MEETINGS

Board Meeting 10am-Noon

General Meeting and Virtual Demo 1-3pm

Painting the Sky in Plein Air

Maryann McGraw has developed a unique relationship with nature and art. She has spent her entire adult life living in the West and in Placitas, NM since 1993. In 2001, Maryann began to paint en plein air in pastel, concentrating on New Mexico's scenic vistas and how time and seasonal changes affect those places. She also paints intimate vignettes of streams, washes, rock formations, and grasslands. Maryann has a treasured connection to the sea and paints the Pacific Coast of California and in Hawaii annually. She also has a passion for wilderness and paints on wilderness canoe trips to the Boundary Waters Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. Her painting passion also includes cloudscapes, nocturnes and twilight. Her goal is to convey color to the viewer beyond what is captured by a mere glance, but rather by looking deeply and thoughtfully into the view.
She has won numerous awards over the last several years including the People's Choice at the 2019 Plein Air Artists Colorado National Show in Grand Lake, the Award of Excellence for dry media at the 2019 PAPNM 11th Juried Members Show, and in 2020 the Enchanted Sky Award for her painting "Mid-Morning, Waiting for Rain," at the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Santa Fe Plein Air Fiesta.

Recording available to watch on our PSC Group Facebook page

ROUNDTABLE: Discussion is about Composition
Time and Date: Friday, January 22, 2021,
from 1:00-2:30 MT.

Demo 1-3pm
Robin Thornhill
http://robinthornhill.com/

Whether working in oil, pastel, or encaustic, Robin Thornhill's atmospheric paintings evoke a sense of stability and peace. Strongly influenced by John Singer Sargent, the tactile quality of her work makes the timeless beauty of the New England landscape substantially present. "There is so much chaos in the world that people forget to look for beauty and goodness," says Robin. "I want to remind them it's here" as tangible as the materials I use and as real as I am." The sublime becomes grounded by the presence of her hand in the work. Best known for her landscapes, Robin's recent experiments with abstraction are also receiving recognition. In this work, her authorship becomes even more apparent as she utilizes mixed media to develop her exploration of the theme of time.
Robin is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, a juried member of Oil Painters of America and The National Association of Women Artists, a member of the Newburyport Art Association and the Experimental Art Group of Rockport, Massachusetts.

ROUNDTABLE: Discussion is about SNOW
Time and Date: Friday, February 19, 2021,
from 1:00-2:30 MT.

Board Meeting 10am-Noon
Demo 1-3pm

Renee Leopardi - Still Life Florals

Renee Leopardi is an award-winning pastel artist residing and exhibiting in New Jersey. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio but moved to New Jersey in 2002 to start a family. Painting with pastels has allowed her to be expressive in ways that she was not finding with other mediums and it has pushed her painting style to become more impressionistic.

Renee finds inspiration in teaching pastel classes and workshops as well as painting from the local landscapes of southern New Jersey; from the ocean and marshes to creeks, woods and farmland.

Her newest works are primarily pastel paintings of local scenery, people and florals.

For more information about Renee's current body of work, exhibition locations, awards and current class schedules, visit www.ReneeLeopardi.com.

ROUNDTABLE: Discussion is about Capturing the Effects of Light
Time and Date: Friday, March 19, 2021,
from 1:00-2:30 MT.

See Jeannette's art at www.JeannetteStutzman.com

Stan Sperlak, born in 1960 in Denver Co. is a regionally and nationally respected pastel painter, a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, an IAPS Master Circle Artist and signature member of the Maryland Pastel Society. A past Director of the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association and has been teaching workshops across the country and at his farm near Cape May, NJ. He has taught many workshops in Colorado and was hosted often by Terry Ludwig. He is also well known for his love of all things nature and science. He writes often about, and includes in his lectures and demos, facts about nature and why things look the way they do. His investigations into aerial and weather phenomena is quite interesting. At his home in Goshen, NJ he has also manifested his creative will into an 80+ works installation sculpture garden on 37 acres. People visit from all over the country to experience the art and nature sanctuary, and see Stan's work in his Amish constructed barn/studio. His works have appeared in numerous magazines and books on painting. Sperlak studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and at the Barn Studio of Art in Millville, NJ with Pat Witt.

