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 Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Office Sweet Office
Posted by jessica
We’ve managed to create some semblance of organization here at the office, after an insane week involving a server crash and moving our work spaces down one floor. Our relocation means that most of F+W Media’s fine art publications and online communities— The Pastel Journal, The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Artist, ArtistsNetwork.tv, North Light Books, IMPACT Books and WetCanvas!—are now situated in one spot, which is nice ( Southwest Art and The Collector's Guide are based out of Colorado and New Mexico, respectively). Here we are (L-to-R) taking a break from unpacking boxes: Cindy, art director; Kelly, editor of Watercolor Artist; Anne, The Pastel Journal editor; and me, managing editor.  And here’s Sarah, our features editor, from her home office (in Houston). 
Meet the Staff
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:03:08 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00) 
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Monday, September 14, 2009
In Memoriam: Flora B. Giffuni (1919-2009)
Posted by anne
 Sadly, I learned on Friday that Flora B. Giffuni, pastel artist, teacher and founder of The Pastel Society of America (PSA), had passed away at the age of 89. The PSA, which held its annual awards ceremony for the 37th Annual "Pastels Only" exhibition yesterday at the National Arts Club in New York City, took the opportunity to pay tribute to Flora. Here are some of the remarks made by PSA President, Rae Smith: "We certainly would not be gathered together today if it had not been for Flora’s spirit and fortitude in forging ahead to create the Pastel Society of America. Her entire life was dedicated to promoting the pastel medium and pastel artists. Flora’s generosity and the generosity of the Giffuni family over the years funded awards and scholarships for many pastelists and students of this medium. "She was a little lady but a giant in the world of art. How will we do without her? Flora will never really be gone. Her presence will remain with us in our studios, at our board meetings and in our hearts forever." The obituary, as it appeared in The New York Times reads: Giffuni -- Flora Baldini. On September 10, 2009. Founder of the Pastel
Society of America. Wife of the late Joseph V. Giffuni. Survived by her
children JoAnn (Kenneth Wellner), Vincent J. (Barbara) and Cathe
Giffuni. Her lifelong passion for painting was an inspiration to many.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 2-6 and
7-9pm at Frank E. Campbell, 1076 Madison Avenue at 81st St.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Pastel Society of
America, 15 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY 10003. Here at the magazine, we'll be working on a special tribute for an upcoming issue of The Pastel Journal. If you knew Flora personally and would like to share a remembrance, please send us an email at pjedit@fwmedia.com. [pictured above] Flora B. Giffuni upon receiving the Medal of Honor from the Salmagundi Club last spring.
Overheard
Monday, September 14, 2009 7:25:01 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sketching Tool
Posted by jessica
 English artist Felicity House, featured in the October 2009 issue, works “across a wide spectrum of subjects—from figures to still life, to interiors and landscapes,” she says, but her pastel painting method is always the same: The artist prefers to paint on location, which requires quick preliminary sketches. For this, her go-to tool is a sharpened Popsicle stick dipped in India ink. Click here to find out why and to see some of House’s sketches of an Indian market (one of them pictured here).
Overheard | Tips and Techniques | Tools and Materials
Thursday, September 10, 2009 4:12:27 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Creative Spark Winners: Taking Advantage
Posted by sarah
 The votes are in! The "editor's choice" and the winner of a set of Neopastel 24 ($55) and a set of Neopastel 48 ($110) is Anne Van Blarcom Kurowski of Wilmington, NC, with her painting, Metropolitan. The artist remarks of the process of rising to Lynn Goldstein's challenge to approach a subject from a new perspective, "This subject, a museum visitor, was seen from the balcony at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The repetition of lines and angles is what attracted my attention. The texture of the terrazzo floor was created by scraping pastel sticks of different colors and rolling the particles down with a brayer." Congratulations to Kurowski and our runners up, Aili Kurtis and Dawn E. Miller, whose paintings ( The White Leaf and Saturday Afternoon) are pictured below.   To find out how to enter your work in the next Creative Spark challenge, click here.
Art Inspiration
Tuesday, September 08, 2009 6:06:48 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, September 04, 2009
How to Approach and Land a Gallery
Posted by sarah
Being represented by a gallery
brings a number of benefits: increased visibility, new collectors, and
fewer responsibilities related to the business side of selling
art, which means more time to create! Landing a gallery requires not
only artistic talent but also professionalism and persistence. In our latest online seminar (led by Kristin Hoerth, Editor in Chief of Southwest Art) you'll learn:
• How to choose the right galleries to approach
• What kinds of materials galleries like to receive
• The proper format for submitting your work
• Whether you should visit a gallery in person
• How and when to follow up with a gallery
Everyone who signs up for this seminar will receive free online access to the recording of the session following the live event. Click here to learn more about A Guide to Professional Etiquette.
