Pastel Petals: Visions in Closeup & Abstraction

Instructor: Mary Beth Sasso

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024

Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Ages: 14+

Members: $108

Non-Members: $120

Description: 

With flowers in focus, learn how to achieve vibrant color and create delicate textures in this soft pastels workshop. Participants will zoom in to draw flowers up close, transforming them into more abstract forms that captivate the viewer's imagination. Mix and match different hues to evoke a sense of depth and dimension. The instructor will demonstrate blending and layering techniques used to create rich, velvety textures that bring out the essence of petals and leaves. Whether you are a seasoned pastel artist or new to the medium, this workshop covers a range of skills appropriate for any level of experience.

Materials:

Provided by Five Points:

• Supplementary materials

Provided by Participants:

• Any soft pastels you have available

• Reference photos (optional)

• White pastel pencil or charcoal pencil (4B)

• Clairefontaine Pastelmat or Uart Sanded Paper (600 Grit) best surfaces for excellent results

• Kneaded eraser, Artist chamois, Ruler

• 3M Scotch-Blue® Painter’s Tape (1 1/2” wide) or Bulldog Clips

Instructor Bio:

Mary Beth’s deep and enduring love for pastels began at age 14 under the tutelage of Master Pastelist Claudia Post. Mary Beth is fascinated by the versatility of pastels, which offer a vast array of shapes, sizes, and textures to unleash her artistic creativity. Layering vibrant colors is a favorite technique, resulting in a rich and luxurious blend. Sometimes, she blends the colors with her little finger to produce stunning effects. Other times, she lets the pastels blend independently, resulting in even more spectacular results. The beauty of a subject inspires her to create awe-inspiring paintings, and she takes pleasure in observing the shapes and proportions of her favorite subject - portraiture. Capturing the inherent beauty that challenges her is what fuels her passion, and creating art is the center of her life.

Mary Beth is a highly accomplished artist and mentor with vast experience teaching the art form. She currently serves as an Adjunct Faculty Instructor of Art at Santa Rosa Junior College and offers private classes at her studio in New Hartford, CT. Previously, Mary Beth taught beginner pastel classes at The New Britain Museum of American Art. She has also taught art to elementary school students in California, where she integrated art lessons with core subjects.

Artist Website: https://www.marybethsasso.com/about

* All workshops are held at the Five Points Art Center, 855 University Drive

Workshop Policies: Please review the terms of our workshop policies here