After buying pastels, looking at pastel paintings, and marveling at the beauty of how they look and the beautiful colors, I finally found the courage to give them a try. I reached my "tipping point". After working through my first attempt, I must say that I am hooked on pastels. How did this come about? After taking an oil painting workshop with Marc Hanson, he gave us some tips on using pastels and also a demonstration. What finally hooked me is how he now frames his pastels. No mats.

There is now on the market a thing called EconoSpace. It is a peel-and-stick spacer that comes in clear or black that adheres to the glass. The glass is then placed against the pastel that has been mounted on a board. It is then sealed around the edges and placed in a normal frame that would be similar to those used with an oil painting. Wow. I had not idea that there was such a thing. I love pastel pieces, but I have always felt that there is a prejudice against works that are matted and framed by collectors for whatever reason. Galleries tend to shun them and just want oils. Collectors may feel that matted works are similar to prints. Who knows. By mounting pastel works on a board, using spacers and then framing them under a museum glass, they look and have the feel of an oil painting.

I am hooked. There is something about being able to put pure pigment on paper and have a finished piece. No drying time. Pure pigments. Beautiful hues. Vibrant. The list goes on and on. I am hooked and I am here to educate the collector on the long-lasting beauty of pastels.

Please feel free to send me an email or leave a comment.