Our good friend and recent contributor (see the February 2008 issue) Jimmy Wright has written with some exciting Pastel Society of America (PSA) news. We'll let him take it from here:

"I thought a timely Blog entry would be the announcement of the recipients of Pastel Society of America's highest honors Hall of Fame Honoree & Friends of Pastel Award for 2008: The big news is that Doug Dawson has been named Hall of Fame Honoree for 2008.  A selection of works by the PSA Signature member and Master Pastelist will be on view during the 36th Annual Exhibition. A renowned teacher, Dawson has participated in more than 20 museum exhibitions.
 
"Well-known advocates of pastel and founders of The Pastel Journal, Maggie Price and Janie Hutchinson, will receive the Society’s Friends of Pastel Award. Maggie Price will be teaching a workshop during the exhibition.

"The prospectus for the PSA 36th Annual "Pastels Only" Exhibition is hot off the press and will soon be in the mail to hundreds of artists. It will also be available for download on the PSA web site. All the details for entering the show are detailed in the prospectus. The 2008 exhibition will open September 5, 2008, in the historic Bernhard Gallery of the National Arts Club in New York City."

Much thanks to Wright for the skinny. As it happens, I'm currently editing a feature Dawson has written for the August issue of the magazine. Look for it on newsstands July 15, 2008.