We. Are. Pastelists.

The Pastel Society

of the West Coast


BREAKING NEWS

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

SEE THE SHOW!!

Pastels USA: 99 Voices in Pastel will be open August 31, 2023 to October 29, 2023 at the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California. The Awards Ceremony and Reception will be on September 9, 2023 from 2pm to 4pm. Join us and meet the artists!


We Talk Art is the new quarterly Zoom presentation for members of the PSWC. Bonnie Zahn Griffith will be chatting with well known artists in an informal virtual setting. These distinguished guests will be sharing their stories, processes, tips and more. The link to these interviews will be sent to members and posted on our Facebook page. The series will feature “live” interviews, so participants may post questions and comments during and after the interview.

September 24, 12:00 Noon PST – Featuring Mitchell Albala: For more than 30 years, Mitchell Albala has been a dedicated landscape painter and teaching artist. His atmospheric and semi-abstract landscapes have been exhibited nationally and are represented in corporate and private collections. Mitchell is the author of two popular books on landscape painting: Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plain Air and Studio Practice; and most recently, The Landscape Painter’s Workbook: Essential Studies in Shape, Composition, and Color, which is currently the best selling book on the subject in the nation.

October 15, 12:00 Noon PST – Featuring Clark Mitchell: Designated a Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of America and a Distinguished Pastelist by the Pastel Society of the West Coast, Clark has received numerous awards in local as well as national competitions. In 2005, he won Best of Show at the Laguna Plein Air Invitational; and in 2011, Best of Show in the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational. His paintings have been on the cover of American Artist, Southwest Art and the Pastel Journal.


WORKSHOPS

Artists are lifelong learners, and we offer great learning opportunities through in-person and virtual workshops. Upcoming workshops include: Aaron Schuerr, Nancy King Mertz, Vianna Szabo, Rita Kirkman and Judy Leeds.

Go to our workshop page here for more information and go to the Event Calendar to register for a workshop here

Need help to access workshops? Find out about our workshop SCHOLARSHIPS by contacting us here.

WELCOME!

You don’t have to live on the West Coast to become a member! With PSWC members located throughout the United States and around the world, the Pastel Society of the West Coast offers a strong voice for expanding the presence of soft pastel as a major fine art painting medium. PSWC was organized in 1984 to promote pastel artists and the soft pastel medium. Today, PSWC is among the most recognized pastel societies.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

PSWC provides social media channels for pastel education, communication, and exposure for members.

PSWC sponsors two annual juried exhibitions: the PASTELS USA open exhibition to showcase award-winning pastel artwork in public venues and the MEMBERS ONLY ONLINE SHOW (MOOS)

Our organization publishes the PSWC Magazine exclusively for members. Click here for the PSWC Magazines.

Because our society members are spread far beyond the West Coast, we offer a Regional Representatives program to support regional activities.

Pastelist Passion Store.

We provide optional, individual Members Art Gallery pages connected to our Member Directory.

PSWC sponsors an Art Scholarship for qualifying students interested in the further study of art and pursuing an art career.

Because PSWC is a member of IAPs, our members automatically become IAPS artist members and are eligible for IAPS juried exhibitions at prestigious galleries and on the web, as well as participation in the IAPS Convention at discount rates.

The Pastel Society of the West Coast is incorporated as a non-profit organization. The PSWC is run completely by volunteer Board Members. Endowments and bequests are welcome; please contact our President.

As a PSWC member, you are welcome to join our Facebook Group page and please follow us on Instagram as well!

Note: Artwork featured on the website is from artists who entered recent shows. Please see show art by clicking the Current Shows or Past Shows tabs at the top of the page to see titles and artists.


© Copyright 2014-19 PSWC
Any images containing original art, or any other creative endeavor on this web site, are copyrighted by the artist, and may in no way be used for any purpose other than viewing online, unless they are part of a written contract agreement, or with specific permission. This restriction INCLUDES: downloading for personal or public use, use in other electronic formats, emailing images or text, re-printing or publishing in any format, resale, copying an image or product idea to pass off as your own. All images are the intellectual and creative property of the artist and/or the client for whom they were created — as the case may be in a contractual agreement. Any alteration or unauthorized use violates the copyright restrictions that have been here set forth.
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