Member News / Announcements

3-Day Workshop Announcement for Piedmont Pastel Society!   Instructor: Nancie King Mertz Dates: November 6—8, 2025 Price: $$395 Attendees limit: 14 students Location: At the Studio of Jay DeChesere in Wilmington, NC    Bring your references of scenes you’ve always wanted to paint but never quite knew how. This can include faces, figures, landscapes with man-made elements, boats, reflective water, small villages...anything you would like! Nancie will guide you toward success!   Contact Jay DeChesere at [email protected] to register or with questions.      About Nancie: Nancie has spent her lifetime painting in oil and pastel. She was awarded the Master Circle by International Association of Pastel Societies, Eminent Pastelist in 2018, and is a Master Signature [...]

"Looking forward to next month and new friends at my in-person pastel portrait workshop in the Blue Ridge Mountains.   A few spots are left in my class at Kanuga Watermedia Workshops at the Montreat Conference Center. Paint pastel portraits with me while your family enjoys the 4,000 acre campus, treks miles of mountain trails, or kayaks in the lake. Quite. Secluded. A beautiful place to reflect, study, and create.   Workshop Dates: March 23—28, 2025. Contact Director Megan Miller Williams at 828-964-3968. https://www.kanugawatermediaworkshops.com   Luana Luconi Winner, PSA, PSNC, IAPS/MC     Portrait Society of Atlanta, Juried Member / Past Editor of FOLIO     Portrait Society of America, NC [...]

The PSNC Board approved for me to build a new PSNC website using the FASO (FineArtStudioOnline) hosting company. Today is the official day our new website design goes "live." Within 15 minutes, we had one renewing member use the new Membership Registration Form–success! [...]

Hi PSNC members, it’s Jim Hallenbeck (Signature member of PSNC). I will be teaching a 4-hour pastel class at the Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough, NC on February 15 from 1pm to 5pm.   You will learn my technique of starting with a watercolor underpainting to identify shapes and values. We will then move to establishing the focal point and work from dark to light using soft pastels. You will complete a painting by class end!    Cost is $85 through the Orange County Arts Commission.    Here’s the registration information: https://events.humanitix.com/pastels-bringing-landscapes-to-life-winter-2025-with-jim-hallenbeck   [...]

January 7, 2025   My pastel painting "Sun Kissed" received Special Merit Award in the Fall 2024 Art and Color 365 Magazine issue.   This show will be on their website online exhibition for a full year.     [...]

A Full-Day Zoom Workshop in Two Three-Hour SessionsFriday, April 5, 2024, 10am – 5pm$175Note: All proceeds will go to the Pastel Society of North Carolina General Fund.   This day will set you on your way to sketching and painting faces with confidence. Artists of all levels of experience will find useful, basic, and essential instruction of the construction of the head. With these indispensable notes, you will begin to enjoy painting portraits without hesitation.   The lessons and demonstrations will begin with focused attention on each individual feature of the face. Simple diagrams willbecome your maps to understanding shape, construction, proportion, and uniqueness of [...]

When: Saturday 6/29 9AM-5PM; Sunday 6/30 9AM-3PMCost: $220 for the weekendAges 18+   This workshop is designed for beginner or intermediate pastel artists to explore and expand their understanding of the dry medium of pastel by using a variety of wet techniques to transform the medium. The workshop will include demos each morning, then hands-on practice and exercises. The workshop will include CDR methodology — create, destroy, and recreate — encouraging construction and controlled deconstruction of a work, allowing many layers of color to exist within the surface.   Students will experience a mix of structured exercises and free time to work on their own paintings to [...]

A 3-day virtual workshop with Rita Kirkman hosted by the PSWC  February 23-25, 2024   $285   In this virtual 3-day workshop, you will learn how to create a vibrant sense of glowing light in your pastel paintings. Instruction emphasizes value and temperature as keys to unlocking the light.   Learn an underpainting method to “nail the values!” The workshop is appropriate for adventurous beginners all the way to advanced pastelists.   [...]

I’m very honored to be selected to be a part of “Up Your Arts” downtown Southport, NC Pole banner project to be hung in May of 2024. More details below…   We are so proud to announce the names of the artists selected to have their artwork displayed on banners in downtown Southport next year! Chosen by a three-judge panel from a group of 71 submissions to represent our “Raise Up Your Arts” pole banner project, their art is a mixture of 2D and 3D mediums—everything from paintings and photography to mosaics, pottery and fiber art to woodworking and glass, with equally varied [...]

