PAC

Maria is a landscape painter and instructor known for her impressionistic style and vibrant colorist approach. Inspired by the beauty of Ontario’s provincial parks, she captures the beauty of nature through dynamic, en plein air pastel sketches and richly textured works on sanded paper. Her pastel pieces feature luminous depth, and showcase bold and expressive strokes. An experienced teacher, she breaks down techniques into clear steps for easy learning.

Working with soft pastels on sanded paper, Maria intricately captures the beauty of Ontario's nature throughout the changing seasons. Her technique is deeply rooted in the impressionistic colorist approach, which emphasizes the use of vibrant colors and bold strokes to convey the essence of a scene rather than its exact details. By applying many layers of pastels, Maria builds up texture and depth in her compositions, allowing her to create a sense of movement and energy that reflects the dynamic interplay of light and shadow in the natural world. As a sought-after instructor, Maria teaches pastel techniques in clear, manageable steps, inspiring creativity and confidence in her students.

Winter Scene

ICAN 2025 - Studio A West
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Half-Day Workshop

Join Maria Iva (PAC) for an engaging half-day workshop designed for pastel artists eager to refine their skills and explore the unique challenges of painting winter landscapes. This workshop focuses on techniques to create luminous and textured winter scenes that capture the mood and beauty of the season.

Maria will share her expertise in planning compositions specifically for winter subjects, guiding participants through techniques to emphasize contrast, manage color variations, and evoke depth and atmosphere.

With step-by-step demonstrations and ample one-on-one guidance, participants will gain insights into layering colors for vibrancy, achieving expressive strokes, and balancing light and shadow effectively. The workshop provides the perfect opportunity to explore nuanced approaches that bring energy and emotion to your work while allowing you to complete a winter-themed pastel painting.
This workshop is tailored for artists with some prior experience in dry pastels who are looking to push their skills further.

Pre-order your supplies from Studio Six or Wyndham Art Supplies at a discounted rate* and have them delivered to the conference! See Studio Six offer details. See Wyndham Art Supplies offer details.

Workshop Material List

• This workshop is for SOFT pastel technique. NO oil pastels, please.
  Assortment of both softer and harder dry pastels in colors suitable for painting landscapes (blue, green, red, orange, yellow, turquoise and purple in light, dark, cool and warm versions). Rembrandt, Nupastels are some of the harder brands. Unison, Terry Ludwig, Great American Artworks, Sennelier, Mount Vision are examples of softer brands. We will use harder pastels for the underpainting and paint the rest with softer pastels. If you are new to soft pastels you will be doing most of your work with harder pastels.
• UART grit 320 or 400 or 500 SANDED pastel paper. Off white color only. Sizes 9X12 or 12×16. Could be purchased on Amazon.ca, in DeSerres Art Supplies store (in person and on-line) or in Above Ground. Premier Sanded pastel paper is good too. It is important to bring sanded paper as it will have to take many layers of pastels.
• One sheet of foam board (preferably black) to mount pastel paper on. Should be large enough to allow a few extra inches of boarder all around pastel paper.
• Masking tape for mounting paper on board (black preferred, but white is ok too).
• Easel
• Rubbing Alcohol 70-99%.
• Really small container for rubbing alcohol
• Bristle brush for underpainting size 8-10
• Paper towels
• Gloves to protect hands when painting (optional)
• Aluminum foil to use as a tray to collect pastel dust.
• Apron (optional)
• Note book/Sketch book
• Pencil or charcoal for sketching
• Eraser, pencil sharpener
• Wipes to clean hands

Sand Dunes Demo

ICAN 2025 - Studio D
Thursday, May 29, 2025
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Demo

Join Maria Iva as she shares her expertise in painting sand dunes with soft pastels. In this demonstration, Maria will guide you through the entire process, from underpainting to the final touches. She will explain her thought process when working from a reference photo, discussing composition and color choices to create a stunning dune scene. Participants will learn techniques to emphasize contrast, manage color variations, and evoke depth and atmosphere.

Rocks and Pines

ICAN 2025 - Studio A East
Sunday, June 1, 2025
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Half-Day Workshop

Join Maria Iva (PAC) for a half-day workshop tailored to pastel artists seeking to refine their skills while embracing the rugged beauty of Georgian Bay's rocks and pines.
Maria will share her expertise in planning the composition specific to this striking subject matter, emphasizing the importance of contrast, color variation, and atmospheric depth. She will demonstrate underpainting techniques that establish strong structure and composition, setting the foundation for a successful painting.

Through a step-by-step approach and with plenty of personalized one-on-one guidance, you’ll learn techniques to refine your pastel skills and complete a finished painting during the session.
This workshop provides a valuable opportunity to explore the striking textures and dynamic landscapes of Georgian Bay, helping you push your artistic boundaries in a supportive and inspiring environment.

Pre-order your supplies from Studio Six or Wyndham Art Supplies at a discounted rate* and have them delivered to the conference! See Studio Six offer details. See Wyndham Art Supplies offer details.

Workshop Material List

• This workshop is for SOFT pastel technique. NO oil pastels, please.
  Assortment of both softer and harder dry pastels in colors suitable for painting landscapes (blue, green, red, orange, yellow, turquoise and purple in light, dark, cool and warm versions). Rembrandt, Nupastels are some of the harder brands. Unison, Terry Ludwig, Great American Artworks, Sennelier, Mount Vision are examples of softer brands. We will use harder pastels for the underpainting and paint the rest with softer pastels. If you are new to soft pastels you will be doing most of your work with harder pastels.
• UART grit 320 or 400 or 500 SANDED pastel paper. Off white color only. Sizes 9X12 or 12×16. Could be purchased on Amazon.ca, in DeSerres Art Supplies store (in person and on-line) or in Above Ground. Premier Sanded pastel paper is good too. It is important to bring sanded paper as it will have to take many layers of pastels.
• One sheet of foam board (preferably black) to mount pastel paper on. Should be large enough to allow a few extra inches of boarder all around pastel paper.
• Masking tape for mounting paper on board (black preferred, but white is ok too).
• Easel
• Rubbing Alcohol 70-99%.
• Really small container for rubbing alcohol
• Bristle brush for underpainting size 8-10
• Paper towels
• Gloves to protect hands when painting (optional)
• Aluminum foil to use as a tray to collect pastel dust.
• Apron (optional)
• Note book/Sketch book
• Pencil or charcoal for sketching
• Eraser, pencil sharpener
• Wipes to clean hands