September is just around the corner, and that means it's countdown time for the 36th Annual "Pastels Only" Exhibition of the Pastel Society of America (PSA). This year's show, which includes 192 pastel paintings by top pastel artists from the U.S. and abroad, will be on view Friday, September 5 through Saturday, September 20th in the main gallery of the historic National Arts Club in Manhattan.

Along with the exhibition and awards ceremony, the opening weekend will feature special events, including a portrait demonstration with artist Wende Caporale (at left) who'll be working live from a model. The demo will take place on Sunday, September 7, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in the main gallery of The National Arts Club, located at 15 Gramercy Park South (E. 20th St. between Park and 3rd Avenues). Admission for the event is $10.

Caporale, a top prize winner in the 8th Annual Pastel 100, was featured in the April 2007 issue of The Pastel Journal. She is the author of the book, Painting Children's Portraits in Pastel, which was published in 2001. Her work has been shown in museums and national exhibitions, and has received numerous awards and honors, including Signature Membership in the PSA (see an example of her beautiful portraiture at left).

If you can't make it to the PSA exhibition in New York, stay tuned to our blog for a full report, following the Awards Ceremony, September 14.