Pastel Society of New Jersey

The 19th Annual Juried Members Exhibition

View Gallery of Winners
Best in Show: Lori Weisenfeld, Shirley

Mission

"The mission of the Pastel Society of New Jersey shall be to secure a membership of dedicated pastel painters, to promote educational activities such as programs, demonstrations, and workshops of pastel techniques to benefit the artistic and professional goals of its members, to exhibit pastel paintings of professional quality, to increase and expand opportunities for pastel artists in New Jersey, and to promote and educate the public interest in pastel painting."

learn

PSNJ workshops, artist demonstrations, and discussions give members the resources needed to master the medium of pastels.

CREATE

As a member of PSNJ, or a visitor to the website, PSNJ is here to help you explore and express your style and exhibit your finished work.

CONNECT

PSNJ offers in-person and on-line shows and events in an effort to meet other artists in New Jersey and visiting artists.

Brochure

Click here to see our new brochure.

Calendar of Events

June 1- 30, 2024 - 19th Annual Juried Members Exhibit, Watchung Arts Center

October 27, 2024 - General Meeting - Demonstration by Anita Gladstone

Nov 3 - Dec 6, 2024 - The Nineteenth Annual Members Exhibition, Crane's Mill Koether Gallery

Meetings & Exhibits

The Pastel Society of New Jersey holds two general meetings per year: one in the Spring and one in the Fall. A short business meeting is followed by a demonstration by a well-known pastelist. Our meetings are generally held in various venues located in northern New Jersey. We also host three exhibitions per year: a Signature Members and Board Members Exhibition, a Members Exhibition, and a Juried Exhibition

PSNJ Bylaws

Executive Board and Committee Chairs 2023-2024

President: Mozelle Forman

First Vice President/Communications: Clara Jenkins

Second Vice President/Exhibitions: Wilfred Sessoms

Treasurer: Linda Schwartz

Secretary: Sharon Belinsky

Membership: Li Lin

Co-Chair of Exhibitions: Carole Rogers

Program Director: Marianne Knipe

Newsletter Editor: Linda Johns

Publicity Coordinator: Urmi Battu

Hospitality Committee Chairs: Marjorie Paradise, Mary Ann Imbriaco

Board Positions Description

History

In 2005, in the Garden State arts scene, energy was gathering around the pastel medium as more and more artists were exploring this versatile medium. It became evident that here was a need to cultivate this fresh artistic spirit, as well as create a forum and support network to help define and share the new vision. Morristown pastelist and art teacher Mark de Mos, with the encouragement of Christina Debarry, president emeritus of the prestigious New York-based Pastel Society of America (PSA), and other artists decided it was time to form a pastel society in New Jersey. Today, PSNJ has over 100 members and is a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS), a global organization that unites artists in their love of the pastel medium.

The mission of the PSNJ is to support, exhibit, educate, and promote pastel artists throughout the state. PSNJ was recently awarded one of 3 grants from IAPS to introduce and educate an audience that previously had no exposure to pastels.

The group has members in eleven of the twenty-one counties in New Jersey, with the majority of members residing in Morris, Essex, Somerset and Union counties, and some out-of-state members who joined when online shows became an option. We gather our members together twice a year for a general meeting and demonstration by a prominent artist – past demonstrators have included: Lynn Asselta PSA, Desmond O’ Hagen, and Brian Bailey. We offer two educational workshops a year, both virtual and in-person, and keep our members informed of other workshop or exhibition opportunities around the country, all in an effort to be the clearing house and the go-to group for information about New Jersey pastel artists.

PSNJ members understand the need to network as well as market their work in order to create opportunities to exhibit and reach an appreciative audience, and PSNJ offers our members 3 exhibition opportunities per year. We are an artist-friendly organization and get the work of pastel artists out into the public eye.