While you were mark making...

...a few words from Signe

What's really fantastic about the way our founding members structured APS, on an annual basis, we get the chance to revitalize our leadership with new energy. It is because of that new energy we advance forward and improve our art and continue to sustain our organization. April 15 is the deadline for Officer nominations and Chair opportunities. We encourage all our members to volunteer in a function that could be a great fit to advance our cause. It is a great way to network within the art community and have fun. My primary mission upon taking on the role of Interim President was for us to have fun. I hope we've accomplished that and more.

In this issue

March Meeting

Nominations Please

Experience Share

Stop and Smell the Roses

Something to Think About with Natasha Isenhour

Member Announcements

Nuts & Bolts with Lindy and Sarah

Competition Corner

2025 Calendar at a Glance

Karen Vernon

Painting at Precision

Art school was in session at our March meeting. Fifteen members were treated to a generous two hours of instruction by a true gem to the art community, Karen Vernon. As a colorist she states, "I paint light as light creates color. I don't use black, grays or browns, but instead, I seek to create neutrals by eliminating intensity...the same as light subtracts light and hue."

The best part of our day was feeding off of each other's energy. Adding to that positive energy, Karen looked over our shoulders and provided direction when asked. It was a highly interactive exchange.

"I loved hearing from Karen and seeing everyone's art.

No two pieces were the same, but they were all so creative, each with a unique perspective."

- Sarah Witzmann Leslie

And the Nominees are...

Here is your chance to throw your hat in the ring or nominate someone for the following open Officer(s) or Chairperson positions. Each to serve two-year terms:

- President and Vice President Programs

- 2026 Celebrate Pastels! Chair(s) - we have already secured a Juror.

- Zoom/AV Chair...good news! Anna Lisa Leal has volunteered.

We've made it simple to nominate. Just send an email to Lindy Rustam (APS Secretary) at lavillalindy@gmail.com

- All nominations must be in no later than Tuesday, April 15.

- Ballots will be distributed via email Thursday, April 17.

- Your vote must be returned to Lindy no later than Friday,
April 25.

- Results will be announced on Sunday, April 27 meeting at Precision.

Signe Cox will be happy to send out job descriptions upon request.

Gain from Our Experience

"Stop and Smell the Roses"

The Antique Rose Emporium

We're hosting our second plein air event of the 2024-2025 season. Austin Pastel Society and Central Texas Pastel Society will be traveling Saturday, May 3rd at 8:30 am to The Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham, TX. APS will be renting a 15-passenger van to carry us and our gear to the gardens. It is a 90-minute trip, so we need to leave on time. The van will be parked at Signe Cox's house in Bastrop. Come early so we have time to get everything loaded. We will be ordering lunch from "Must Be Heaven" - a quaint little restaurant in Brenham. We will confirm your RSVP with more details and a sandwich/salad lunch menu. Please bring your own beverages and snacks. It is our intention to make this an enjoyable yet inexpensive event. We have settled on $30.00 to pay for lunch and transportation. You can pay cash or check the day of the event.

The plan is to paint for a couple of hours, break for lunch and then, JUST FOR FUN, Karen Vernon will judge the top three paintings. Also, this is your chance to freshen up your personal gardens with Texas Natives and beautiful Antique Roses. A gift shop is also on site.

Please RSVP Signe Cox no later than April 24th webmaster@austinpastelsociety.com

Something to Think About

Tip of the Month by

Natasha Isenhour...

Competition, great word with reference to sports, frankly, pretty cringeworthy to me with regard to Art. When I enter a "competition" I go into it knowing, there is no loser. I lose nothing by entering. The only thing my painting can possibly be in competition with is the last painting that I painted. So, if my work happens to stand out to a judge, it's because the planets aligned.

I crossed all my T's and dotted all my I's in terms of composition, technique and other time-honored elements of a "great" painting that the particular judge holds as a priority.
I managed to get across my emotion about the subject and fortunately this particular judge managed to resonate with that.

