Our Team
Pastel Artists.CA has a team of dedicated volunteers from across Canada. Get to know our directors and the rest of our team
Joan Larson
MPAC, SFCA
President; Director
Joan’s original passion for horses led to her interest in art and she has never stopped to look back.
Joan has an extensive CV chronicling 30 years of professional achievements which include international shows, awards and documentaries. However, it is the present and future that hold her attention. Her recent groundbreaking series of artworks honouring the RCMP Musical Ride has been used for exhibitions supporting non-profit organizations. This was followed by a series based on her trips to remote and restricted Sable Island to paint its most famous denizens, the wild horses.
Joan is a Senior member of the Federation of Canadian Artists (SFCA), a full member of the American Academy of Equine Artists (AAEA) and holds the Premier Pastelist designation with the Pastel Society of Canada (PPC).
Joan and her husband Paul Smith own and operate Creekside Studio from their acreage in the rural area of Coombs on Vancouver Island where they live with their family and assorted animals, including horses . . . which Joan states “are simply necessary.”
Patricia Lowe
Vice-President; Director
Patricia Lowe calls herself an accidental artist, coming to the studio late in life with a background in design, and a love of colour. Dabbling in watercolour and acrylics at first, it was love at first touch when she borrowed a friends set of Sennelier pastels. Since that experience she has painted in many workshops with Canadian and American artists realizing she is game for any subject matter from landscapes to pets and everything in between. She has shown her work in local community art spaces in juried shows, solo and in collaboration with other artists. Patricia was a student of Ruth Rodgers and painted alongside Susan Typert for many years in Ruth’s workshop in Port Perry. Recently retired, she looks forward to more time in the studio. She loves drawing and is a firm believer in the process from thumbnails and value sketches to the finished product. That said, her sketchbooks have become a valuable reference and a record of the journey. Her commitment to local cultural heritage has resulted in the creation of the Whitevale Arts and Culture Centre. She is an active member of the Pickering Public Art Committee making sure good public art is part of landscape where she lives.
Kathy Hildebrandt
MPAC-EP
PAC Past President
Kathy Hildebrandt served as the President of Pastel Artists.CA from 2017 until 2021. She also designed and developed the current PAC website and continues to provide support to our website editor.
Before stepping down as president Kathy was actively involved with PAC since shortly after joining in 2007, volunteering in several areas. She was the exhibition submission coordinator for many years and served as Vice President for 2 years before taking on the President role.
Margaret Ann Adams
Treasurer; Director
Graduating with a degree in Fine Arts, as well as Graphic Commercial Design and Fashion Design, only later in life did I really practice my craft.
My life journey took me to the Laurentian Mountains, in a forest beside a pond, and an old log cabin became my home. There roamed a family of Red Foxes. Each day from my studio window I would watch them come to drink and sometimes find leftovers. The little ones grew up and over the years they would bring their own families. They, my companion dogs and cats, and all the wildlife surrounding me in my log cabin on the Hill, inspired my paintings and my creativity.
At the same time, I began teaching fine art classes in a studio in the small town where I lived. I put into practice what I had to preach. The question “why” I should paint or follow some technique did not always have an answer from my professors way back then. I believed if I could bring a student to understand the “Why” then they would execute with confidence and succeed in their own creativity.
Today animals are still the centre of my art and the inspiration for my creativity.
Patricia Lindley
Secretary; Director
Although naturally inclined to drawing and painting all my life, my serious engagement in making art came when I enrolled in the Visual Arts Certificate in Studio at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University in 2010. This came after a lifetime of training and working in marine biological research, first
at Dalhousie University and then at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.
My life in the sciences enabled me to travel to the far north and to offshore destinations on the East Coast of Canada where I developed a love of the marine and coastal environment’s aesthetic properties. After retiring from the
research world, I was able to devote myself full time to art training and practice, and become involved in community art projects, such as the Peggy’s Cove Area Festival of the Arts. I become attracted to the world of dry pastel through a NSCAD course where recreating a master work by a famous artist was a required assignment, and I decided to tackle a piece by Degas. I was drawn to the immediacy of pastel, and the way its application combined elements of painting (glazing, blending) and drawing (mark making).
