31st Annual Purely Pastel Exhibition
Our 31st Annual Purely Pastel exhibition features the work of many artists from Canada and internationally.
Exhibition Details
Neilson Park Creative Center
56 Neilson Drive, Etobicoke, ON M9C 1V7
May 31st to June 18, 2022
Award Paintings
Special Exhibition Recognition
Awards
Best in Show: Kinga Chowdhry for Prickly Pear
First Place: Fred Fielding for Frozen Blue
Second Place: Denise Nonomura for A Carpenter’s Tools
Third Place: Susan Typert for Whiskey In A Teacup
Honorable Mentions
Guoyue Dou for Getting Ready
Maria Iva for Albion Hills Marsh
Suzanne Proulx for Resistance
Anu Vedagiri for No Smoking
Members Earning Signature Status
PACJakob BouwmanDalibor DejanovicSuzanne GodboutAdrian SoegandiHelen Van PoortenMPAC-EPVicki Brophey
Online Exhibition Gallery
Juror's Comments
Roberta Combs
MPAC-EP
I am very excited to see the caliber of paintings that our own PAC members have submitted for this show. This jury was called back to revisit the selection more than a couple of times due to the very difficult duty of narrowing down to our participants and award winners. This was a smaller venue than usual, and you who have been successful in our 31st PAC exhibition should all be congratulated!
We are often thinking of ways to grab the attention of jurors. While we may employ the staple rules of creating a painting and be successful in our execution, what we wish to strive for is an elusive quality that steps “outside the box” and transports the viewer with a narrative that stops us in our tracks. Using the potential and unique qualities of soft pastel to create something that speaks louder of dynamic colour, dramatic atmosphere, and shades of emotion that reverberate through a painting takes a lot of skill, some adventure, and a little luck. In the right hands, soft pastels are capable of making simple objects or familiar scenes into dramatic stories.
The award-winning paintings all have unique elements that made them outstanding to the jurors. I Congratulate them on their special recognition in this show.
We all search for that unique “something” because we love to paint. Whether or not you were selected for this show, or an award, I encourage you to keep painting and use your choices to infuse that special element into your next work of art. Sometimes, we can surprise ourselves when the magic appears before us.
CathY Cullis
MPAC
I was an honoured to be invited to jury the PAC’s 31st ‘Purely Pastel’ Annual Juried Exhibition. I want to thank all who were brave enough to submit your work for this show. It was a challenging task to choose which pieces would make the cut for this exhibition.
There are may factors to consider when assessing submitted artwork for inclusion in an exhibition. I looked for originality or creativity in the way the artist’s personal vision or style or was expressed. I looked for artwork that had visual impact, that caused an emotional response and would leave me with the memory of an outstanding piece.
In addition, I asked myself how well does the composition come together as a whole. Did the artist demonstrate the use of the elements and principles of design such as contrasting colors, values, or size, directional marks and positive and negative shapes. Were any of these elements employed to show emphasis in a particular area of the painting to draw the eye to its importance?
Technical skill must be assessed as well. I looked for an expertise in the use of the medium, strong drawing skills or confident mark making. Personal choices in color and values or the use of lost and found edges, can make or break a painting. The elements and personal choices made should pull all areas of the painting together into a cohesive, balanced and noteworthy painting.
Congratulations to all accepted artists and Bravo to the award winners!
Kira Sokolovskaia MPAC
It was a real honour to be a juror for the Purely Pastel exhibition. As it was also my first-time experience, I am sure I will never forget it.
I was a bit scared because of the weight of responsibility but delighted and intrigued at the same time. The good thing is, that I was not a sole juror, so I felt more relieved when I was in doubt. I reckon it is a good approach to have 2-3 jurors for the show, instead of one. This is how we can find a balance of opinions.
I have seen a nice range of different approaches and a variety of techniques that artists used. It was exceptionally interesting.
I hope that you will enjoy this exhibition, no matter if you are watching it online or in person.
I want to congratulate the winners! You’ve done so well!
And I also want to encourage the artists who didn’t make it, to continue working. Please come to the show and take a glance at the paintings. Perhaps you can find useful tips for your own development.
Our Sponsors
Pastel Artists.CA wants to extend its sincere appreciation and gratitude to our generous sponsors. They play a big part in the success of our exhibitions.
