Unconventional Colours: My Self-Portrait in Quirky Hues
Friday, 22 September 2023
Painting Workshops & Retreats
2025
Upcoming Events:
SANTA FE, New Mexico
4-7 June 2025
This four-day workshop will be studio based. We’re getting the details sorted. In the meantime, check out the Bluebird Studio and let Beth know you’re interested!!
CORFU, Greece
5-12 October 2025
It’s happening! Sooooo excited to see you on this retreat. And hey, we already have two people signed up!! 🎉
COSTA RICA
4-13 December 2025
Art Retreat with Martine, the fab organizer of Rainforest Escape. Last time, it was pretty darn incredible!!
2024
Upcoming Events:
TUSCANY Oct/Nov 2024
18 Oct – 5 Nov 2024
SOLD OUT
Rather than a regular plein air workshop where we do most of the pastel painting on site, I wanted to try something different. Instead, we’ll make sketches and thumbnails and take those back to the villa. Then along with the photos we’ve taken, we’ll use this reference material to build a painting in the studio.
Past Events:
ICAN
30th, May 2023
The workshops will include a variety of breathtaking locations chosen to inspire your creative work. Subjects will include architecture, perspective, landscape, and most articularly texture, tone, and colour, working with the clarity of light that is so much a part of Tuscany’s natural beauty.
Cornwall Festival
20th, August 2023
Gail balances her art practice with creating content for her well-respected blog ‘HowToPastel’ and her online art membership IGNITE! She loves to travel and combines that with her love of teaching, offering workshops worldwide. Her pastels and accompanying instruction are featured in the book ‘Artist’s Drawing Techniques.’
2022
Pastel Live Online
August 18th-20th, 2022
The workshops will include a variety of breathtaking locations chosen to inspire your creative work. Subjects will include architecture, perspective, landscape, and most articularly texture, tone, and colour, working with the clarity of light that is so much a part of Tuscany’s natural beauty.
TUSCANY JUNE 2019
June 18th-20th, 2022
During this 10-day workshop, our focus will be working from life. Much of our time together will be spent painting outdoors on location but since we are lucky enough to have a studio on site, we’ll also spend some time there too.
We’ll go through the process of creating a painting en plein air step-by-step, from choosing what you’re going to paint, to simplifying the scene, to drawing up a thumbnail (a getting-to-know-you tool which also shapes a value pattern for your painting as well as a good composition), to blocking in the big shapes as an
2022 IAPS Convention - Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 18th-20th, 2022
Gail balances her art practice with creating content for her well-respected blog ‘HowToPastel’ and her online art membership IGNITE! She loves to travel and combines that with her love of teaching, offering workshops worldwide. Her pastels and accompanying instruction are featured in the book ‘Artist’s Drawing Techniques.’
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why not check out the blog!
Favorite Tutorials
Understanding Colour Temperature
Friday, 8 September 2023
Working in a Series – Unlocking Creative Potential for Artistic Growth
Friday, 1 September 2023
Adding Figures To Your Landscape
Saturday, 10 June 2023
A Painting of Mother and Son with Miró (Gallery Goers Series)
Thursday, 11 May 2023
Playing With Colour To Create Unique and Bold Paintings
Friday, 7 April 2023
The Making Of “Black Hats” – From Concept To IAPS Exhibition
Friday, 31 March 2023
Latest Edition
Gratitude and the Search for a New Virtual Assistant
Friday, 11 October 2024
Finding a new Virtual Assistant didn’t go as planned… but here’s why I’m still grateful.
Recent Guest Artists
IAPS 2024: Eight Exclusive Artist Interviews!
Friday, 12 July 2024
Join me as I chat with eight incredible pastel artists at the IAPS 2024 Convention.
Julie Freeman – Infusing Life into Every Detail
Friday, 27 September 2024
Julie Freeman, hyperrealist in soft pastels, shares her work and process as well as the evolution of her artist identity and creative expression.
Allison Krajcik – Getting That Inner Glow
Friday, 23 February 2024
Guest Allison Krajcik takes on a journey from watercolour to pastel in her search to capture the inner glow of flowers and seed pods.
Philippine Pastel Artists – Recipient Of An IAPS 2023 Global Society Grant
Friday, 5 January 2024
Philippine Pastel Artists was one of the recipients of the IAPS 2023 Global Society Grants. Let’s find out more about them!
Nicolette van Dam-Through the Looking Glass!
Friday, 8 December 2023
During our recent 31-pastels-in-31-days Challenge, Nicolette van Dam charmed us all with her paintings based on the alphabet and the Alice in Wonderland books.
David Shkolny – Laser Focused In The Landscape
Friday, 17 November 2023
From the importance of a balanced pressure in pastel strokes to the significance of unexpected textures, David Shkolny unveils how he captures the essence of the landscape
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Gail Sibley
Artist. Blogger. Teacher.
My love of pastel and the enjoyment I receive from teaching about pastel inspired the creation of this blog. It has tips, reviews, some opinions:), and all manner of information regarding their use through the years – old and new. Please enjoy!
