About
the blog for soft pastel art lovers
Inspired by my love of pastels and the enjoyment I receive from teaching about them the How to Pastel Blog has tips & tricks, reviews, step-by-step progressions, guest bloggers, and a great community on Facebook.
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A bit about me
I am very lucky to have been born and brought up in Jamaica, a land of beauty and complexity, of warmth and coolness, of vibrancy and tension. Many say that my Caribbean upbringing influenced my palette and I think they may be right. I do know that it shaped my worldview. Check out these sites to learn more about me and my work.
My Art Practice
Gail Sibley
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Art School
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Peninsula Gallery
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Friday, 19 December 2025
4 Comments
Entering art competitions can be exciting, daunting, and deeply personal. In this guest post, Michael Freeman shares thoughtful, experience-based insights into navigating the competitions landscape — from deciding whether competitions are right for you, to improving your chances of acceptance, and handling disappointment when things don’t go your way. Grounded, honest, and practical, his reflections help artists approach competitions with clarity, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
More Editions...
September’s Sensational Pastels (and being in Pratique Des Arts)
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Ahhhhhh it’s that time of month to share my pick of 10 sensational pastels from the oh so many I saw last month. Because the Pastel Society of America’s annual show, Enduring Brilliance, took place this month, there were even more to choose from. (I didn’t go to the actual page but rather selected pieces as
Liz Haywood-Sullivan – Be A Cloud Chaser!
Friday, 22 November 2019
Clouds – beautiful yet oh so tricky to paint! They often turn out looking too dark in a painting. They can also look toooooo solid. And what about when they look a bit two-dimensional?! Argh!! Enter Liz Haywood-Sullivan! Liz is a master at painting clouds and all manner of skies. I knew she’d be able
June’s Unique Pastels – All Manner Of Subjects And Styles In Pastel
Thursday, 6 July 2017
Can someone please tell me how in the world we’re already halfway through the year?! I mean really! Okay so it’s July which means it’s time fooooorrrr (drum roll) June’s unique pastels! Here are the ten I’ve chosen from the many pastel paintings collected over the month of June. As always, I’ve tried to cover different
I Don’t Know What To Paint (And Why That’s Not Really the Problem)
Friday, 21 February 2025
“I don’t know what to paint”—sound familiar? The real issue might not be a lack of ideas but something deeper. Let’s explore six common obstacles and how to move past them!
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Kathy Hildebrandt – Painting Childhood Memories
As we approach the holiday season, I wondered who I could ask to guest blog, whose work would reflect the season
Emily Christoff Flowers – Find Your Path By Painting What You Love
Sometimes it takes a crisis to allow your unique creative soul to emerge – the part of you that’s ALL you, not someone else’s expectation or
Thumbnail Sketches – What Can Happen If You Deviate From Them!
If you’ve followed me for some time, you know how I encourage (demand?!) the creation and use of thumbnail sketches. These
Ambiguity In Art – How It Can Benefit Your Own Work
Ambiguity in art: art work having several possible interpretations or meanings; of an uncertain nature. And why am I bringing this
The Benefits Of Doing Thumbnails!
Friday, 7 February 2020
Why You Should Paint Even When You Don’t Feel Like It… And Some Gerberas
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Painting en plein air, you can find subject matter anywhere!
Friday, 21 June 2013
How I Decide What To Paint
Friday, 26 July 2024
Seeing With An Artist’s Eye – Aren’t We The Lucky Ones?!
Saturday, 8 August 2020
Value Dominance! How it Can Make (or Break) Your Painting
Friday, 12 March 2021
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6 thoughts on “About”
Gail! Just got turned on to your website by a fellow artist from Wellington, Ontario… both of us former presidents of the Pastel Society of Eastern Canada. I work primarily in pastel and it will always be my medium of choice! I could never give them up! Being a landscape artist for years, I would now like to change things up a bit and try abstract. I was inspired by your article about the progression of your abstract painting…it’s given me the courage to take that (for me) giant leap and go ahead with an image I’ve had in my mind for a long time. Thank you! I look forward to future e-mails! Your’s is one of the best Pastel websites I’ve come across. Look forward to receiving your emails.
Kathryn
Thank you for writing Kathryn, and for your enthusiasm! It comes over loud and clear 🙂 I am wondering which article on abstraction you are referring to. Perhaps you can add a comment directly on the blog? Good luck with your leap. I know how difficult it is to make. It’s ongoing risk-taking that’s for sure! Please let me know how it goes.
Look forward to hearing more from you
I just read your article in the April issue of “Pastel Journal”. Thank you so much. I felt as if you were speaking directly to me. I am going to tear it out and tape it to my studio wall.
Marcia
Marcia, that’s the best reward a writer/artist could hear!! Thank you for letting me know. (As yet, I still haven’t received my copy!)
Hi Gail. I’m really excited and pleased to have discovered your website. I live in southern Australia and I started painting with pastels a few years ago (self taught) , but went a bit stale after doing a couple of workshops- mostly because the pastel artists here who I came across seem to be very conventional and felt that I wasn’t learning much. I’ve been working in oils since and enjoyed it- as I’ve realised, it’s similar in many ways. You showcase so many exciting works – use of colour, composition etc. , and your quick tips are helping me rethink how to approach my work. Looking forward to hearing more about your workshop in Tasmania, or perhaps one in Europe in a couple of years’ time.
Hi Judi,
Thanks for writing such a lovely introduction to yourself and your work. Certainly oils are similar to pastels in the way one builds a painting. Interesting that! I’m glad though that my blog may bring you back to the pastel side 😀 Even if not, so much of what’s here can be applied to the other media available for painting.
I look forward to having you in one of my workshops whether in Tasmania or Europe!!