The Moab Pastel Guild will return to the Bighorn Gallery at Dead Horse Point State Park from July 2 through Aug. 31 with a new exhibit of “Lyrical Landscapes.”
The guild is a group of like-minded local artists who meet regularly to paint, offer mutual support, inspire one another, and critique each others’ work. The guild members invite you to join them for an opening reception at the Bighorn Gallery on Saturday, July 18, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The participating artists are Helen Becker, Mary Collar, Victoria Fugit, Sarah Hamingson, Peggy Harty, Marsha Modine, Thea Nordling, Charlotte Quigley and Larry Thomas.
Several years ago, accomplished Moab pastel painter and instructor J.C. Borders introduced them to pastels. Instantly hooked by the medium’s vibrant color, forgiving nature and versatility, the group has been working together, enthusiastically embracing opportunities to learn and experiment with different techniques and approaches to composition.
All share a deep love of the surrounding landscape and its ever-changing light, moods and colors. Over time, each member has developed a unique personal vision and style. Several have received awards for art entered in shows in Utah and Colorado. A few are expanding their repertoire by working in watercolor and oils, as well as pastel.
Pastel is often mistakenly confused with chalk, but it is quite different. Pastel is pure pigment mixed with just enough binder to hold it together in stick form. The purity of the pigments lets their brilliance glow. Some of the artists use only dry pastel on paper. Others apply it over underpaintings rendered in watercolor, acrylic or pastel dissolved in turpenoid or alcohol on heavier, textured surfaces. The resulting works are varied, ranging from detailed realism and more loosely rendered impressionism to semi-abstraction.
Subject matter includes our beloved local landscape, as well as animals, flowers and more distant landscapes which have inspired the artists. Works on display will include both paintings created in the studio and en plein air. During the exhibition, the original paintings, as well as prints and note cards, will be available for purchase.
Dead Horse Point State Park is located nine miles north of Moab on US Highway 191, and 23 miles south on state Route 313. The visitor center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Park admission is $10. For more information, contact the park at 435-259-2614.
Moab Pastel Guild’s work on display next week at Bighorn Gallery