Over the past 15 years my art practice has grown through participation in PAC and IAPS events and shows, and two years ago I was fortunate to obtain representation through a new gallery (The Prow) in Halifax. In 2023 I undertook in 2023 a joint show at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth along with a local stone sculptor (Sarah Irwin). This show featured 28 works in pastel and watercolour based on imagery I collected in the Canadian high arctic in the 1970’s, and in it I was able to explore the potential of working large (up to 60 inches) in pastel. I now keep busy with commissions and participating in gallery shows at the Prow along with the annual Studio Tour of the Peggy’s Cove Festival.
Gloria Burgoin
PAC, MPAC
Membership & Archives; Director
Gloria is a recreational painter who enjoys expressing her interest in the natural landscape through her artwork. She works on site to capture the essence of the image, with some finishing in the studio. She participates in local and PAC shows, and her work is represented in private collections in Canada and internationally.
Denise Nonomura
PAC
East Exhibition Chair
Denise is an award winning artist from Stratford, ON. While originally working in hospital pharmacy, she attended Sheridan College of Arts and Design, and graduated with high honours from the Fine Arts Certificate Program in 2015. After retiring from health care in 2016, Denise discovered her love of pastel and since then her work has been exhibited in over 20 juried national/regional competitions. She exhibits at Stratford Art in the Park (June-Sept) and is represented at Village Studios, Stratford.
Denise is a juried active member of Federation of Canadian Artists and a member of Society of Canadian Artists. She also volunteers at Gallery Stratford, and Stratford General Hospital where she developed, and leads a weekly Art Group for inpatients of the Mental Health Unit.
VACANT
East Promotions Coordinator
Position is vacant; please let us know if you would like to volunteer for this position.
Roberta Combs
PAC, MPAC-EP, SFCA, PSA-M, IAPS/MC
West Exhibition Coordinator and Promotion Coordinator
Roberta Combs is a Spilsbury Medal award winner in the Federation of Canadian Artists. Her award-winning work has been seen in International Artists Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine and in the Pastel Journal Magazine. She has exhibited in the Butler Institute of American Art, The Federation Gallery, the American Art Company, The National Arts Club Gallery and the Salmagundi Club in New York City, The Vose Gallery in Boston, and locations that include Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, and Albuquerque and France.
Roberta Combs has been awarded Senior Signature Status in the Federation of Canadian Artists and the Northwest Pastel Society; is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists; and is a Master Pastelist of the Pastel Artists Canada. Roberta has also been awarded Master Status Pastelist in the Pastel Society of America. She is the only Canadian to hold this distinction.
She is one of only six Canadians to be a Gold Metal recipient from the International Association of Pastel Societies, recognizing her designation as an artist of the Master Circle.
Lyn Thomas
PAC
West Promotions, West Workshop Coordinator
Lyn Thomas has been painting for many years in watercolour and had no thoughts of changing mediums. However, since turning to Pastels, she has been doing more painting.
Lyn has been an active member of the arts community in Maple Ridge for more than 30 years. During this time, she has been instrumental in development and direction of the Garibaldi Art Club of Maple Ridge.
Lyn also originated the annual ‘Art in the Park’ event where local artists and artisans were able to showcase and sell their work for an eagerly anticipated weekend. She organized and hosted this major Maple Ridge event in her beautiful two-acre garden for fifteen years. It became very popular with artists and art collectors in the local community and beyond.
Lyn has operated her well established home-based picture framing business Lynton Studio for 30 years. Recently she has turned her focus more keenly toward her art and has slowed down on her business interests while she accelerates her artistic creativity.
In 2018, Lyn received the designation of PAC. Which was great encouragement.
