The latest word from the pastel front is that the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) exhibition currently taking place at the City of Brea Gallery is a blast.

Pastelist Joe Mancuso demonstrated at the gallery last weekend and has this to share: "This exhibit, in my opinion, represents the highest quality that pastels can produce. A show like this is an education for those who have not seen a pastel exhibit. It was a reminder for me of what an amazing medium pastel is."

The result of the artist's demo, Early Morning Sun, appears above. (You'll also find Mancuso's inspiring winter landscapes in the February issue of The Pastel Journal, along with the artist's thoughts on painting snow scenes.) The exhibit runs through March 5, 2010 with artists from the Southern California Pastel Society offering a pastel demo for the public every Saturday. Good times!

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An Art Invitational Exhibition and Sale, honoring the late Glenna Hartmann, will be held February 20 and 21 (10 am to 5 pm) at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. This is the premiere of an event to occur bi-annually with proceeds benefitting the science education programs at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and The Nature Conservancy program on Santa Cruz Island—two programs which were dear to the artist, whose heart was devoted not only to painting but to the land and natural world that inspired her.

The exhibition will feature 100 new works created by nearly 60 of California’s foremost landscape artists, including Elizabeth Tolley (see her oil painting, California Spring, above), plein air colorist Camille Przewodek, pastelists Ann Sanders and Clark Mitchell, and many others. See a complete list of participating artists here.

What a beautiful way to honor a beautiful painter and person. If any of you West Coasters make it to the show, comment here to tell us about it!

Artist and blogger Niall O'Neill, of County Cork, Ireland, says that his reason for launching the blog "Artists in Pastel" was twofold: to create "a comprehensive international directory of pastels artists who have a web presence; and to offer a critique of their websites (not, I emphasize, a critique of their artwork)."

Each of O'Neill's 93 and counting blog posts highlights a different pastel artist and shows a sample image that's representative of his or her work. His list of direct links to artist's websites is substantial and growing (and chock-full of friends of the magazine!)—it's a wonderful resource, whether you're looking for a potential pastel teacher or simply a jolt of inspiration.

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Our fall-inspired "Creative Spark" prompt was our most popular to date with 132 entries and extraordinarily stiff competition. Congratulations to Mike Kelly of Warsaw, Indiana, whose pastel, John Hartman’s Place (above, 19x22), was chosen as the editors’ choice. Hartman’s painting appears in the February issue of The Pastel Journal. Pick up your copy to read the story behind the winning painting. You'll find a selection of paintings from our talented runners up below. Congrats are also in order for Bonnie Zahn Griffith with Storm From the West; Susan Grinels with Fall Colors; Joanne Seberry with Yandoit, Autumnal Colors; and Leslie Smith with Fall Marsh. Stay tuned to see who won our "Extraordinary in the Ordinary" challenge and visit our site to find out how to share your work for a chance to win.

If you live in the U.S., you're probably in the midst of a little cold snap at the moment. Brrr! We humbly recommend two courses of action:

1. Snuggle up with the February 2010 issue of The Pastel Journal and let your fingers do the walking through a winter wonderland of pastel delights.

2. Get out there and paint! If you're like featured artist Aaron Schuerr, you won't let a little snow stop you from painting en plein air. Visit our site to read the stories behind some of the craziest painting sessions the artist has experienced in his professional career.

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MORE RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS

* Online Seminars for Fine Artists
* Instantly download fine art magazines, books & video workshops
* Sign up for your Artist's Network email newsletter & receive free fine art tips & demos

The holidays are always a fitting time for taking pause to note the accomplishments of the year, but this time we find ourselves taking a slightly longer view: The magazine celebrated it’s 10th anniversary this year, an occasion we’ve celebrated in all six of our issues for 2009. We wanted to take this moment to thank all of you for making the life of the magazine possible and invite you to share the next 10 years of the journey with us. We couldn’t do it without you.

With love and appreciation,

The Staff of The Pastel Journal
Editor, Anne Hevener (center)
Senior Art Director, Cindy Rider (not pictured)
Features Editor, Sarah A. Strickley (right)
Managing Editor, Jessica Canterbury (left)