". . . a brush with nature"

As a pastel artist I am often questioned about the qualities of pastels. Examples of some questions are, whether they are just “chalk” (No!); whether they are as versatile as other mediums (Yes!); whether they have the longevity of oils (Yes); whether the same depth, sense of light or richness can be achieved when working with them (Certainly) . . . and the list goes on and on. 

I have written several blogs and articles in the past addressing all of these questions and expressing just how much I LOVE working with pastels. They truly are a passion of mine. 

But an exhibit that just opened at the J. Paul Getty Museum will certainly answer any questions about pastels and express the importance and archival nature of them better than I ever could. And as Andrew Webster noted in an article he wrote about this exhibit for Fine Art Today, “… pastel offered luminosity similar to oil paints and a unique texture that lent itself to the lavish textiles and fabrics used in clothing of the era.”

Fashionable Likeness: Pastel Portraits in 18th-Century Britain runs through May 7, 2017.