Sheila M. Evans

Whoo-hoo! I just got the April Issue of the Pastel Journal in my mailbox. I needed a little pick-me-up and some pastel inspiration, so perfect timing!

April’s issue is the Pastel 100 issue, where they publish the winners in their Pastel 100 competition. The Pastel 100 jury picks a total of 100 winning pastel paintings divided between five categories: Landscape, Portrait and Figure, Animal and Wildlife, Floral and Still Life, and Abstract and Non-Objective.

I received an honorable mention in two different categories this year: one in Still Life and Floral, and one in Abstract and Non-Objective. I’ve made honorable mention twice before in Still Life, so while that win is exciting for me, it is not nearly so much so as my award in Abstract. This was my first abstract entry, so when I won with Tapenade (right) I was thrilled.

Tapenade is part of my very new Moongazer series (working title, subject to change). I only have a few pieces so far. Never having done abstract work in the past, I had no idea what to expect with these paintings. I made just a few pieces, then had to go back to my earlier series to create work for shows.

(When jurying into shows you must present a cohesive body of work, and you must arrive at the show with the same work you presented to the jury. This new series is far too different to show alongside my other work. I’ll need to paint a boothful of Moongazers before I can jury with them.)

I’ll probably start working in pastel again in a few weeks, so I’m excited to have the inspiration of the Pastel 100. I entered my Ambient series for 2009 shows, so I will be concentrating on that for a while. And I’ll throw in some some hydrangeas, since they play well with others. But after that, I want to devote some real time to the Moongazers. I can’t wait to get started!

To see my winning Still Life and Floral piece, click here .