Fun and informal pastel instruction and inspiration in Rita’s Virtual Open Studio.   Exclusively on her Patreon, Bunny Buddy level $10 and up.   Live Zoom invites and instant access to over 170 full-length videos, and more!(The highest tier now includes monthly critiques! 🙂   If you’re not yet ready to join as a member, you can join for free to follow the frequent public posts, quick vids, art tips, progress pics and other cool stuff.   https://www.patreon.com/RitaKirkmanStudio   “You can’t use up creativity. The more the you use, the more you have.” –Maya Angelou   [...]

Been wanting to learn to paint with soft pastels or polish your existing skills? Join me for a two-day course with structured, easy to follow lessons focusing on: different pastel strokes, underpainting techniques, working with warm and cool colors, understanding values. You will work from your own photos while interpreting with your own “artistic voice.” Demonstrations and individual instruction will be given as I share tips, techniques and ideas.   3/2/2024 – 3/3/2024$165.00   The Village Gallery of Arts1060 NW Saltzman Rd.Portland, Oregon 97229United States https://villagegalleryarts.org/event/gretha-lindwood-2-day-workshop-pastel-fundamentals/   [...]

North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill100 Old Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill   Dates: 1/26-28, 2024Time: Friday and Saturday – 9:30-4:30, Sunday – 1:15-4:30Cost: $225 ($202 for North Carolina Botanical Gardens members)   Landscape painting offers the artist a playground of visual opportunities to experiment with color and structure. Students will immerse themselves in learning about composing a landscape, establishing a value structure, how and when to use warm and cool colors (temperature) and how and when to mute colors (chroma). Students may work in either chalk pastels or oil paint.   Each class will begin with a demonstration; one day in oil, the next in pastel. [...]

The Orange County Arts Commission presented the 7th Annual Paint It Orange Plein Air Paint-Out and Wet Paint Sale on October 4-6, 2023.   This year’s Paint it Orange hosted 75 painters from three states. The event celebrates artists of all types and all abilities and combines gorgeous scenery with the opportunity to meet other painters from around the region.   Congrats to Diff Whitmore on her 1st place finish!   Click here for more info. [...]

The Centerpiece Gallery is pleased to invite you to Seventeen an exhibit showcasing women artists from North Carolina, currently represented at the gallery.   Join us on October 13th from 5:00-8:00pm for the Opening Reception as we celebrate these masterful artists!   17, Featuring: Lynn Alker, Marty Allran, Sasha Bakaric, Dana Brown, Deb Covington, Kathleen Deep, Judith Ernst, Natalie George, Anne Harkness, Laura Berendsen Hughes, Alana Knuff, Kimberlee Maselli, Cora Ogden, Flora Pinkham, B. F. Reed, Molly Sawyer, and Nancy Meadows Taylo.   [...]

Toni Lindahl, PSA-MPAnyone who is familiar with my work knows I love to work in series. When I am inspired by a subject, I enjoy pursuing it until I have exhausted my interest. My pastels are diverse in subject matter, ranging from florals and figurative work to landscapes. I emphasize movement, patterns, light and shadow.   I became very interested in environmental issues, particularly with the diminishing rainforests. I wanted to try and portray the beauty of tropical plants. This inspired my Leaf Pattern Series. I love to showcase the way sunlight plays on the leaves and all the small compositions lurking within. [...]

$25 Explore vibrant color with a batch of mini sunsets! Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 1pm Central Time.   Register here: https://www.ritakirkman.com/workshop/33711/tiny-summer-sunsets-paint-along-on-zoom   Rita will be using pastel, but you can use the medium of your choice. For this paint-along Rita will be pasteling directly on a variety of sanded pastel surfaces/papers, mostly dark or black. This paint-along will primarily focus on vibrant colors and values, and interpreting your photo reference loosely.   When you register Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, reference photos, painting samples and some suggested materials.   The paint-along will start at 1pm Central Time and will last about 2 hours.   (PS: Registration includes a link [...]

“Creativity takes courage,” said Henri Matisse. What is creativity? An internet search defines the word in many different ways and gives access to much scientific research on the topic. We as artists think of creativity as our domain though if we look at the research it is clear that without the ability to see things differently, find new ways of doing things and make discoveries across the spectrum of thought that humanity would not be where it is today. Ken Hope of The MacArthur Foundation describes it this way, “Creativity is a universal human attribute, present to some extent in everyone [...]

In this intensive 3-day workshop, you will learn how to create a vibrant sense of glowing light in your pastel paintings. Instruction emphasizes value and temperature as keys to unlocking the light. Learn an underpainting method using pastel primers to “nail the values!” Multiple small works are encouraged for speedy artistic growth. For adventurous beginners all the way to advanced pastelists.   Rita will demo an average of twice daily, and at least three hours each day will be devoted to individual feedback and critiques.   This workshop is not subject specific. Students can work from their own photos, and Rita will bring some of [...]

