A few from the The Pastel Society in London which opened this week. My first time exhibiting as a Member and delighted to be selected for the Unison Colour Member award for ‘Found Beachcombing 3’. It’s an incredible exhibition & runs until February 7th at Mall Galleries. www.Mallgalleries.org.uk

I am honoured to be exhibiting 4 pastel paintings at the 2026 Pastel Society exhibition at The Mall Galleries in London. The 127th annual Pastel Society exhibition will be open to the public between January 21st - February 7th 2026.

Karl Singporewala: Cosmos, Memory, Scale is on at SOAS Gallery, London, until 13th December. Entrance is free, and it is a selling exhibition. Read more about this excellent show in my review for @fadmagazine.com.web.brid.gy and plan your visit now: buff.ly/FD3NhR2 #LondonArtCritic

‘Found Beachcoming 3’ pastel painting features feathers from seabirds amongst the shells, glass & seaweed. Our seabirds are treasures in themselves & their ‘beach coming’, somewhat more essential than ours. Each collection trip to a beach is also a return- of items borrowed to draw and paint.

📢The #PastelSociety Open Call is closing soon! ✍️Submit your work in #pastel, #pencil, #charcoal, #crayon, #oilpastel, #ink pastel 🏆20 incredible #prizes & #awards including the Yoshimoto Prize of £1000 🌐Submissions are ONLINE ONLY, by 14 November, 12 noon www.mallgalleries.org.uk/open-calls/p...

✨November Featured Artist: Felicity House PS NEAC ✨ "I work primarily in pastel which links colour with drawing and is immediate, fresh and vibrant. Subject matter frequently dictates the medium – I may draw in ink or use watercolours, pastels or oil paints. Drawing is fundamental..."

📢Submission for our Annual Exhibition 2026 is NOW OPEN! ✍️Calling all artists working with #pastel, #pencil, #charcoal, #crayon, #chalk, and more… 🏆Many #prizes & #awards on offer, including £1000 from our sponsors Caran d'Ache 🌐Submissions are ONLINE ONLY www.mallgalleries.org.uk/open-calls/p...

The keen attention to detail of 'Porta dei Canonici, Duomo in Florence,' (1879) make it one of Henry Roderick Newman's most remarkable paintings. John Ruskin tried to buy this picture but Newman sold it elsewhere; Ruskin later commissioned a replica.

A few soft pastel works by my fabulous students from my ‘Expermental Landscapes’ workshop this weekend at The Hearth Arts Centre in Northumberland. We had several newbies to pastel as well as more experienced artists. Well done everyone!

Garden Allotment drawing, for a painting..

Just finished the latest in my ‘Found Sea Glass’ series. This is number 10. Will there be more? Good question…..🤔

The sunflower field

My Dad was diagnosed with cancer just over a year ago. Unable to spend much time on artwork, I would grab a few hours here & there, between hospital trips. Focussing on light, colour & texture helped me to cope & continues to be a comfort, following Dad’s passing. I am grateful to have this.

A very busy weekend delivering paintings and walking in Northumberland. ‘Found Sea Glass 8’, ‘Found Sea Glass 1’ and ‘Mussel Shells’ are now all available with the fabulous Number Four Gallery at beautiful St.Abbs in the Scottish Borders.

‘Serendipity’, is just one of my 4 pastel works which will be heading to Gallery 45 next week. ‘Coastal Stories’ will be an exhibition of works by Artists from across the region. Exhibition runs Saturday 27 September- Thursday 6 November.

Getting ready for my ‘Coastlines’ pastel workshop next week at The Hearth Arts Centre in Northumberland. All my 2025 workshops are now full but I am taking bookings for Spring 2026. Head to my website for details.

Delighted that ‘Dance of The Sea’ has sold 🔴 at Number Four Gallery in beautiful St.Abbs. Thankyou so much to the generous buyer and to Chris and Jenny at the gallery.

This is a huge story. Don't let him get away with it. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I have been absent due to family bereavement. My Dad passed away 2 weeks ago. I am taking a break to navigate a new emotional landscape which is proving very difficult. I leave you with my latest soft pastel work, ‘Flower of The Deep’.

On the easel today. Soft pastel.

One in progress and another just back from the framers. #pastelartist #contemporaryart

Today I have been mostly painting beetroot.

As part of #100daysprojectscotland I'm making artists' books and photobooks of my project on trees. This is my latest where I cut the top photograph to show sections of the photo underneath. A sort of 3D effect - hopefully. You can see more of it here >>> www.instagram.com/shonagrant99...

@monde.bsky.social Thankyou for the repost, much appreciated!

Sketching in Northumberland this week at the coast and also along Haidrians wall. Making the most of the good weather, quick studies can lead to more developed work in the studio.

✨#PastelSociety member Michele Ashby has a six page feature in the French Magazine Pratique des Arts. It is a special issue on Pastel and features ten international pastel artists. ✨Michele also Won the Derwent Fine Art Award for her work at the Society of Women Artists Exhibition at Mall Galleries!

Just finished. ‘Found on My Travels’ 32 x 32cm, soft pastel.

