Soft Pastel Stories
Learn new techniques, hear artist's stories, and stay up to date on Soft Pastel News.
I walk every day and there are some places I feel drawn to more than others. When I stand looking in a familiar place, it’s not just about observing it, it’s about feeling it and knowing it. Reading the locational energy of a place, a place that has become so familiar, so loved through all…
When asked to choose favourite pieces of art, it fills me with both joy and a sense of dread at the same time.
As artists, like in lots of other aspects of life, it is good to have a number of tools in our toolbox. It is even better if we keep them nice and sharp through practice but, hey, we don’t always manage that – do we?
I was delighted to be asked by Stephen Fuller and Unison Colour to share with you 5 of my favourite paintings and tell you a little bit about what makes them so special to me and their relevance to my painting practice.
First of all, I would like to thank Unison Colour for the honour of having the opportunity to be a guest curator of Eye catchers, my selection of 10 images posted on the Unison Colour Soft Pastelling Community Facebook Group in September.
Earlier this year, we were approached by Jan Mayer and Matt Lawrence of Drawing Cabaret Couture (DCC Studios) to curate a selection of special pastel sets for art students to use during London Fashion Week. It’s safe to say, we jumped at the opportunity. DCC Studios is a London based production team specialising in creating…
What a wonderful month of artwork showcased on our Unison Colour community page. I had the great privilege of being the August 2025 Eye Catchers curator, with thanks to Lynn Howarth. As a travelling wildlife artist, I am drawn to wild places that evoke emotion and draw me into a place that holds my imagination.
When I first studied classical drawing, students were limited to only black and white, later they were allowed to use a few earth tones. The idea is to learn to see in tone, not in colour. As a teacher, I have used this method of limiting students at the beginning, to black and white. You…
When I first discovered Bob Ross, I was immediately captivated - not just by his gentle voice and soothing presence, but by the way he made art feel accessible to everyone.
I decided to select a wide range of subjects and styles which I feel reflects the wonderful breadth of works created and posted in this super talented Unison Colour Soft Pastelling Community. So here are my top ten Eye Catchers for July!
Next in the series of 'Me and My 5' blogs is Unison Colour Associate Artist, Gareth Jones. Gareth is particularly known for his exquisite seascapes and landscapes, which combine exceptional pastelling talent with an ability to connect with the observer.
Someone recently told me they thought my soft pastel paintings of Norwegian waterfalls looked a little dangerous. That they looked punk. I’m not sure they realised how right they were. The way I capture the energy of Manafossen, Odnesfossen, Kjelfossen and all of the other fossen is to lock myself in the studio and turn…
