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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Peninsula Gallery
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Friday, 12 June 2026
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People often assume my artistic talent was inherited. After all, my grandfather, mother, and father were all artists. But the more I think about it, the more complicated the story becomes. Is artistic talent inherited? Or do we inherit something less obvious – permission, encouragement, curiosity, and a belief that creativity matters? In this post, I explore the question and invite you to weigh in.
More Editions...
A Sketchbook Of Thumbnails
Friday, 25 November 2022
The October 31-pastels-in-31-Days Challenge is well behind us now. The primary purpose of the Challenge is to get something painted each and every day. And this can be oh so hard!! One thing that helps me make this daily practice happen is having a sketchbook of thumbnails. Why is this useful? Because a lot of
Composition in Landscape Painting – A Book Review
Sunday, 12 December 2021
What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to art-making? Perhaps it’s understanding composition – what it is, why it’s important, and how to use it to improve your painting. Certainly, composition is one of the topics I get asked about most frequently. So when I was given the book entitled, Landscape Painting and Composition: An
Childe Hassam, American Impressionist And Master Pastellist
Sunday, 21 September 2014
A couple of days ago, I was flipping through a book I have on the American Impressionist Childe Hassam, Childe Hassam: Impressionist, when the pages opened to a couple of delightful floral pastels. I’m not sure about you, but I only vaguely knew he had done some pastel work. So I thought I’d share a few
10 Reasons To Go On A Painting Holiday Workshop
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
A year and a half ago, Mario Vukelic invited me to lead a painting holiday workshop with Pastel Workshops Croatia. And early this September, it happened! I had an amazing group of six students who were dedicated in their pursuit of pastel painting knowledge. There were times of concentrated silence and times of uncontrolled laughter – all of which filled my heart. And
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The Art Of IAPS 2022
I’m sitting in a comfy chair and looking around at the beautiful surroundings, watching people I know and don’t know go
A Creative Pause at the Start of the Year
There’s a particular kind of pressure that shows up at the start of a new year — especially for artists. Whether the year behind you felt full or frustrating, the urge to rush forward can be surprisingly loud. This studio musing is a gentle invitation to pause, release self-judgement, and begin the year with curiosity rather than pressure.
Paint The BIG Shapes First
Painting the big shapes first establishes the composition and value pattern. Big shapes give your work an underlying strength. Let’s look at five examples!
Seeing Art In The Real vs Online – Does It Matter?
Gail shows you the difference between seeing an Edgar Degas painting online and seeing it in person!
Moving Towards Abstraction – Four Ideas
Friday, 2 May 2025
The Value Scale: How Thumbnail Values Relate To Your Painting
Sunday, 30 June 2019
Painting the Unfamiliar – Scary and Confirming
Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Find Something To Paint En Plein Air Every Time!
Friday, 24 March 2023
Using Black Paper For Pastel Painting
Friday, 15 March 2019
How I Decide What To Paint
Friday, 26 July 2024
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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!!