That pretty much sums up how to come out with a win. Over-simplified of course as there are dozens of other considerations that factor in. But you get the gist. So, if I "win," great! If I don't, then

well, nothing! I cannot take it personally, and I cannot categorically say I had a bad entry (see above items 1 and 2).

So, here is how I handle competitions...

I enter only my best work.
I support local shows but mostly aim for big shows I feel are going to be difficult to get into.
I embrace rejection (of course I'd much rather have my painting recognized). I look at what gets in/wins and study the attributes of those works.
I KEEP DOING IT!

Believe in what you do and if you want in a show badly enough, start entering right now and don't stop until you get in. Do NOT put all your eggs in one basket. Branch out, try lots of things! After all, there is no loser, but you only have an opportunity to win if you stick your neck out there.

APS Member Announcements

Jody Martin Honored as

Legacy Artist

Congratulations to Jody Martin for being selected Legacy Artist at Art on the Llano Estacado this year at the Texas Tech Museum in Lubbock, TX. It is their annual fund-raising event with dinner, live music, bid books, etc. The event features artwork from forty different artists, each with six paintings or sculptures. Jody, however, will be showing 25-30 pastels. What an accomplishment!

Rita Kirkman

Pastel Workshops

August 18 thru 20 Midland, TX

Contact:

Dee Kemp deeckemp@gmail.com or,

Sherry Thomas thomasstudioart432@gmail.com

Nuts & Bolts...with Lindy and Sarah

From Lindy Rustam...Membership Chair

As of March 26, APS has 82 members! I would like you to please extend a warm welcome to Becky Smith of Lago Vista, Sarah Leslie of Cedar Park, and Deborah LoJacono-Vasquez of West Lake Hills who have recently joined us as we celebrate the joy of pastels!

You might also be interested about the diverse demographics of our APS members:

42 members are local to Austin

16 members live more than 50 miles away

10 members live more than 100 miles away

6 members live more than 200 miles away

8 members are from out of state! WOW! 40 of our members live 50+ miles away...

From Sarah Tacker...Treasurer

I think it is important that we hold a workshop coupled with the Annual Membership Juried Exhibition (AJME) historically both held in March. As we plan the new season, for those who step up and want to Chair these events, the funds collected from the exhibit fees hasn't been enough to cover the guest juror costs. We need some of the workshop income to offset it.

Competition Corner

Studio Texas' 2025 Online Competition is up on ShowSubmit. Registration runs Aprill 15 - June 23. The show will be up online for a year. $5,000 in cash prizes, plus manufacturers' awards. Diane Mason of Loveland, CO, and Robert Burridge of Arroyo Grande, California are the Jurors.

We've introduced a quick link for convenience that will take you to details for our upcoming events. Click link below.

2025 Calendar at a Glance

January 19 - Anna Lisa Leal "Big and Shiny"

February 10 - March 3 AJME "Celebrating Pastels!" Exhibit at A05 Gallery

February 21 - Celebrating Pastels Awards Reception at A05 Gallery

February 22 & 23 - Desmond O'Hagan Workshop - Cordovan Art School

March 23 - "Painting at Precision" with Karen Vernon

April 27 - "Experience Share" with Top Pastelist Panel

May 3 - APS/CTPS Joint Plein Air event in Brenham, TX - Antique Rose Emporium

May 18 - New Mexico Skyscape artist Kathryn Irish

June 22 - Installment of Officers

July & August Break

September thru December dates TBD.

**There will be no garage sale this year.

APS Officers

Signe Cox, President . Sarah Tacker, Treasurer

. Lindy Rustam, Secretary & Membership Chair

Newsletter Submissions

"Pastelist" is published monthly. Deadline for May edition copy and photos is April 30th. Send copy and JPG images to Signe Cox: webmaster@austinpastelsociety.org