Pastel Still Life - May

Pastel Still Life Workshop with Marlene Wiedenbaum

May 1 and 2, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Fee: $375

Class Size: Maximum 12

Non-refundable fee after March 20, 2026

DESCRIPTION:

Two days working with pastels beginning with a discussion of materials, including soft pastel choices, paper samples and details of storing and framing pastels. Methods and various tools used will also be discussed. Frequent demos, group exercises and individual instruction.

Exercises with emphasis on looking at the still life and gaining ease with the medium and various tools. Starting with initial sketches to select a composition, we will determine the light source, simple shapes, examine values, and then develop details through color and form. Underpainting techniques will also be explored. All levels.

Materials List:

- Pastels - Sennelier, Schminke, Unison or any SOFT pastel will be fine.

- Mounting Board - (if you do not have one) 1/2” Foam Board is light and therefore very portable, and should be at least 1” larger than your paper.

- Easel (standing or tabletop)

- Masking tape

- Soft Vine Charcoal - several sticks

- Tortillions (optional) or any blending materials you use.

- Kneaded Erasers - 2

- Small sketch book and #2, #6, #8 pencils for value studies

- Glassine sheets - slightly larger than your paper

- Baby wipes, paper towels

- Gloves in a Bottle (recommended hand lotion found in drug stores)

- Paper: at least four sheets 9”x12”

- UART 400 Sanded pastel paper is recommended.

Colourfix, Richeson, Ling, Wallis or other sanded papers will be fine.

Canson MiTeintes is also acceptable, but not recommended.

Biography:

Marlene Wiedenbaum PSA-MP, IAPS-MC attended the Arts Students League in NYC under Harvey Dinnerstein. Her award winning paintings have been exhibited internationally, including the International Pastel Artists Invitational in Taipei, Taiwan, the Xian Art Museum, China. Her work is featured in text books commissioned by the Taiwanese government and she is an International Honorable Member of the Beijing Pastel Research Academy. Wiedenbaum has been selected by Hudson Valley Magazine as Best Artist 2022, and was awarded Master Circle Status by the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) in 2022. In 2025 her large format pastel paintings were featured in the Pastel Journal. Her work was in the Newsletter of the Pastel Society of Victoria, Australia, and Fine Art Connoisseur featured her exhibit of Hudson Valley Landscapes in Fine Art Today. Wiedenbaum has been profiled in Art Times, and American Artist. She teaches pastel at the Woodstock School of Art in the Hudson Valley. An award winning MASTER Pastelist & Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, and an Elected Member of the Audubon Artists Org., Marlene is currently serving on the Board of Governors of the Pastel Society of America and her work was included in 2024 at the Butler Institute of American Art, Giffuni Gallery in Ohio. Her work is in private and public collections throughout the world.