Congratulations to the Degas Pastel Society for being invited by the oldest pastel society in existence, the Pastel Society of France, to be the guest of honor at its International Pastel Festival this summer. Held in Feytiat, France (July 5 through September 7), the festival attracts more than 20,000 people.

Ten Degas Pastel Society members in the New Orleans area—including Alan Flattmann, Marcia Holmes, Darlene Johnson and Ed Dyer—were asked to submit two pastel paintings each for the exhibition. As the program says, “The Societe des Pastellistes de France pays homage to these American artists of Louisiana, who still preciously preserve the French district of New Orleans and who chose Degas as their emblem.”

Our thanks to Flattmann for sharing the good news. Have any announcements of your own? Let us know by e-mailing pjedit@fwpubs.com and you could see the news here.