Arkansas pastel society

Arkansas Pastel Society Represents at the 2026 IAPS PastelWorld Convention

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The International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) held its 2026 PastelWorld Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from June 16 to 21. More than 650 artists from 12 countries and every U.S. state came together for a week of exhibitions, education, and celebration of pastel art, and the Arkansas Pastel Society was well represented.

The week included the PastelWorld Exhibition, a juried show featuring 175 artists from around the world, along with the Opening Reception and Artist Awards Ceremony, the Artist Autograph Book Signing, the vendor hall (aka the “Candy Store”), Fiesta Night, and the Honors Banquet closing out the convention.

For a full first-hand account of the week, read APS member Caprise Cooper’s recap on her website: An Inspiring Week at the 2026 IAPS PastelWorld Convention and enjoy Convention Gallery walkthroughs here.

A Proud Week for the Arkansas and Ozark Pastel Societies

Members from both the Arkansas Pastel Society (APS) and the Ozark Pastel Society (OPS) traveled to Albuquerque, and our region had a lot to celebrate. Shirley Anderson, Caprise Cooper, Clint Howard, Susan Hurst, Charles Peer, and Cindy Rowden were accepted into the PastelWorld show.

Several of our own members, many active in both societies, were recognized with top honors during the event:

  • Susan Hurst (APS/OPS) received her Master Circle Honor
  • Charles Peer (OPS/APS) received his Eminent Pastelist Honor
  • Clint Howard (OPS/APS) received his Master Circle Honor
  • Margi Tucker (OPS/APS) received her Master Circle Honor

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A New Chapter of Leadership for Arkansas

Arkansas’ presence in the international pastel community goes beyond the exhibition hall. Two of our members now serve on the IAPS Board of Directors:

  • Shirley Anderson (APS/OPS), President of IAPS
  • Caprise Cooper (APS/OPS), newly elected Vice President of IAPS

Congratulations to Shirley and Caprise on these leadership roles. Having two Arkansas artists on the IAPS Board is a wonderful reflection of the strength and dedication of our local pastel community.

Congratulations to Our Members

Congratulations to everyone from the Arkansas Pastel Society and Ozark Pastel Society who attended, exhibited, and were recognized at this year’s PastelWorld Convention. We’re proud of the work our members put into their art and the way they represented Arkansas on the international stage.

Colette Odya-Smith Workshop

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Colette Odya-Smith presented a workshop for the Arkansas Pastel Society in November 2025.

During the workshop, Colette shared a perspective that resonated with many artists in the room:
“Artists have a superpower – the ability to see something before it happens.”


She also spoke about her preference for working in a square format, explaining that “It’s easier to break the rules in a square.” To create texture in specific areas of a painting, she layers pastel with fixative in alternating layers, but does not use fixative as a final finish.

Colette also mentioned that she will be teaching a workshop in Door County, Wisconsin, in August, which sounds like a great way to beat the heat of an Arkansas summer.

Learn more about Arkansas Pastel Society membership.

Nancie King Mertz Workshop

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Mertz Encouraged Participants to “Paint What Scares You”

Nancie King Mertz presented a three-day workshop for the Arkansas Pastel Society on November 12–14, 2024. She also presented a demonstration for the Society’s regular Tuesday night meeting, which was available to view via Zoom.

The theme for the workshop was “Paint What Scares You.” Each participant was free to focus on whatever that meant for them.

Arkansas Pastel Society members with work completed during Nancie King Mertz's worksohp

Workshops like this are a valuable part of the Arkansas Pastel Society’s programming. They give members the chance to learn from accomplished artists, exchange ideas with fellow painters, and spend focused time developing their work in a supportive environment.

Thank you to Nancie King Mertz for sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with APS members during this inspiring three-day event.

Learn more about Arkansas Pastel Society membership.

Reflections in Pastel: APS 10th National Exhibition

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The Arkansas Pastel Society hosted its 10th National Exhibition, Reflections in Pastel, at the Laman Library Gallery in North Little Rock. The exhibition opened on November 17 and remained on display through January 12, 2024.

Tom Christopher served as juror and judge for the exhibition and presented the awards during the opening reception.

Award Winners

Best of Show
Looks Like Rain – Dennis McCann

First Place
The Red Hat – Jean Lewis (Chicago)

Second Place
Oak Room Experience – Georgia Chastain

Third Place
Lady of the Field – Margi Tucker

Honorable Mention
September Splendor – Marcie Ballowe (Montana)

Honorable Mention
River of Dancing Waters – Roy Crawford

Honorable Mention
Joshua – Terri deNatale (Texas)

Arkansas Artist Award
Special Treats – Susan Hurst

Visitors to the reception gathered in the gallery to hear the award winners announced and celebrate the artists whose work was selected for the exhibition.

The Reflections in Pastel exhibition showcased a wide range of pastel artwork and brought together artists and art enthusiasts to celebrate the pastel medium.

Learn more about Arkansas Pastel Society membership.

Tom Christopher Workshop

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Tom Christopher led a three-day landscape workshop for APS members in conjunction with the Arkansas Pastel Society’s 10th National Exhibition, Reflections in Pastel. Tom also served as juror and judge for the exhibition and presented the program at the November APS meeting, where he demonstrated a landscape painting.


During the workshop, participants observed Tom demonstrating his techniques and then applied them to their own paintings. Tom works on Gatorboard, which accepts water better than regular foam core, and prepares the surface with gesso to create a textured underpainting, often tinting the gesso with acrylic paint in a complementary color. He may also use watered-down semi-gloss acrylic house paint applied with a 1½-inch brush, taping off areas such as the sky where texture is not desired.

Tom travels light, carrying a small box of Terry Ludwig pastels that he considers his workhorse set. He applies pastel with a very light touch, using the flat side of the stick for most passages and the edge when a sharper line is needed. He often pats the surface with a paper towel and typically paints the sky last so it can be adjusted to work with the rest of the painting. The only time he uses fixative is to darken an area. For sketching, Tom uses a carpenter’s pencil, which provides a broad line and is inexpensive and easy to find at home improvement stores.

Participants enjoyed learning Tom’s techniques and experimenting with them in their own paintings.

Arkansas Pastel Society Workshops

APS members regularly have the opportunity to learn from visiting artists through demonstrations, workshops, and programs.

Learn more about Arkansas Pastel Society membership.