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 Friday, June 29, 2007
In Memoriam: Richard Cletus Pionk
Posted by jessica
Acclaimed pastel artist Richard Cletus Pionk, 71, died of cancer June 5 in New York City. Among Pionk’s more than 100 awards were a master pastelist  designation from the Pastel Society of America and induction into the society’s Pastel Hall of Fame. The artist also taught at the Art Students League and at the Pastel School at the National Arts Club, and was serving as president of the esteemed Salmagundi Club at the time of his death. “All I ever wanted to do was be an artist,” Pionk said in an interview with Elizabeth Wilson in the February 2004 issue of The Pastel Journal. Pionk, who served as a still life juror in the 2005 Pastel 100 competition, was drawn to the classical style of the 18th- and 19th-century French still life painters. His work is admired by so many in this community, and The Pastel Journal offers our sincere sympathy to his family and loved ones. Donations for the Richard C. Pionk Memorial Fund at the Salmagundi Club can be sent to 47 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003. A formal memorial service is being planned there for September. Click here for the Salmagundi Club press release; click here for The New York Times obituary.
Overheard
6/29/2007 10:10:36 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Unasked Frequently Asked Blog Questions
Posted by Sarah
While it's true that our editorial inbox hasn't exactly been flooded with technical questions regarding our blog--which is probably a good sign, right?--we do receive a question or two from time to time. In answer to those questions and in expectation of future questions that might eventually cross your minds someday, we've compiled a list of answers to (mainly) unasked frequently asked questions. UFAQ's
Q: How do I arrange to receive notice when something new has been posted to the blog?A: Good question! You'll find a handy little box in the top left corner of the blog for free e-mail updates. Simply enter your e-mail address and click GO. You can also subscribe to receive blog updates on your web-based newsreader. To do so, click on the orange RSS feed icon (at the left). Q: What's the difference between subscribing to the RSS feed/e-mail updates and subscribing to The Pastel Journal newsletter?
A: Interesting thought. The RSS feed/e-mail updates only bring you updates from the blog as new items are posted. The newsletter is a special bi-weekly message we've created especially for pastel artists. You can subscribe to the newsletter by entering your e-mail address in the top left corner of our website. Q: Do I have to enter my e-mail address when I comment on the blog?A: Brilliant! While you may enter your e-mail address in our comment portal (it will be loaded with an anti-spamming device when it appears on the blog) you need not necessarily do so. The choice is yours. Q: I know I saw a post about [fill in intriguing item here] on the blog, but now I can't find it. What do I do?!?A: First, calm down. Don't panic. All of our previous posts are available in our blog archives. Scroll through them by clicking on the yellow boxes on the calendar (to the left) or search for particular items using our search window (also to the left). Q: I have a question about my subscription to the magazine. Can I ask you about it here?A: Hmm. Fortunately, The Pastel Journal is supported by a fine subscription services staff. They're the experts on issues like these. Reach them by calling 877/860-9141, or by visiting our website or write us at pjedit@fwpubs.com and we'll ferry your concern to them. Q: Will any of my favorite artists from the magazine be blogging soon?
A: The rumors are already flying, eh? The answer is YES. We're pinning down plans to incorporate companion blogs very soon. Stay tuned for more news as it happens. To submit a FAQ to the list, comment to this post or e-mail us at pjedit@fwpubs.com
Tips and Techniques
6/27/2007 2:40:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 25, 2007
An Addition to the Family
Posted by anne
 I'm pleased to share some exciting news! The vibrant, bustling online community WetCanvas! is now part of our F+W Publications family—the parent company of The Pastel Journal, as well as The Artist's Magazine, Watercolor Magic, North Light Books and the North Light Book Club. If you aren't familiar with the site, go for a visit, but be warned: It can feel a bit like dropping into the middle of New York City at first, so maybe start your tour in the pastel neighborhood. To post replies and get active, you'll need to become a member, which is simple and free! If you're already a member of WetCanvas!, view our publisher's welcome and take the attached survey so you can tell us what you like about WetCanvas!, and what you think are opportunities for enhancement.
Overheard
6/25/2007 5:07:44 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, June 21, 2007
Millions for Monets
Posted by jessica
Overheard
6/21/2007 10:06:17 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Legalese
Posted by Sarah
We receive a fair amount of e-mails and letters and phone calls and faxes and messages conveyed by smoke signal at The Pastel Journal from artists in search of information. We look for patterns and trends in the questions as a way of determining what's in the air. It's a bit like forcasting the weather--part instinct and part science. Lately, many of you have been asking legal questions. And while we may not be able to tell you how much to ask for your collection of paintings in your divorce settlement, we can draw upon our considerable resources at the magazine to answer questions like these: Do artists need to have permission to paint the people they photograph in public places? The short answer is yes. And be sure to get permission in writing to prevent argument later. Why? As it happens, our sister publication The Artist's Magazine tackled this question fairly recently. Here's their take on the matter: As a general rule, if a person is recognizable in one of your
works of art, you should first obtain that person's consent to use his or
her image. Every individual has a right of publicity that protects against
the commercial use of his or her name, likeness or personal attributes. This
right of publicity is determined by state law.
What legal questions are you struggling with as an artist?
Tips and Techniques
6/20/2007 12:46:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 18, 2007
TV Worth Watching
Posted by anne
 This is a good day to plan an evening "in." So get yourself a cold drink and a bowl of popcorn, and tune in to your local PBS station for the first installment in a series called " The Power of Art." Hosted by Simon Schama, professor of history and art history at Columbia University, the series will look at "8 artists, 8 stories, 8 masterpieces"—exploring in each episode how one artist and one work changed the way we look at art. In tonight's episode, Schama explores the meaning and technique of Vincent van Gogh's Wheatfield With Crows, and its impact on the course of modern art. Other artists in the series include Picasso, Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner and Rothko. Check your local listings! And if you watch, remember to come back here and share your comments!
