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, 7 August 2026
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“I don’t know what to paint.” It’s one of the most common frustrations artists face. Sometimes the answer isn’t finding a more exciting subject – it’s discovering how much one simple object can teach you. Here’s why I keep coming back to pears.
More Editions...
Paula Rego Fearless and Fantastical Artist Dies at 87
Wednesday, 15 June 2022
I’ve been down a deep rabbit hole since 8 June, the date that artist Paula Rego died at age 87. I was saddened to hear about her death, particularly as it struck me that I’d been meaning to do a blog post on this incredibly courageous magnificent artist but that it had now taken her death
Pastel Marvels – Have A Look At My March Choices!
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
Hello hello, Once again it’s the end of the month and so it’s time for my personal and totally subjective selection of 10 pastel marvels for March. I’ve chosen these 10 from the many I have come across over the last 31 days. As always, I’ve had a difficult time choosing my self-imposed 10 choices. I started
Is Artistic Talent Inherited?
Friday, 12 June 2026
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.
David Hockney’s Bedside Note – Why Did He Need It?
Friday, 24 July 2026
When I heard about David Hockney’s bedside note, I smiled. Then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why would one of the world’s most prolific artists need a reminder to get up and work? The more I sat with that question, the more I realised the note wasn’t about motivation at all. It was about something much deeper.
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No Time To Paint? No Excuse! Painting A Plug In 20 Minutes
So you think you have no time to paint? One of the things I learned doing the 31 in 31 challenge
Creating Thumbnails En Plein Air (My Mexico Paintings)
Gail shares why she can’t live without these tiny companions even when racing the clock on location.
Pastel Painting Tip – my secret to toning Wallis paper
I’m pretty pumped! I just uploaded a video to YouTube about how I tone Wallis sanded pastel paper with watercolour. I’d
How to sort a new box of soft pastels into values
It’s about time I published a new video with a pastel painting tip. So here it is! I talk about
Painting Small Details with Pastels Using Big, Chunky Sticks
Friday, 26 June 2026
Paint The BIG Shapes First
Friday, 24 November 2023
Why Explore A Single Subject? Here Are Some Thoughts
Thursday, 18 October 2018
A Lesson From A Plein Air Pastel Painted In La Manzanilla
Tuesday, 24 February 2015
Using The Unison Colour 36-Set Of Pastels – My Experience
Friday, 2 November 2018
Push Your Creativity with the Restriction of a Limited Palette
Wednesday, 10 August 2016
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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!!