The Power of Pastel with Christine Swann
3 Day Workshop: May 1 - 3, 2025
9 am - 4 pm
$625 + NM Sales Tax
(Note: Fees for models are included)
A note to our students: To ensure that the workshop will not be canceled, we kindly request that you sign up as early as possible. Please note that if the minimum number of students required is not met three (3) weeks before the first day of class, the workshop will be canceled. However, we offer a full refund in the event of a canceled workshop, so there is no monetary risk for you. Please take some time to review our cancellation policy.
About the Workshop
Skill level: All Levels Welcome
Materials used: Pastel
Overview: Artists will build a portrait from start to finish from life with Eminent Pastelist, Christine Swann. She will teach her step-by-step, five-layer process in the pastel medium which focuses on accuracy, light and the “power” of the pastel medium. Understanding the "Thirds of the Head" methodology will let any artist become more accurate in portrait work in obtaining a likeness whether working from photos or from a model. The class will emphasize that understanding the Law of Light and its Rules dictate how value and color are related when constructing the complex topography of the head. Academic lessons on the structure of the head will also be covered along the way.
About Christine
Christine has been designated as an Eminent Pastellist by the International Association of Pastel Societies. (IAPS) In 2015 Southwest Artist Magazine selected Christine as an “Artist To Watch” and her artwork has evolved since then. Although she originally started out by painting her children by bribing them with candy, she now works with live models.
Christine Swann PSA, IAPS/EP
Christine has been designated as an Eminent Pastellist by the International Association of Pastel Societies. (IAPS) In 2015 Southwest Artist Magazine selected Christine as an “Artist To Watch” and her artwork has evolved since then. Although she originally started out by painting her children by bribing them with candy, she now works with live models.
Known for her “personality portraits” she started as an illustrator and is now an award-winning artist on the international level, including winning the IAPS Best of Show “Prix de Pastel” Masters Circle Exhibition award in 2020 and in 2015. Her pastel, “Impact” won Honorable Mention in the portrait category in the 2023 Artist Magazine Competition. She also has won awards at the Pastel Society of America’s International Exhibition in New York and her award-winning portrait is currently on display at the Butler Museum of American Art. Her work has also traveled internationally including to the 2nd China (Suzhou) Biennial International Pastel Exhibition, Second Place at the Pasit Pastellists Italiani Association International Exhibition of Pastels in Tivoli, Italy, and at an Invitational Exhibition in France.
Christine won “Outstanding Pastel” in the BoldBrush Competition for four years in a row. Her work received 5th place in the Portrait Society of America Member’s Competition in 2015 and as finalists in 2019 and 2021. She has also been part of the Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition several times. Her work has received 10 Honorable Mentions in the Pastel Journal’s “Pastel 100” International Competition and Second Place for a portrait in 2014.
The French Magazine, “Pratique des Arts” showcased her portraits in three feature articles, as well as in the French book, “40 Pastel Masters” under the chapter on “Masters of Composition.” The Pastel Journal featured her work in the 2016 October issue with an 8-page article, “Powering Up” and recent articles include, “Do You Suffer from PPS?” and she has also written many articles for the “Five-Minute Coach” column.
Her latest body of work in oils, “Broken Vessels” was shown at a Solo Exhibition in Pittsburgh, PA in the fall of 2022 where she has been exploring the medium of oil and very personal narratives.
Christine is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, and a member of the IAPS Masters’ Circle, a designation she received in only 6 years. She received her Eminent Distinction in 2022. She is also a long-time member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and she currently teaches her “Power of Pastel” Workshop to groups around the country and writes a blog every week on art, pastels and motherhood. She is happily living and teaching from her studio in Greenville, South Carolina.
What’s Included
Bluebird Studios offers an array of complimentary food and beverages during our workshops. Attendees can enjoy an ice breaker the evening before the first day, complimentary continental breakfast served every morning, complimentary unlimited beverages, and afternoon treats each day. We also offer catered lunches brought to the studio or the plein air site (optional for $20), and lastly, our complimentary signature lunch of Frito Chili Pie on the final day. We will spoil you!
Supplies
The supply list for this class can be opened via the button below and printed at your convenience.