It was a great honour to be asked to adjudicate the Pastel Artists Online Show this year. Although I was delighted to take on the task of selecting the show and its winners, it was far from easy. I found it most difficult to narrow down the Honourable Mention category. I would have chosen at least a dozen of them if I had been allowed. 

Over the years, I have experienced my share of juried shows, with many rejected pieces, and a handful of accepted ones. Artistic growth comes from understanding the reason for a rejection but also appreciating the qualities and criteria that a selected work displays. When your painting is among hundreds of others, it is a great accomplishment to be accepted into any juried show. 

Design elements that I was looking for specifically include well-drawn, accurate renditions of subject matter, texture and use of line, and most importantly painting light. It’s one thing to paint a landscape or a still life and accurately translate the subject onto paper. It’s another thing to use the spectrum of sunlight to help bring that same to painting to life. Light is what gives a painting that magical quality that the viewer falls in love with. Understanding how to describe the spectrum of light, whether it be in shadow, or in a highlight, is a skill that is worth working towards. 

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the selected paintings as much as I did. What a joy to spend time looking at and appreciating the skill and dedication of so many Canadian pastel artists!