This summer, pastels will rule
Richmond Art Museum to display regional artists in 'Poetry and Passion: The Art of Pastel'
BY MICHAEL C. LENGEL
FOR THE PALLADIUM-ITEM
A "summer blockbuster exhibition" in the medium of pastel will be hitting the Richmond Art Museum, with the opening set for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. The exhibit features 13 award-winning artists from Indiana and western Ohio.
"Poetry and Passion: The Art of Pastel" is the result of Union City, Ind., artist Carol Strock-Wasson's push to highlight area artists and show that pastel is still a viable medium for art.
"There has been a trend for artists to do oil," Shaun Dingwerth, museum executive director, said. "There's a perceived value that oil brings higher prices," Dingwerth added, speaking of the notion that oil paintings are more readily accepted into exhibits, sell for higher prices and are somehow more refined.
"We're trying to highlight pastel as a viable medium," Dingwerth said.
Pastels are sticks of pure powdered pigment in a binder, looking a bit like oversized crayons but containing the same pigments, in pure form, used in oil paints and all colored art media. The name pastel comes from the Italian word "pastello," meaning "little bread roll."
The exhibit has been in the works for more than a year, Dingwerth said. Featured artists have created original and new works specifically for this exhibit and all works will be available for sale. The show starts Sunday and continues until Aug. 3.
In addition, the artists' work will be featured in a 40-page full-color catalogue with artist biographies.
The featured artists include: Donna Brinkman of Dayton, Ohio, David Dale of Muncie, Mary Ann Davis of Indianapolis, Thelma Frame of Richmond, Charlene George of Brookville, Walter Kiel of Gratis, Ohio, Randall Scott Harden of Noblesville, Ray Hassard of Cincinnati, Ohio, Pamela C. Newell of Fishers, Maureen O'Hara Pesta of Vallonia, Ind., Donna Shortt of Indianapolis, David Slonim of Anderson and Carol Strock-Wasson of Union City, Ind.
