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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Friday, 23 October 2026
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Why do our lively, experimental colour studies sometimes turn into cautious, conventional paintings? A Studio Musing about artistic freedom, the pressure to make a ‘proper’ painting, and recognising when we’ve already created something worth keeping.
More Editions...
Tips On Painting An Overcast Day
Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Although painting an overcast day is not something I generally do (I definitely have a preference for sunny days!), while in Spain teaching a plein air workshop at the beginning of May, the weather was more often overcast than sunny. So what could we do except go with what we had? Painting an overcast day
A new pastel demo video! Holly and Negative Space
Sunday, 19 January 2014
The Pastel Demo Video I’m really happy to tell you that I now have another video up on YouTube. Have a look at the video then let me know what you think. In it, I talk a bit about using negative space. Was it helpful? Did you understand what I meant? Leave me a comment
Action Is The Antidote To What Ails You!
Friday, 15 May 2020
I don’t know about you but for the past few days, weeks even, I’ve been feeling a bit listless, a bit blah, a bit draggy. Sure I have work to keep me occupied, for instance, the work I need to do preparing classes, critiques, and demos for my IGNITE! membership, and the work I’ve been
This Painting Was Finished Before I Knew It!
Sunday, 27 April 2014
Have you ever had the experience of a painting that was done before you knew it? Well, this painting was finished before I had a clue. I couldn’t think of what more to do – should I add colour, should I add more detail, should I…what? It happened so quickly that I couldn’t believe it was actually finished. I put it away
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Value Dominance! How it Can Make (or Break) Your Painting
Recently in my IGNITE! art-making membership, I asked members: What’s your favourite lesson so far? Happily, many of them said they
Gratitude and the Search for a New Virtual Assistant
Finding a new Virtual Assistant didn’t go as planned… but here’s why I’m still grateful.
Lyn Diefenbach – Revealing The Complexity Of The Natural World
I met Lyn Diefenbach at this year’s IAPS convention. I had featured her self-portrait in one of my monthly roundups and admired
Your Art Has Value! 6 Points To Consider
Time to brush off those money taboos. Join me as we redefine the relationship between art and the currency it deserves.
Working Through The Ugly Stage – Yes You Can!
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
A Painting of Mother and Son with Miró (Gallery Goers Series)
Thursday, 11 May 2023
Pastel Painting Tip video #2
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Overworked Pastel? No Problem! Just Rework It
Sunday, 11 January 2015
Painting metal – my newest pastel video!
Sunday, 1 December 2013
The Value Scale: How Thumbnail Values Relate To Your Painting
Sunday, 30 June 2019
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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!!