Harry Sargent, Feature Artist for April

Like many art groups, PSST is founded on and completely run by members who volunteer their time -- from a few minutes setting up chairs for meetings each month to many hours organizing an exhibition.

As Exhibitions Chair for Brazosport Art League, host for PSST upcoming exhibition Art of the Pastel, Harry will be hanging the show. So it was natural to ask him about the benefit of volunteering. We loved his answer, that it "broadens my life experiences with the people I associate with and the sense of accomplishment and contribution to my community."

Harry also recommends the website VIRTUAL PAINTOUT in respect to landscapes.  "International sites are selected monthly using GOOGLE EARTH as the source.  Watercolor and pastels are used very effectively and there are no copyright issues since the artist essentially takes a screen-save of a personally selected street view location." Another resource to try out!
Read all of Harry's interview.

Linda Dellandre Demo March 4, 2017 (Click a photo for larger view and arrows to advance)
Watching Linda create the essence of a landscape painting in so short a time is almost like watching the popular time-lapse videos. But she is talking, instructing and painting all at the same time.
Linda began her demo with a presentation on color, from analogous to splits and all in between, simplifying the color wheel in everyday language.
Her demo painting began with squiggles and swipes of color, softly blended together with her famous 49 cent tool, all intended to lead to a subtle, unstructured underpainting. Her drawing was loose, almost non-specific, which lends itself to a painterly finish. Get the darks in, establishing your patterns of light and dark. Gradually paint big shapes into smaller shapes until you finally get down to putting in the tree holes. Linda paints the sky last, with one more tip: vary the color of the sky not only across, but also up and down, just as nature does.
View Linda's Website

Rita Kirkman Demo February 4, 2017 (Click a photo for larger view and arrows to advance)
Rita shared and demonstrated her underpainting and pastel application techniques.  She has perfected her use of the products pictured below, and let us in on her "recipes." We listened, laughed, and admired, all the while knowing that it is Rita's unique touch and eye for composition that makes her work so distinctive. We may try it, but we know we cannot duplicate it. View Rita's website.

Mark Stewart, Judge of Awards for Pastel Society of Southeast Texas Members Only Exhibition, gave an excellent presentation as he handed out awards on March 5, 2017. Stewart voiced his reasons for each selection, and pointed out the paintings' strong points. He also relayed an important message to all artists that a piece of paper (acceptance or award) does not determine the merit of a painting. He encouraged artists to continue to submit entries into juried competitions, to push toward better skills, and not to be deterred from our own inner voice or style.

Back L-R Linda Dellandre (3rd Place), Kathie Skelton (HM Figurative); Anne Maree Healey (HM Still Life); Carolyn Hancock (HM Abstract); Sherry Killingsworth (HM Seascapes); Ana Troutman (2nd Place); Garrett Middaugh (1st Place). Front L-R Barbara Hawkins (HM Landscape); Ann Evers (HM Portraiture); Leigh Ann Kelly (New Member Award). Not Pictured Kouida Putman (HM Animals).

PSST expresses a grateful thank you to St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer, Houston, TX, and to its members for the beautiful setting for our paintings in the Rotunda Gallery.

The exhibition continues through March 26. Many of the paintings are available for purchase, and commissions are available. A portion of gallery proceeds directly benefits the fine arts at St. Luke's and helps to maintain and build the permanent art collection.