Art Inspiration | Overheard
6/18/2007 1:02:06 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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The New 7 Wonders
Posted by anne
 A parent at my daughters’ school pointed out this Web site as a fun summertime activity for kids, but it’s a fun summertime activity for anyone! With the Great Pyramids of Egypt standing as the only remaining “Wonder of the World,” the New7Wonders Foundation (created in 2001) launched a global poll to select the New 7 Wonders of the World. Use your artist's eye, appreciation for creative work, and familiarty with artistic challenges to help the world select the most “wondrous” architectural achievements dating any time before the year 2000. A list of 21 nominated sites includes such marvels as The Taj Mahal (built in 1630 A.D.), The Acropolis of Athens (built between 450 and 330 B.C.), and The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D). Winners will be announced July 7, 2007, at the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, which means—today—there are 18 days left to vote! Image of The Taj Mahal copyrighted by www.Historylink101.com and found at India Picture Gallery
Art Inspiration
6/18/2007 10:38:28 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, June 15, 2007
Pastels Go Public
Posted by jessica
The Richard L. Nelson Gallery at the University of California Davis, in collaboration with the City of Davis, California, recently challenged  its local artists with a public arts project, “Temp Work,” based on what they’d do with public spaces if given free rein. Diana Jahns was one of seven artists given the opportunity to have her work, Red Willow and Sedge (soft pastel on rag board, 72x90, on six 38x30-panels) on display at the former police substation, near the historic Southern Pacific Amtrak Depot, through June 30. It’s such a simple, but powerful concept: Put moving art in a  place that gets the public moving. But it won’t be off the walls for long thereafter. Jahns just learned that her vibrant orchard has been accepted for exhibition in “Landscapes: Rural and Urban Realities” at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara, Calif., which runs July 7-Sept. 30.
Art Inspiration
6/15/2007 3:19:04 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sister Blogs
Posted by Sarah
Art Inspiration
6/15/2007 11:48:38 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Rescued from the Cutting Room Floor
Posted by Sarah
As I write, thousands of copies of the August issue of The Pastel Journal are quietly making their way across the country--and around the globe--to our subscribers. What a strange and wonderful thing it is indeed to think of them out there in the world after we've spent all these months urging them into existence. Of course, we had your help on this issue: You chose our cover. Thousands of respondants voiced their opinions in our cover survey and chose the June L. Maxwell still life The Blue Chinese Vase for this position of honor. Now you'll have the chance to read all about how Maxwell achieves her precise still lifes in the magazine.  You'll also have the chance to read about Stephanie Birdsall, an artist I had the pleasure of interviewing for the feature I wrote on her work. (See her painting Argentine Church (12x12) at left.) She's a remarkable painter and a remarkable spirit. As often happens, a good deal of our conversation wound up on the cutting room floor. (Though you'd like to, you simply can't fit everything.) A bit that I had a good deal of trouble letting go, given the approach of the travel season, had to do with the equipment Birdsall takes with her on her many painting trips. As she says in the feature, "My life is run by either painting or going to see a painting." Here's what she takes with her when she goes: What I’ve got it down to is a good tripod, a Heilman box, and Heilman makes an easel attachment that goes right into the box and will fold up and fit into my tripod case. I usually take a bent card to place in the easel shelf so that pastel dust doesn’t fall into my box. And then the only thing that I have to think about when I’m traveling, is what I’m going to put my paintings into. If I’m traveling a lot, I take pieces of glassine with me so I can stack them or tape them to the board on top of each other with the glassine between. All I need is a roll of tape and some glassine to match the size of my paintings. One of the great things about pastels to me is they’re so easy to transport. If you have a piece of glassine for every piece of paper or between, then you can go anywhere with them. Aside from that, I carry Gloves In A Bottle with me because I don’t work with gloves and I think that some sort of barrier like that is really important.Read about Birdsall's many painting homes in the August issue of the magazine.
6/13/2007 4:55:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 11, 2007
Artist Blogs
Posted by anne
In between deadlines and meetings and all the other goings-on involved in making The Pastel Journal, I do like to take some time to read magazines and blogs other than the one I work on! Here are three artist blogs I like (look for more favorites in future posts):  Making a Mark: This well-trafficked blog from UK-artist Katherine Tyrrell discusses the artist's current work, its inspirations and development. She also offers loads of information and resources for artists, particularly those interested in pastel, colored pencil and drawing/sketching. (left) Giverny Trees #1 by Katherine Tyrrell Maggie Price Artblog: If you can hardly wait between issues of The Pastel Journal to catch technical advice from our Q&A columnist Maggie Price, then turn to the artist's blog. Though relatively new, this blog is shaping up to be a great stopping place for pastel pointers you can take directly to the easel. (left) Rooftops Alpondeire by Maggie Price
 A Plein Air Painter's Blog: In his blog, pastel painter (and frequent feature writer for The Pastel Journal) Michael Chesley Johnson offers his insights into painting on location. Johnson's work is continually fed by the inspiring scenery of his homebase-- Campbello Island (New Brunswick, Canada). (left) Spring Comes to Snug Cove by Micahel Chesley Johnson
Art Inspiration
6/11/2007 1:06:50 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, June 08, 2007
Channeling Our Inner Pollock
Posted by jessica
 One of the cool sites we've had bookmarked just for fun is jacksonpollock.org. Here you can paint like Pollock—as I did here on the left—as your mouse drags the splattering paint from one end of the screen to the next (just click the mouse each time you want to switch colors). Be forewarned, though: It's addictive!
Art Inspiration
6/8/2007 3:31:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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