Marks of Distinction 2025 has closed. Once again, the show was received with with enthusiasm and appreciation for its high quality and diversity. Over 100 people attended the reception, and we've heard in person and by email how much people think our show is always interesting, beautiful, surprising, and markedly different from others. We are pleased to learn that viewers find Marks of Distinction to be a stand-out show in the pastel world.
If you were not able to see the show in person, a nice video walk-through from Harvard is linked on our Home page, and here are some photos. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts in the rush of the moment, and a number of technical problems downloading images, we have a limited number of good photos to share. But here is a good sample of some happy people as well as of the feel of the reception. Enjoy!
On Saturday, January 11, member and PSA Master and IAPS Eminent pastelist Jeanne Rosier Smith taught our in-person workshop, "Capturing Winter Glow," at Munroe Center for the Arts at Lexington, MA. It was, appropriately, snowing that day, but workshop attendees were undeterred and came out to learn and paint under Jeanne's guidance and inspiration.
Here is Jeanne at work teaching, her finished demo, and a few other pix from a very successful workshop to start out 2025. Everyone did a wonderful job. Thank you, Jeanne!
We had a beautiful reception for a beautiful show on Saturday, September20, well-attended despite the rain. As always, it was a lot of fun and attendees were amazed by the talent and diversity on display. We had a very successful and competitive Silent Auction for pastels and paintings.
With a national show, many award-winners are unable to attend due to distance, so we were thrilled that the top three awardees could be there this year: Jeanne Rosier Smith, 1st, for Alight; Janet Schwartz, 2nd, for Sun Is Bad for Your Skin; and Nancy Culver, 3rd, for Second Wave. We were also touched and honored to have Laurinda O'Connor's husband, mother, daughter, sister, and niece there to receive Laurinda's award. A bitter-sweet day.
Here are a few photos from the event.
We are excited that our 2024 Marks of Distinction show at Fivesparks will be open soon. Here are the usual plus some additional items to look for at our reception:
We hope to see you there at Fivesparks, 7 Fairbank st., Harvard, MA.
Jane
We have improved our process for becoming a Featured Member for two weeks on our Home Page. Now all you have to do is register your interest in participating, and Alexia Rosoff Wilber will reach out to you to arrange dates.
Go to this link to read about the process and register.
We filled two sessions of our lively Teaching Moments workshop in May and June. Karen Israel, Laurinda O'Connor, and I conducted a fun, fast-paced day focused on composition and design; layering color and capturing light; and gesture and mark making. Everyone went home with small studies from each topic--tired by happy. Here arsome iphone snaps from both days. Jane
Our national show, Marks of Distinction, will again be held at Fivesparks in Harvard, MA, August 29-September 30. This year's Jurors of Selection are Loriann Signori and Javad Soleimanpour, and our Judge of Awards is Mim Brooks Fawcett, Curator and Director of Attleboro Arts Museum.
We look forward to another successful show this year and everyone is invited to our awards reception on Sunday, September 10, 2-4 pm for food and drink, music, and celebration of the pastel medium.
Our 1st International Online Pastels Plus Exhibition is open for submissions on Show Submit, and we couldn't be more pleased to offer artists this opportunity to push the boundaries of the pastel medium.
This show allows you to combine pastel with up to 50% other mediums and materials on any surface. With nice prizes and Master Pastelist Pirkko Makela-Haapalinna as juror of selection and awards, this show is not to be missed!
CMPS is offering an artist talk with Marks of Distinction Selection Juror Natasha Isenhour as our last, pre-holiday event of the year. Grab a glass of wine and join us Tue, December 13 at 6 pm to hear about Natasha's residency and work at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico.
We appreciate your registering on our Events page.
Natasha Isenhour, Light and Lines, 12x16
Please join us at our Annual Meeting on Monday, November 14 at 10 a.m., where we will introduce board members for 2023 and say farewell to those stepping down; review our activities and accomplishments for 2022; and give a preview of what's to come. This is also an opportunity for the general membership to come together and for you to raise any questions or suggestions to the Board.
Following this very brief meeting, we will also have an artist talk from one of our MOD Selection jurors, Liz Balkwill.
We hope to see you! A Zoom link will be sent out to all members a few days ahead of the meeting.
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