Lyn has offered this year to be the Western Canadian workshop co-ordinator. Watch out for a 3 day workshop, September/October 2019. In the Vancouver/Lower Mainland area.
Vacant
PAC
East Promotions
TBD
lynda baxter
Website Editor
Lynda is inspired by her surroundings! She paints Alberta’s landscape and farm animals using the neighbouring livestock as her never-ending source of inspiration!
After 35 years of not doing art, Lynda is making the time to paint! “Creative people need to create. It’s not enough to think about it and wish you had time…you have to make it a priority and ‘just do it’.”
“My mom had a set of pastels in her basement, from around 1950. She gave them to me and I went home and tried them. I was hooked! I’ve since updated and added to my soft pastel supply (the addition is real…), and I’m now painting daily and learning from the pros online. This is such a great day and age with all the technology we have available to learn from!
VACANT
East Workshop Coordinator
Catherine Sheppard
MPAC, SFCA
Newsletter Editor
Drawing and painting have always been a big part of my life ever since I was young. My teachers recognized my art ability and told me that I would become an artist one day. I spent many hours drawing, viewing books and magazines that had photos and illustrations.
My focus on art in high school allowed me to graduate with majors in Commercial Art & Photography. My parents owned a printing business which enhanced my knowledge of the production end of the business. I followed a pathway that led me through the computer desktop publishing revolution. I mastered the ever changing array of programs to marry both my artistic and technical skills to help my art where it is today.
I belong to many art groups where I can show my art and interact with other very creative people. I have flourished in this environment with many awards and qualifications.
Active Member of The Federation of Canadian Artists – SFCA, Pastel Artists of Canada – MPAC, South Delta Artists Guild
Nanci Cook
PAC
Social Media Coordinator
I grew up in New Jersey and have been in Canada for more than 45 years, living on Hornby Island, Quadra Island, and now Campbell River. I work mostly in soft pastels and acrylics.
When I see the distant mountains, forests, waterfalls, and layers of blue island vistas; the beauty that surrounds me around Vancouver Island inspires and nurtures my creativity. I cannot imagine living anywhere else.
I have my BA in “Arts & Crafts and their History” from University of California Santa Cruz. I am Exhibiting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. When I owned a B&B on Quadra Island, I hosted painting workshops with guest artist teachers for 10 years. Now I have been continuing my studies with artist/mentor Linda Richichi for the last 4 years. Seeing a need for more community and support from other artists, I started the Campbell River Plein Air Painters— a small group of painters that meets at the Sybil Andrews Cottage in Willow Point weekly. We host a few plein air and studio events through the year. I continue to teach and attend classes and workshops to keep learning and growing.
Ruth Greenlaw
PAC
DVD Librarian
TBD
June Gauthier
PAC, MPAC
PAC News Update Editor
June joined Pastel Artists of Ontario in 2001 and was awarded PAC status by Pastel Artists Canada in 2004 and MPAC status by Pastel Artists.CA in 2010. She was the PAC Newsletter/Update Editor for fifteen years.
June studied art history at the University of Toronto and furthered her practical art education in workshops instructed by leading pastel artists.
June now meets once a week with a group of artists who all paint in their chosen style and medium, she finds the exchange of ideas within this group very stimulating.
Elena Selitsky
Submissions Coordinator; Show Catalogue Designer
Elena is an Edmonton based self-taught artist. Her artistic journey has begun with soft pastels and up to this day she takes great pleasure in promoting this often underestimated medium.
Inspired by the vibrancy and texture, Elena seeks ways and techniques to showcase what soft pastels are capable of.
Through her art, she invites viewers to experience life’s simple joys and appreciate the intricate details that surround us.
Exhibition History:
Elena’s work has been showcased in numerous national and international exhibitions, including the prestigious International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS). Her pieces have garnered awards and recognition.
The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
~~William Shakespeare~~
Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.
~~Elizabeth Andrew~~