On the following pages, please enjoy some of Stan's current inventory of work, all available, and can be shipped. Call or email for pricing. https://thesperlakgallery.com/paintings/

Stan Sperlak
https://thesperlakgallery.com/
Subject "Painting the Dawn with Pastel"

PSC Roundtable
Friday, April 16
1:00-2:30pm

Our Guest Artist for our last Artist Roundtable is Katherine Irish. Her topic is "Layering and Color" and she plans to offer techniques that she finds helpful. This will be a real treat. Put Friday, April 16th, 2021 from 1:00 to 2:30 on your calendar!

See Katherine's website at https://www.katherineirish.com

Board Meeting 10:00am-Noon
Demo 1-3pm

Demo of a Winter Landscape with a Watercolor Underpainting.

Nancy Lewis combines her love for the great outdoors, traveling, and painting. Painting outside in the fresh air is her passion and inspiration for most of her images. With bold brushstrokes, dynamic values range and a unique approach to color use, Lewis' creations capture the amazing changing light of the west.

"I prefer painting in Plein air. I feel like I am connected with my environment, and this charges my passion for painting. While painting outside I see color, textures, values, images in a way that sets my heart on fire. For me, nature is the greatest teacher."

Nancy Lewis actively participates in Plein air events and exhibits her art in local, regional, and national shows. Besides painting in her studio and in regional Plein air events, Nancy Lewis exhibits in art shows locally, regionally, and nationally. She teaches art classes, workshops and is the Western Colorado Coordinator for Plein Air Artists Colorado. (PAAC). Her work can be viewed at the Blue Pig Gallery in Palisade Colorado and online at www.NancyLewisArt.com

Nancy Lewis
https://www.nancylewisart.com/
Landscapes

Topic: Pastel Society of Colorado Monthly Member's Meeting
Time: May 8, 2021 01:00 PM Mountain Time

Click here to watch the Recording

All PSC Annual Meeting by ZOOM, Noon-3pm
GENERAL MEETING STARTS AT 1PM

Board Meeting 10am-Noon

Meeting Location Golden Hotel

Annual Christmas Party
PSC Holiday Get Together & Celebration of Our Year

The meeting will start with Deb Mallory, followed by introducing the new board members for this year and a short news update. The demo will follow with questions being asked during the demo by a moderator.

A little about Nancy Lewis
Nancy Lewis combines her love for the great outdoors, traveling, and painting. Painting outside in the fresh air is her passion and inspiration for most of her images. With bold brushstrokes, dynamic values range and a unique approach to color use, Lewis' creations capture the amazing changing light of the west.

"I started painting outside while traveling on my bike during a 14,000-mile self-supported bicycle trip. I loved it so much when I returned to Colorado, I set up my art studio and started painting full time. "

"I prefer painting in Plein air. I feel like I am connected with my environment, and this charges my passion for painting. While painting outside I see color, textures, values, images in a way that sets my heart on fire. For me, nature is the greatest teacher."

Nancy Lewis actively participates in Plein air events and exhibits her art in local, regional, and national shows. She was the first Artist-in-Residence program at the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument. Nancy has participated in the Zion, Cedar Breaks, Colorado National Monument, Rockville Plein Air Invitational events and in August 2018 was invited to participate in Paint the Peninsula in Washington. Besides painting in her studio and in regional Plein air events, Nancy Lewis exhibits in art shows locally, regionally, and nationally, teaches art classes, workshops and is the Western Colorado Coordinator for Plein Air Artists Colorado. (PAAC). Her work can be viewed at the Blue Pig Gallery in Palisade Colorado and online at www.NancyLewisArt.com

Zoom Demo
A painter's journey is never over. I can no longer remember a beginning and I see no end to my journey.
It is a journey of seeing and then painting how I feel about what I see. I am a product of the West.
Many generations of ranchers, farmers, miners and loggers have shaped my passion for the Western outdoors.
I paint because it takes me to those places I love. My quest is to share that love of painting contemporary
Western America one painting at a time.
I am a local and national award winning artist with a degree in Fine Art from Regis University.
I am a Master Signature member of the Pastel Society of Colorado, a member of the Plein Air Artists of
Colorado (PAAC), American Impressionist Society member and an Associate Member of the Pastel Society of
America.
In July my wife, Grandson and I moved to Grand Junction from Littleton, Colorado

mikeray.com

Zoom demo 3/13/21 from 1-3pm
See newsletter for link and details

Zoom demo 4/10/21 from 1-3pm
See newsletter for zoom link and details

Plein Air Meeting

Annual Christmas Party