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Copyright 2009 Pastel Society of America. All Rights Reserved |
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Resources Frequently Asked Questions |
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Answers to our most frequently asked questions. Please feel free to contact PSA for information not addressed in this section. |
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Identifying a Pastel Artist
Q: I have just received two pastels from my Mother that are of her grandparents, so they are my great grandparents. They have Frederick Witton's name and year 46. Do you have any information on this artist? These are family heirs so I would like to know a little about them. I have searched the internet, but could not find any info.
PSA can only advise you to do a Google search on the internet. You may inquire at your local public library on how to do a proper computer search or a hard copy search for an artist by name. |
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Membership
Q: What is the criteria for Signature membership?
A: The Pastel Society of America membership jury's decision to award PSA signature status is based entirely upon the the quality of the three paintings submitted. The jury does not know the name of the applicant nor does the jury consider an applicant's resume. The three works should be of equal consistent outstanding quality. Two exceptional works accompanied by one mediocre work or one exceptional work accompanied by two weak works will disqualify the applicant for signature status.
The criteria the jury considers are: consistency in style for the three slides, originality of subject matter and interpretation of it. The rendering of subject matter, and elements of composition are important as well as correct perspective. As juries consist of individuals, interpretations of these ceriteria can vary.
Pastels sent for the jury's consideration should be original art and not copied from professional photographs. Work done in a class or under a teacher's supervision in a workshop is not eligible.
Signature membership requires a majority vote of the jury.
PSA offers a critique of three slides for $40.
Jimmy Wright, PSA, Master Pastelist & Mary Hargrave, PSA, Corresponding Secretary
Q: I am a Signature member of PSA who has been out of touch with PSA and have not paid my dues since 2003. How do I reinstate my membership and Signature status?
A: You could pay all the back dues from 2003 to have your membership and Signature status reinstated. Or you could apply for membership as a non-member. As a non-member, the PSA membership jury will decided whether to jury you as a Signature member or Associate member or reject your application. As a new member you would pay dues for one year and an initiation fee.
You can find the Application for Membership on Pastel Society of America website under MEMBERSHIP. You can download and complete the application as a non-member and submit it with 3 slides for jurying. We look forward to having you back as an active member.
Mary Hargrave, PSA, Corresponding Secretary
Q: Is the decision to award signature status more dependent upon the quality of the three paintings presented, or does the artist's resume figure in highly?
A: The Pastel Society of America membership jury's decision to award PSA signature status is based entirely upon the the quality of the three paintings submitted. The jury does not know the name of the applicant nor does the jury consider an applicant's resume. The three works should be of equal consistent outstanding quality. Two exceptional works accompanied by one mediocre work or one exceptional work accompanied by two weak works will disqualify the applicant for signature status.
Jimmy Wright, PSA, Master Pastelist
Q: How does an artist prepare digital images to enter the PSA Annual or to apply for membership?
A: Please review the document "From Finished Artwork to CD"
Leslie Lillien Levy, PSA |
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Miscellaneous
Q: If you take a photo of someone in a public place - at a parade, at a fair, etc., can you safely and freely (legally) paint them? The person normally would not know unless you got some kind of publicity where it was published such as a magazine article or something like that. So, if the person did discover that you painted them, what could they do? What if you sold the painting and got money for it?
A: PSA can not give legal advise.
I am not aware of an artist being sued for painting a person in a street scene.
However, a famous contemporary photographer, Philip-Lorcia DiCorcia, was sued by a man who was photographed on the street.
Nussenzweig v.DiCorcia is a decision by the new York Supreme Court in New York County, holding that a photographer could display, publish and sell (at least in limited editions) "street photographs" without the consent of the subjects of those photographs.
Q: I am an oil painter who wants to use chalk pastels with my oil painting. Can you point me to a website that talks about these two mediums being used together?
A: Oil pastels are compatible with oil paint because they are made with a formula of oil based pigments and soft wax that hardens when exposed to air. Oil pastels will dissolve with mineral spirits or turpentine. Oil pastels can be used between layers of oil paint during various stages of making the painting. Sennelier, the French art material manufacturer, first developed oil pastels for Picasso.
The German expressionist painter Max Beckman sometimes combined soft pastel with oil. The pastel would be used as a preliminary sketch on the canvas. Oil paint can be applied over the soft pastel. The solvents in the oil paint will penetrate the soft pastel. Edges of form sketched in pastel can be left exposed on the finished oil painted canvas. Even large areas of soft pastel can be free of oil paint application. Large areas of pastel would need protection with a light coat of a varnished based pastel fixative such as Sennelier or Winsor Newton. Do not use an acrylic based fixative such as Krylon or Lasvaux on oil paint. Mask off the surrounding areas of the oil painting when applying the fixative.
Pastel applied to the surface of dried oil paint will easily rub off even if fixed.
An example of a contemporary artist who uses pastel combined with oil paint on linen canvas is Irving Petlin.
Jimmy Wright, PSA, Master Pastelist |
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America’s Oldest Existing Pastel Society |
