Artist loves work with pastels
The vibrancy that can be created by soft pastels is one of the reasons New Plymouth artist Judith White fell in love with the medium.
“It is a wonderful medium to work with — you can get both soft and vibrant colours. Pastels are instant and you don’t have to sit around waiting for them to dry. I am sure anybody who tries it would love it.”
Judith was recently presented with a Life Membership Award at the Pastel Artists of New Zealand (PANZ) Convention in Timaru. During the awards, she was acknowledged for her nine terms as president of PANZ and her hard work as a founding member of the organisation which formed in 2002. She is still on the committee in an advisory capacity and is Taranaki’s area representative for PANZ.
“It was such a surprise, I was lost for words.”
Judith enjoys creating seascapes, still-lifes as well as landscapes with pastels and says the medium is easy to get hooked on.
“People are quite blown away by what can be achieved by pastels.”
Judith has been an artist for many years, having followed in her mother Mavis Standish’s footsteps and taken up water colour painting as her first medium. She then dabbled in oils and acrylic before picking up pastels.
Ten years ago she started up a group called the Garage Group which has around 17 members who get together every Friday to do pastel art and critique each others works.
Judith also volunteers at Percy’s Place where she has some of her work for sale.
Pastel art groups are spread throughout New Zealand and a PANZ conference is held each year alternating between North and South Island destinations. Next March it will be held in Stratford, where visiting international pastellists will conduct workshops, including Karol Oakley from Australia as well as an artist from England who is yet to be announced. Members participate in discussion groups and demonstrations during the threeday programme. A national exhibition will be held as part of the conference at the Percy Thomson Gallery between March 29 and April 21 which will feature around 100 pieces from artists all over New Zealand.
Judith says PANZ has around 300 members and being part of the group is a great way to meet like-minded people.
“It’s a wonderful group to be part of.”