Art Inspiration | Tips and Techniques
Friday, September 04, 2009 4:45:09 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Moving Day(s)
Posted by jessica
 As you’re without a doubt aware, today is the last day to postmark your entries for the 11th annual Pastel 100 Competition (entries must be postmarked on or before Sept. 1, 2009; if entering online, the cut-off time is midnight EST). And how is The Pastel Journal staff celebrating, you might wonder? We’re moving. Just one floor down in our building, but chaos ensues. (We’ll now have all of the company’s art publications in one spot, which will be nice.) So for the next couple of days we’ll be wading through boxes and bubble wrap, and might even post a few pre- or post-relocation pics. See you after we wrap it up!
Overheard
Tuesday, September 01, 2009 3:18:36 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, August 31, 2009
Showstoppers: Pastels USA
Posted by anne
 The Pastel Society of the West Coast's "Pastels USA" exhibition is currently showing at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, Calif, through Sept 27. Congratulations to Pastel Journal editorial board member, Duane Wakeham, (pictured at left with Tina Moore, president of the PSWC), who can now add "PSWC Pastel Laureate" to his already long list of achievements. The accomplished artist and art instructor is also a Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, and a member of their Pastel Hall of Fame. If you can't make it to the PSWC show in Santa Clara, you can check out more of Wakeham's work in the October 2008 issue of The Pastel Journal.  I'd also like to extend congratulations to artist Bill Hosner, who received his third Best of Show award in the Pastels USA exhibition, the first artist to do this. Hosner is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and the
Pastel Society of the West Coast. He has also been recognized with a Gold Medallion
and Master's Circle status in the International
Association of Pastel Societies. His plein air figure work, of which his award-winning Espanola (shown here) is a wonderful example, was featured in The Pastel Journal ( February 2008) and his landscape work will be part of an upcoming special feature on winter scenes in February 2010. Alan Flattmann, the Juror of Awards for the show, also recognized work by
Shows and Events
Monday, August 31, 2009 3:38:35 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, August 28, 2009
Creative Spark: Seasonal Celebration
Posted by sarah
Autumn Field (12x12) by Marla Baggetta
“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.”—John Donne
Show us one or more pastel paintings
you’ve done that were inspired by the beauty of autumn. E-mail your
image(s) as JPGs with a resolution of 72 dpi to pjedit@fwmedia.com by October 22, 2009.
Include the title, dimensions and a brief description. Please type
“Creative Spark” in the subject line and include your name, e-mail and
mailing address. The “editors’ choice” will be published in the
February 2010 issue of the magazine.
Art Inspiration | Tips and Techniques
Friday, August 28, 2009 4:13:47 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Shipping to Subscribers This Week …
Posted by jessica
 The October issue is on its way out to subscribers this very minute! It’s a fantastic issue, starting with cover artist Marla Baggetta and her 100 variations of the same scene. We also explore natural wonders and the unique link between visual arts and conservation efforts with featured artists Frederick D. Somers, Lois Gold, Felicity House, Deb Gengler-Copple and Leslie Delgyer. The issue also gives you the scoop on the latest buzz-making products and materials, and the secret to dealing with the pastelist’s persistent problem in the studio: dust. Not a subscriber? Pre-order the issue here.
Overheard
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 6:28:07 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, August 24, 2009
Albert Handell Demo
Posted by anne
 Just over a week ago, Jessica and I had the great pleasure of watching pastel master Albert Handell do a painting demonstration at the Cincinnati Art Club. The artist was in town for a week-long workshop and on this morning, he demonstrated a pastel painting over a watercolor underpainting. He worked on UART pastel paper dry-mounted onto museum ragboard and began with an initial sketch, using a 2B pencil (and he doesn't mind seeing some of the pencil show through). The underpainting was painted with Payne's gray, Hooker's green and Van Dyke brown, and unlike watercolor painters, who work light to dark, he puts down the watercolors working dark to light. The underpainting is not precise; Handell says he likes to let things "swim and float." Once dry, Handell started with the pastel, beginning with his favorite
dark-green NuPastel to establish the forms and pattern. Concentrating
on the center of interest first, Handell brought the tree to life
before moving to adjacent areas. Varying the touch or pressure on his
pastel, he continued to refine areas until the conclusion. although the artist has experimented with other underpainting
possibilities, he says he loves the combination of the watercolor and
pastel; and so do I! If you'd like to see Handell demonstrating pastel over
watercolor, he has a DVD available (visit his website for more information). If you'd like to read an
interview with the artist about his pastel application technique,
you'll find a feature in the August issue of The Pastel Journal. He's also among the artists featured in the magazine's special anniversary download released earlier this year: 10 Top Interviews. [pictured here, from top]: Albert Handell; the initial sketch and reference photos; the watercolor underpainting; the finished pastel.   
Art Inspiration | Tips and Techniques
Monday, August 24, 2009 3:06:14 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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