This has been a long-awaited project to launch but it’s happened! January 23 was the original launch day with a wonderful response, thank you everyone who popped in to the site and signed in or had a look.
 
NEW tutorials are available from May 30th.at  www.onlinepastellearning.com  

Online pastel learning is a service, for all those pastellists who can’t get to a workshop for whatever reason.   Often, it’s the travel that stops us, as distance, time and money don’t line up for a set date workshop. Also try being in two places at once, our calendars get so full don’t they?

That’s why I started this service, to make pastel learning a stay at home option. There are a lot of people who have mobility issues whether it’s being in a wheel chair, having to stay home for family or distance reasons, or can’t travel.  These Pastellists miss out on so much, so this is my way of helping out, reaching out to people in these situations.  We are a global community now, its possible to join in where ever you have a good internet connection.

 As tutors we try our hardest to get to rural and remote places and people. Again it’s the tyranny of distance and trying to be in two places at once that can stop us.  I have been to remote and rural  places teaching and love the connection, the coming together of kindred spirits for a weekend of not just pastel painting but social engagement. There is nothing to beat that.  I’ll still be doing live workshops too. 

So, this is my way of making that connection, albeit it’s online. It is providing a place for the pastellists doing the courses and projects to meet online and share what they are doing and more. It’s about connecting people with the same interest, offering a service for all to access any time it suits them 24/7 for a period of time.

The online courses are presented in the same way as I teach a workshop. I demonstrate and talk all the way through telling what I am doing and why. Yes, you can turn off the audio if that gets too much!!

My aim is to spark that creative flame of curiosity while giving you skills and confidence to explore this vibrant, versatile medium of pastel for your ongoing painting adventure.

Make time for you and for pastel painting. “making pastel happen” is there for you.
​www.onlinepastellearning.com

​Give yourself permission to play with your creativity. Play is how we learn. It's fun too. Most of us are so intent on becoming good artists and doing everything right and inside the lines that we don't make time to let our inner child or creativity out to play. 
.aagghh
 
The first time we conscientiously decide that we will play, we freeze. What do we do, how do we do this?  We have to laugh, as it our own targeted actions trying too hard to be top of the class and colour between the lines, that we have forgotten this essential skill. 
mmmmmm.... food for thought.
 
Make a space to play. Put out your play things, your most favourite art stuff. Take some time out, put ink, brush and pencil and pastel and charcoal out on the board and a piece of clean white paper, as if that wouldn't scare anyone anyway!! Leave it sit for a day or two. Look at it, think about it, walk past it......if you can!
 
Eventually the urge to pick up something and make a mark will be too strong, give into it. Play. Let it be what it is. Let it be un-directed, random, fun and outside the lines.
 
 And fun isn't funny ha ha, it's playful it's wondering and wandering. This can be hard to do first up so don't struggle, "just do", as Yoda says.
 
Feel free to comment on your playtime experience with me. I'd like to hear about it. 
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 Photo credit Ben Hershey
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​In the Kitchen........lots of the best stuff happens in the kitchen!
That's where I learnt to pastel paint. Yep on the kitchen wall with the paper held up by blue tac, the little kids with eyes wide at their mum and Aunty Karol painting on the wall.
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To cut along story short, I had been using pen and ink, drawing and loving it.  I walked onto my cousin's house and Sue had this stunning portrait of our grandfather in the wall. It was done in pastel and she had painted it. 
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Needless to say I was amazed & blown away, Sue has got so much creative talent and this was something new.  But here's the thing, she offered to show me how to use pastels.
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 So I was back the following weekend, watching Sue as she gave me the ins and outs of how pastel could be used, and how she used it. To this day I still sing her praises and blame her for my addiction to this vibrant medium. 
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One day in a kitchen far far away.........
Our painting stories all have a beginning, so whats yours?


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