramPastel Society of America

Past PresidentsFlora B. Giffuni, PSASidney H. Hermel, PSAChristina Debarry, PSABarbara Fischman, PSA

u

JoAnn Wellner, Esq.Rae Smith, PSA

Dianne B. Bernhard, PSADuane Wakeham, PSA

Jimmy Wright, PSARichard McEvoy, PSASangita Phadke, PSA

Robert K. Carsten, PSAChristina Debarry, PSALeslie Lillien Levy, PSAMaceo Mitchell, PSAElissa Prystauk, PSABrenda Tribush, PSALee Mei Young, PSA

PSA OfficeCindy Harisch, Office Manager

Legal Advisor: Schwartz & Solomon, PCAccountant: Spitz & Greenstein, CPA

Honorary ChairPresident & ChairFirst Vice PresidentSecond Vice PresidentTreasurerRecording Sec’yCorresponding Sec’y

PASTEL SOCIETY OF AMERICA15 Gramercy Park South – 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10003

212-533-6931 • fax 212-533-8140email: [email protected]

www.pastelsocietyofamerica.orgA not-for-profit organization – 501 (c) (3)

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C A L L F O R E N T R I E S F O R 2 0 1 2 P S A A N N U A L E X H I B I T I N S E P T E M B E R

Enduring Brilliance: The Pastel Society of America at FortyLook for 2012 Prospectus in your mailbox or download entry form

on our Web site: www.pastelsocietyofamerica.org

Deadline for digital entries on CD: RECEIVED BY PSA OFFICE JULY 6

Pastel Society of America School at the National Arts ClubPASTEL WORKSHOPS 2012

uMar. 4 Elissa Prystauk, PSA Bring Life to Your Landscape

uMar. 10-11 Margaret Evans, PSAStudio Pastels with a Plein Air Mood

uMar. 18 Alain Picard, PSAThe Painterly Pastel

uMar. 23-25 Maggie Price, PSAPaint the Landscape in Pastel

uApr. 1 Christine Debarry, PSA Awaken the Artist in You!

uApr. 15 Eileen Serwer, PSALandscape Interpretations

uApr. 22 Robert Carsten, PSALuminous Sunsets & Sunrises

uApr. 29 Diana DeSantis, PSALandscape Painting in Pastel

uMay 6 Ellen Eagle, PSAPortrait Painting

uMay 20 Sangita Phadke, PSAPainting with a Limited Palette

uSept. 19-21 Richard McKinley, PSAExploring Landscape Possibilities with Underpainting Techniques

uOct. 6-7 Frederick Somers, PSA Discovering Your Own Journey

uOct. 14 Bill Creevy, PSA Pastel Alla Prima

uOct. 21 Rae Smith, PSABefore the Storm –Painting Atmosphere

uOct. 28 Christine Ivers, PSAExploring Light on Black!

uNov. 4 Janet A. Cook, PSANew York City Nocturnes

Maceo Mitchell, PSA, Director of Education

FALL 2012SPRING 2012

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