We hope you can join us in March for one of the most prestigious pastel painting shows in the country! Sorrel Sky Gallery Santa Fe has been chosen as the new venue for the 26th National Pastel Painting Exhibition of the Pastel Society of New Mexico.
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2016 PSNM 2nd Place - NM Evening by Bonnie Williams[/caption]
Join us for the opening reception is on March 2, 2018, from 5-7pm at the gallery’s downtown location, 125 W Palace Ave, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Or visit us anytime during the entire month of March while the exhibition is on view. There’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy, as subject matter is not restricted. You’ll be moved and amazed by portraits, landscapes, skyscapes, street and cityscapes, still lifes and more.
“With their enduring and luminous nature, pastel paintings are experiencing a resurgence of interest among collectors and art enthusiasts. We see it as an honor to be chosen as the new venue of the Pastel Society of New Mexico, and to lend our support to this group of skilled and gifted artists.” - Shanan Campbell Wells
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Boating Party by Pierre Auguste Renoir (Boston Museum of Fine Arts)
Dancers by Edgar Degas (Toledo Museum of Art)[/caption]
Used for centuries as a sketching medium, many notable fine artists began using pastels for their finished work. Cassatt, Degas, Renoir, Redon, Manet, Delacroix, Toulouse-Lautrec, Bonnard, and the American Impressionists such as Whistler, Hassam, Prendergast, and Chase, are among the many examples of now-famous artists who used pastels. Wolf Kahn, Daniel Greene, and Janet Fish are among the current internationally known artists who have worked extensively in pastel.
Pastel paintings reflect light like a prism, with a brilliance that never fades.
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2016 People's Choice - Sunlit by Sarah Blumenschein[/caption]
In recent years, pastel has undergone a revival as a collector’s medium, as a pastel correctly handled and framed, will hold its vibrant color, and its value, for generations to come. No other medium has the same power of color or stability, emitting a vibrancy that oil cannot due to the yellowing of the mediums in the oil. Although the pigments used to create pastels are the same as those used in watercolor and oil paints, the binder, the material used to hold the pigment together, is dry instead of a liquid. When viewed under a microscope, a particle of pastel pigment looks like a many-faceted diamond. The result? Pastel paintings that reflect light like a prism, with a clarity and brilliance that never fades, darkens, cracks or yellows.
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2016 PSNM 1st Place - Yes, That's Dinner by John Dolan[/caption]
Pastel Society of New Mexico (PSNM) has held a national juried exhibition annually since 1991, attracting artists from across the United States, Canada, and Europe. PSNM has been at the forefront of establishing an annual pastel painting exhibition since 1989 when a small group of artists began promoting both knowledge of and appreciation for, the soft pastel medium. Now considered to be among the most prestigious shows in the country, this event yearly draws upwards of 150 artists, each submitting up to 3 pieces of artwork completed during the past 24 months. Jurors select an average of 140-145 pieces depending on scoring. This year, Dinah Worman will be judging the final pieces chosen by three nationally recognized artists serving as jurors: Susan Ogilvie, Jeanne Rosier Smith, and Frederick Somers.
Be sure to mark your calendars and join us for this amazing show and exhibition. Sorrel Sky Gallery’s visionary approach to Western art allows you, as either a new or experienced art enthusiasts, the opportunity to select from a distinctive collection of contemporary and traditional fine art and jewelry. Founded in Durango, CO in 2002, Sorrel Sky Gallery opened its second location in Santa Fe, NM in 2014. Representing several acclaimed and renowned painters, sculptors and jewelers, including Kevin Red Star, Star Liana York, and former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse, among others.