✨July Featured Artist: Jane Hodgson PS ✨ "I love the directness and accessibility of pastels and they are fast becoming my main medium. Painting anything with a pulse - mainly people, but also animals, and birds - has been my passion from early childhood." #pastel #pastelpainting #pastelart #art

🎨 Melodie Cook PS @pastelandclay.bsky.social is exhibiting 9 pastel/charcoal works plus ceramic pieces (which she makes specifically for her still life set ups), at The Bell Gallery, #Bungay, #Suffolk. 🎨‘Expressions in Form’ - showcasing the work of six artists, 1st to 26th July

The interplay between 2-3 dimensions, creating a still life composition which flows with movement. Textures, different densities, light which moves through objects and objects which absorb light almost entirely. ‘Found Beachcombing 2’. 50 x 50cm, soft pastel.

A trip to the Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, where I discovered the most glorious exhibition of artworks by Satta Hashem. Totally loved the whole exhibition; so much incredible colour, line and emotion. Thoroughly recommended, A World of Colour & Emotion Retrospective runs until this Sunday.

🌞 #Summer Mixed Exhibition at the Russell Gallery 🌞 🎨 #PastelSociety member @cherylculverart.bsky.social is showing three works in the #RussellGallery Mixed Summer Exhibition, #Putney, #London #pastelart #contemporarypastel #fineart #pastel

📢 The Heatherley School of Fine Art #PastelSociety Workshops 9-11 September 2025 🎨Wide range of subjects, tutored by Pastel Society members @fionacarvellartist.bsky.social, John Tookey PS, Tom Zaw PS, Michele Ashby PS & Richard Rees PPS 🌐 All details: www.thepastelsociety.org.uk/news/pastel-...

My third time entering the RA Summer Exhibition, second acceptance and very first Varnishing Day! What an amazing experience! My work is no.1501, ‘Found Sea Glass 6’. The exhibition runs June 17th- August 17th.

🌟25th Anniversary of The Whiteknights Studio Trail 🎨Jenny Halstead PS is a Founder member and coordinator as well as an exhibitor. 🖼️There are 48 artists on this walking tour in 33 venues, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th June. With all venues open from 11am to 6pm #studiotrail #openstudio

The latest in an ongoing series, here’s me with ‘Found Sea Glass 9’. It’s not always easy to get a sense of scale over social media. Sea Glass is tiny, but my paintings of them are big! (I’m actually happy that I have finished this, despite appearances, I just don’t like having my photo taken 😆)

View from the easel today. Just over half way and a deadline to hit, which isn’t easy when working in such detail. Loving that gorgeous dash of purple though!

Absolutely delighted to receive news that after years as an Associate Member, I have been elected Full Membership status with SGFA Society of Graphic Fine Art - The Drawing Society. The SGFA has a long, honoured history of championing Drawing in all its guises. THANKYOU! 😊 www.SGFA.org.uk

🎉Congratulations to #PastelSociety member @andrewbarrowmanart.bsky.social - Andrew has three charcoal drawings on show at the Drawing Prize Exhibition in Birmingham at RBSA Gallery, 29 May - 28 June! 🌟 rbsa.org.uk/rbsa-drawing... #rbsa #drawingprize #draw #pastelartist #pastel #charcoal #graphite

Just finished this large pastel painting, ‘Towards Howick’. Based upon sketches made at the Northumberland coast a few weeks ago.

Working on a large landscape (in soft pastel) from sketches I made at the coast a few weeks ago.

🚨🌱 The Chancellor is reviewing all public spending from scratch. Please join me in signing the @campaignforthearts.org petition to remind the UK Govt: the arts make our lives happier & our communities stronger. Now is the moment to invest in them. www.campaignforthearts.org/petitions/sp...

Sketching today at the stunning Northumberland coast

🌟 May Featured Artist: Simon Hodges VPPS 🌟 "I have been drawing in one form or another since I could pick up a pencil." Simon will be opening his studio and garden to visitors 3-5 May, 11am - 5pm www.thepastelsociety.org.uk/index.php?pa... #pastelsociety #pastel #pastelart

I decided to draw blossom from our cherry tree yesterday. Had to work fast before all the petals fell off, so this was done in a day. 50 x 70cm, soft pastel.

Preparation for my forthcoming Seascapes in Pastel workshop. Realism is never my primary intention. I always strive to capture movement and energy through mark making. Take a closer look and the process is very much in evidence. #pastelartist #seascape #markmaking #drawing

🌟 April Featured Artist: Jenny Halstead PS 🌟 "Journeying from the discipline of medical illustration back to the freedom of fine art is an exciting process. My work continues to explore drawing as well as the excitement of the moment. I am fascinated by form and colour" tinyurl.com/ydm98kfu

I have no idea why this photo came out all soft focus 😄 but here’s me with two paintings that will be heading to Saltbox Gallery in Helmsley tomorrow.

Fantastic evening at Mall Galleries in London for the Private View of ‘Beyond The Prize’, which brings together award winning artists. I was delighted to see my two works ‘Found Sea Glass 7’ & ‘Found Sea Glass 8’ have been given an entire wall to themselves! Exhibition runs until April 26th.

Another early morning coffee stop holiday sketch