Lake Country Pastel Society Spring Show

The Lake County Pastel Society Show, Pastel Springs, is open now until May 8. I was there on Monday to help check in the entries. Wow! It is going to be a challenge for our judge, Anita Louise West, to choose the winner from over 100 entires. Ms. West, famous for her own pastels, is in the Twin cities for a portrait workshop being held this week by Leslie DeMille. I have been a follower of Ms. West for many years--she is nationally known for her plein air landscapes.

So here is just one good reason to be a member of the Lake Country Pastel Society: Each year the Society sponsors a three to five day workshop lead by a pastel artist of national stature. In conjunction with this year's workshop, Mr. DeMille will give a public demonstration Sunday, April 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 at the New Brighton Family Center, 400 10th St. NW, New Brighton MN. The demonstration is free for members, $15 for non-members.

Come see the show at the Sherburne County Government Center and then check out the Pastel Society. In addition to first-class workshops, we meet six times a year for critiques, demonstrations and guest speakers. Spring and Fall shows are held each year. Dust in the Wind, the Society news letter, is a valuable source of information about materials, workshops, exhibits and grant opportunities.

New Class Added

Above: Fishing the Gallatin, © Diane Wesman, approx. 8 x 12". Pastel on Canson Mi Tientes Paper.

Past students have asked for another pastel class at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. So now we have one: Tuesdays, from April 21 to May 26, 6:30 to 9 p.m. We will meet to work in the luscious medium of pastel. This will be an intermediate class for those who have taken a pastel class from me or for anyone who has some experience working with soft chalk pastels.

Use the link to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory to sign up.

When the weather permits we will work outside. For those who would like to start landscape painting, they will have that option. Others may choose to stick with painting their favorite plants and that is OK, too.

Fishing the Gallatin, above, like many of my paintings, was done while my husband was fly fishing. Here I used Rembrandt pastels. They are the real work horses in my pastel collection. They travel well, are widely available and economically priced.

We won't have this stunning vista but we will have Como Park! I hope you will join me to explore the wonderful possibilities of pastel.

It's Spring—Time to Start Something New

Left: Purple Marsh, ©2009 Diane Wesman, 9 x 12 inches, pastel on board.

Spring is officially here. The days are getting warmer in Minnesota. This is my last plein air painting for the winter. It captures the view across the marsh from my house.

Welcome to my blog. I'll be an occasional blogger writing from time to time about my artwork, how I think about painting, and the challenges and rewards of landscape painting. I'll also share information about materials and techniques. You'll get the opportunity to look inside my sketchbook and see how those entries evolve into paintings. My journals will provide a window into my life.

I hope that my blog will provide information to past and future students. I teach pastel painting at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. You can view additional selections of my artwork at Project Art for Nature.

In Purple Marsh (above), the intense purples and rusts are colors typical of my winter palette. They reflect the moodiness of a late winter sunset. As things green up I'll start using greens and pinks from my spring palette. But, never one to stick to local color, you will see plenty of purple and any other deep color that will give me the dark values I love.

See Purple Marsh in person at The Lake Country Pastel Society Spring Show, March 31 to May 8, 2009 at the Sherburne County Government Center. Join me and the other artists at the opening reception, Saturday, April 4, 2 to 4:30 p.m.