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, 24 July 2026
4 Comments
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.
More Editions...
Sennelier Facebook contest!
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
If you are a member of Facebook and a lover of pastels then rush to enter Sennelier’s Facebook contest posted a few days ago. Here’s what they have to say: “On the road for Summer or Winter ? No matter which side of the Earth you are, you can enter the draw to win
Jeri Greenberg – On Loving Still Life
Friday, 18 September 2020
Hey! It’s time for another guest post. Whoo hoo! And I was thinking it was time to move to the still life as subject. With this thought came berries in glass and unmade beds….namely the work of this month’s guest, Jeri Greenberg! I’ve featured Jeri’s work three times in my monthly roundups. The first was
Richard McKinley – The Journey Never Ends
Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Ohhhhhhh I am sooooooo excited. I have a very special (yes, very!) guest for you. This is an artist I have admired for years. I know many of you feel the same way about this pastel (and oil) artist. It is my privilege to welcome Richard McKinley to the HowToPastel blog. I am thrilled he said
Seeing Colour In Greys – “Sipping Patrón”
Thursday, 3 February 2022
If you know me, you know I LOVE colour! I love painting with bright colours and then, when needed, layering pastels to create greys. This de-intensifies the saturated colours. Seeing colours in greys can sometimes be tricky. It all just looks grey! With time, deep looking, and the tips below, you’ll see the colour that’s there in the grey! And I’ve just made
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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!
Lack Of Colour Choices Will Get Your Creativity Flowing
If all you have is a limited palette, a lack of colour choices can stop you from painting some subjects. I’m
Lorenzo Chavez – Plein Air Painter of The American West
I’m always in awe of artists whose main body of work is made up of work they’ve done en plein air.
Find Something To Paint En Plein Air Every Time!
Sometimes it really is difficult to find something to paint when on location. Gail Sibley offers five tips for when the going gets tough.
How To Choose Different Value Options For Thumbnails
Friday, 31 May 2024
How To Make Changes in Pastel – My Approach
Friday, 5 July 2024
Creating Art Is Hard Work!!
Friday, 4 September 2020
![Pastels on black aper: Gail Sibley, "Untitled [at this point], Mount Vision pastels on Sansfix pastel card, 5 1/2 x 7 3/4 in](https://www.howtopastel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_9649-2.jpeg)
Using Pastels On Black Paper
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
Colour Schemes And How I Don’t Use Them
Saturday, 28 July 2018
Making Abstract Art – One Way To Do This
Thursday, 14 February 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!!