Classes have a maximum of 12 students. Working in the glorious Victorian building of The National Arts Club that was once the residence of Governor Tilden, Monday through Saturday, students have the opportunity of selecting classes year-round in all genres: portrait, figure, still life, florals, landscape, cityscape, and preliminary drawing for pastels. It is the only art school devoted exclusively to the medium of pastel.
| Day | Time | Genre | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday (click here for supply list) | 5:30PM – 8:30PM | Intro to Pastel Still Life, Figure & Landscape | Janet A. Cook PSA-MP |
| Wednesday | 1:30PM – 4:30PM | Flowers, Faces and Fabric in Pastel | Wennie Huang PSA |
| Thursday | 1PM – 4PM | Color & Composition | Maceo Mitchell PSA-MP |
Registration Process:
Please email the PSA office with your request to register stating the instructor and program to ensure there is a spot open for you.
psaoffice@pastelsocietyofamerica.org
After registration via email, you will be instructed to pay via the PayPal button on the website by choosing the “other” option. Registration and full payment must be made two business days prior to the program’s start day.
PSA will process registration requests in the order they are received, emailing a confirmation soon after.
Fees: 6 Classes $160; Single Class $40 (subject to change without notice). Classes are ongoing and year-round.
Class descriptions
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Janet Cook PSA-MP
Introduction to Pastel Still life, Figure and Landscape
Tuesday, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
This class will introduce students to the essential information needed to draw and paint still life, landscape, and the figure using the pastel medium. I see my role as an opportunity to encourage you to find your own style, while emphasising technique. Demonstrations and individual instruction will be given.
Topics covered: fundamentals of pastel, drawing, underpainting, light and shadow, composition, color theory, basic perspective and figure proportions. Janet A. Cook is an award-winning pastel and oil painter who regularly exhibits her paintings in New York City galleries and museums.
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Wennie Huang PSA
Flowers, Faces, and Fabric in Pastel
Wednesdays, 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Explore a variety of approaches in pastel with emphasis on structure, stroke, and pressure in limited palettes applied in layers to create delicate and luminous surfaces. Wennie Huang, an award-winning artist who has taught pastel in New York City for over ten years.
Weekly demonstrations and individual guidance will be the focus for each six-week segment as she covers floral studies, faces and portraiture from a live model, fabric and drapery arrangements to study the effects of light and shadow on varied surfaces.
Maceo Mitchell PSA-MP, HFH
Color & Composition
Thursdays, 1pm-4pm
In this class, the award-winning instructor will cover the basics: how to use color to achieve harmonious effects and the use of the color wheel. There will be an emphasis on organizing the elements that make for a good composition. Along with improving their drawing skills, the students will be encouraged to use their imaginations and to develop their own style.