I’m honored to be asked to be one of the instructors for this year’s Pastel Live in August.   I will be painting a still life of some of my favorite things; teapots, stripes, fruits and am so excited to be part of this great group.   More information here: https://pastellive.com/psl-2023   [...]

Once a month workshops to improve your art, and your appetite!   EAT ‘n ART With Emily Thompson   You are invited to a workshop with lunch!$45 includes a 2hr workshop and homemade lunch.   Workshops on Fridays at 10am on these topics:   May 5th Elements of Design – Mexican food – Drawing and Design. The Elements of Design transform the way you see – and your artwork ascends to an intellectual plane of understanding and presentation.   June 2nd Principles of Design – Greek food – Dynamics of Art. Rarely discussed, the Principles of Design infuse your art with energy. Knowing how to employ the Principles of Design takes your art [...]

Hi All,May 5 – June 30, 2023.   Opening Reception: 6-9 PM on Friday, May 5 and 6. I will attend both evenings.   I am thrilled that Ambleside Gallery offered to host a 30 year retrospective of my work from 1991 to present. Mediums that will be displayed include dry-brush watercolor, egg tempera, pastel and oil. The techniques will rank from scientifically correct to impressionistic.   I am rather floating right now! Look forward to seeing you.   [...]

One-day workshop at The Centerpiece (Bevs Fine Art) in Raleigh.   Explore new and versatile ways to use pastels during this fun, informative day and develop confidence with your skills. Diana Coidan will help you become adventurous and bring your work to a new level.    Open to advanced beginner to intermediate pastelists. For more info please view the website at The Centerpiece to register.   [...]

On December 1st “Sun Kissed” won 2nd place in the 2022 GPE Pastel Dust Off Show and November 12th won the “Associated Artist” award of Southport, NC in Oak Island Art Guild.   I created a still life of oranges on a green velvety material draped over a tabletop. This setup was inside a black box with a warm light bulb spotlight inserted into an open on one side. Sun Kissed is a 8.5″ x 10.5″ pastel painting of an orange and orange slices. I used hard pastels, a variety of soft pastels and pastel pencils on a gridded grey pastelmat paper.   [...]

$25It’s the Year of the Rabbit! Perfect time for another fuzzy bunny painting! Paint this lazy bunny with us on Saturday, Feb 18, 2023, at 1pm Central Time.   Rita will be using pastel over an acrylic-based underpainting, but you can use the medium of your choice. Plenty of focus will be on value and temperature which is universal to all art mediums.   Register EARLY to have time to prep your drawing. Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, some surface prep info, some tips that include alternative underpainting methods in case you don’t have what she uses, and even a [...]

Who! Who!… wants to paint this Screech Owl?   $25Dive in to all these fab feather textures on Saturday, Nov 19, 2022, at 1pm Central Time For this owl, Rita will be going back to her early years and using mostly hard pastels and pastel pencils on a toned sanded paper, but you can use the medium of your choice. She’s had some attendees enjoy use oil, acrylic, and even watercolor with her paint-alongs. (You can even do her usual warm underpainting if you’re familiar with that!) This paint-along will focus on feather textures in a variety of tones and lines.   Register early to have [...]

“Don Keyfurry” Paint-Along with Rita Kirkman, on Zoom $25 Paint this shaggy long haired donkey with us on Saturday Oct 15th, at 1pm Central Time   Register EARLY to have time to prep your drawing. Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, some surface prep info, some tips that include alternative underpainting methods in case you don’t have what she uses, and even a line drawing that you can use to transfer to your board or paper in case you don’t have time to freehand your drawing. No drawing skills required!   Rita will be using pastel with an acrylic-based underpainting, but you can [...]

$25 How adorable is this!? ❤ Paint this sweet little baby bunny with us on Saturday Sept 17th, at 1pm Central Time   Register EARLY to have time to prep your drawing. Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, some surface prep info, some tips that include alternative underpainting methods in case you don’t have what she uses, and even a line drawing that you can use to transfer to your board or paper in case you don’t have time to freehand your drawing. No drawing skills required!   Rita will be using pastel with an acrylic-based underpainting, but you can use the [...]

Cary Arts Center: Meet the Artist – Christine S. Berndt: Cloudlands Friday, July 29, 2022 from 6–8pm   Exhibit through August 21, 2022   Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Avenue Cary, NC 27511(919) 469-4069   Mon-Thu: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.Fri: 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m.Sat: 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m.Sun: 1-6 p.m.   This exhibit features a selection of my paintings in pastel and watercolor expressing the landscapes of clouds. Hope to see you there!   [...]

Cary Arts Center Exhibit Opens Soon…Christine S. Berndt: CloudlandsJune 2, 2022 – August 21, 2022   This exhibit features a selection of my paintings in pastel and watercolorexpressing the landscapes of clouds.   Upcoming: Meet the Artist date: Friday, July 29th, 6 – 8 p.m.   Cary Arts Center101 Dry AvenueCary, NC 27511(919) 469-4069   Mon-Thu: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.Fri: 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m.Sat: 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m.Sun: 1-6 p.m.   [...]

