The 9th Annual Northeast National Pastel Exhibition, which is set to open Saturday, May 4 at View in Old Forge, continues to grow with an array of surprising works, according to View Curator, Linda Weal.
An opening reception with live music is scheduled for Friday, May 3 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Weal likens the growth of the pastel show to that of View’s annual watercolor show.
“Watercolor was really underrepresented, and we found a niche for it here. It worked for us, and for the artists. It was beneficial for everyone,” she said.
Now in its 32 years, the Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors is nationally renowned.
View has done the same with the medium of pastels, which are even less represented in museum collections and galleries, according to Weal.
Yet pastels enjoy a passionate following among artists who use them, according to Weal, who lauds the benefits of pastels in plein air painting, because of the immediacy of the medium.
“You can achieve effects which are surprising,” Weal said. “When you look at the range of works in this new exhibit, I think it’s the most well rounded pastel exhibit we’ve ever had. It’s full of surprises.”
The show features pieces which range from photo-realistic to abstract. There is a lot of color, and what Weal describes as joy in this show. Shows can be heavy on portraits, landscapes and still life pieces, but not this one, she said.
“This show has artists choosing surprising subject matter and doing fun things with them. There’s a lot for everyone,” Weal said. “We’ll have the Kaatskill Woodturners’ Guild featured, along with the pastels, as a 3-D element.”