“Highland Cow” Paint-Along   $25   Paint this cute “Heilan coo” with us on Saturday, June 4, at 1pm CT. Register EARLY to have time to prep your drawing. Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, some surface prep info, and some tips that include alternative underpainting methods in case you don’t have what she uses.   Rita will be using pastel with an acrylic-based underpainting, but you can use the medium of your choice. Plenty of instruction will focus on values and temperature which are universal to all color mediums. The paint-along will last about 2 hours.   (Registration includes a link to the video which [...]

I am the Featured Artist for the month of June at Cary Gallery of Artists in Ashworth Village.   My pastel exhibit, Earth Water Sky, opens May 26th thru June 22nd at 200 S. Academy Street, Cary, NC.   There are 12 pastels on exhibit, so please stop in.   [...]

Rita Kirkman had a painting accepted into the IAPS 2022 Exhibition, 8th Masters Circle Division. The 2022 IAPS PastelWorld Exhibition will take place at the 2022 IAPS Convention in Albuquerque, NM, USA from June 22-25, 2022.   Rita has also won the Gold Award in the Established Artist Division of the Austin Pastel Society Spring Non-Juried Exhibition with her painting “Seeking Social Sheep” (pastel, 30×40″)   Thank you to show judge Mike Etie!   The show continues at Artworks Gallery in Austin TX through June 11.   [...]

$25   Come paint this colorful donkey with us on Saturday, May 21, at 1pm CT.   Register early to have time to prep your drawing. Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, some surface prep info, some tips that include alternative underpainting methods in case you don’t have what she uses, and even a line drawing that you can use to transfer to your board or paper in case you don’t have time to freehand your drawing. No drawing skills required!   Rita will be using pastel with an acrylic-based underpainting, but you can use the medium of your choice. Plenty of instruction will [...]

I will be teaching a pastel workshop at The Centerpiece/Bev’s Fine Art in Raleigh on June 23rd from 11-4. Register online at The Centerpiece 2022 Workshops.   You will explore this versatile medium with innumerable ways to use it… some of which may surprise you? In this informative, fun workshop, you will explore the various substrates being introduced and you will discover pastels on canvas as an alternative to glass. Diana will help you develop confidence and skills to take on any new subject matter and bring your work to a new level.   [...]

I am incredibly honored to have received First Place in The Pastel 100 Landscape/Interior competition published in the current issue of the Pastel Journal. I wish to thank the juror, Nancy Nowak, for choosing Canyon Patterns and for her inciteful words. [...]

Rita Kirkman has won the Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Traylor Award for her painting “Cousins” (pastel, 32×32 inches) at the SAALM 92cd Annual Artists Exhibition.   The show continues through June 3rd, 2022, at the San Antonio Art League Museum, 130 King William Street, San Antonio, TX.   [...]

April 16 – $25   Take a virtual walk in the park and paint some springtime park trails with us! (we might even add some flowers!)   Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, some reference photos (or you can use your own) and materials suggestions.   Rita will be using pastel with an acrylic-based underpainting or a variety of pastel papers, but you can use the medium of your choice.   Rita has had some attendees enjoy use oil, acrylic, pastel pencil, and even watercolor with her paint-alongs. Plenty of instruction will focus on values and temperature which are universal to all color mediums. The paint-along will start [...]

Gotta love this sweet face! Paint along with us on Saturday, March 26, at 1pm CT. $25   Register EARLY to have time to prep your drawing. Rita will send you the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, some surface prep info, some tips that include alternative underpainting methods in case you don’t have what she uses, and even a line drawing that you can use to transfer to your board or paper in case you don’t have time to freehand your drawing. No drawing skills required!   Rita will be using pastel with an acrylic-based underpainting, but you can use the medium of your choice. [...]

On March 8th, 2022 I installed 26 pastel paintings in the gallery at the Woman’s Club of Raleigh. A luncheon and general meeting was held on March 9th in which the club members could view the paintings. It is not a public venue but many organizations hold their meetings there and will have the opportunity to view and/or purchase the artwork. The exhibit will be available until April 12, 2022.   Since it is not a public venue I have created an online exhibit of the 26 paintings where anyone may view the exhibit.   [...]

Rita Kirkman’s painting “Young Diana” (pastel, 12×9 in) is included in the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas 2022 Members Show, at the Arts for Rural Texas at 114 N Live Oak St in Fayetteville.   Opening Reception and Awards Presentation on March 12, 4-6pm.   The exhibit will continue through May 21, 2022.   [...]