Entries are now open for the Arkansas Pastel Society’s biennial APS Juried Membership Show.
Submit your artwork now through 11:59 pm PST on October 4 at onlinejuriedshows.com. You must be a paid-up APS member to enter.
The show opens November 20th in the gallery of the Argenta Public Library in North Little Rock.
This year’s juror: Aaron Schuerr, a plein air landscape painter working in both oil and pastel, based in Livingston, Montana. He is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, the American Impressionist Society, and the West Coast Pastel Society. He has received a number of awards including Best Pastel at the Plein Air Salon Awards. He also teaches workshops, has produced instructional pastel videos, and writes for The Pastel Journal and The Artist Magazine. Learn more at aaronschuerr.com.
The prospectus and full submission details are available here.
The International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) held its 2026 PastelWorld Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from June 16 to 21. More than 650 artists from 12 countries and every U.S. state came together for a week of exhibitions, education, and celebration of pastel art, and the Arkansas Pastel Society was well represented.
The week included the PastelWorld Exhibition, a juried show featuring 175 artists from around the world, along with the Opening Reception and Artist Awards Ceremony, the Artist Autograph Book Signing, the vendor hall (aka the “Candy Store”), Fiesta Night, and the Honors Banquet closing out the convention.
A Proud Week for the Arkansas and Ozark Pastel Societies
Members from both the Arkansas Pastel Society (APS) and the Ozark Pastel Society (OPS) traveled to Albuquerque, and our region had a lot to celebrate. Shirley Anderson, Caprise Cooper, Clint Howard, Susan Hurst, Charles Peer, and Cindy Rowden were accepted into the PastelWorld show.
Several of our own members, many active in both societies, were recognized with top honors during the event:
Susan Hurst (APS/OPS) received her Master Circle Honor
Charles Peer (OPS/APS) received his Eminent Pastelist Honor
Clint Howard (OPS/APS) received his Master Circle Honor
Margi Tucker (OPS/APS) received her Master Circle Honor
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A New Chapter of Leadership for Arkansas
Arkansas’ presence in the international pastel community goes beyond the exhibition hall. Two of our members now serve on the IAPS Board of Directors:
Shirley Anderson (APS/OPS), President of IAPS
Caprise Cooper (APS/OPS), newly elected Vice President of IAPS
Congratulations to Shirley and Caprise on these leadership roles. Having two Arkansas artists on the IAPS Board is a wonderful reflection of the strength and dedication of our local pastel community.
Congratulations to Our Members
Congratulations to everyone from the Arkansas Pastel Society and Ozark Pastel Society who attended, exhibited, and were recognized at this year’s PastelWorld Convention. We’re proud of the work our members put into their art and the way they represented Arkansas on the international stage.
Several APS members attended the opening reception on May 15 for In Full Color, the 2026 Joint OPS-APS Members Pastel Exhibit, hosted by the Ozark Pastel Society at Arts On Main in Van Buren.
The exhibition features work by members of both the Ozark Pastel Society and the Arkansas Pastel Society, with artists ranging from those new to the pastel medium to those who have earned the highest honors from the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) and the Pastel Society of America. The collection includes landscapes, portraits, still life, wildlife, abstracts, and pet portraits.
The exhibition also features informational panels exploring the history of pastels, the medium itself, and the diverse approaches artists use in creating pastel paintings. artsonmainvb
The galleries are free and open to the public Monday through Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm. The show runs through June 27, so there is still time to make the trip to Van Buren. Arts On Main is located at 415 Main Street, Van Buren, AR
If you would like to know more about us, please check out the About page on this website.
Recently we held our Eleventh National Show. We are proud to announce our winners below. If you would like to see all the paintings accepted into the show, they are all listed in the Show Catalog.
The 11th Arkansas Pastel Society National Show will be held Nov. 21, 2025 – Dec. 12, 2025 at the North Little Rock Argenta Public Library – 420 Main St. – North Little Rock, AR 72114.
The opening of the Show and Artists’ Reception will be held November 21, 2025 from 5:30 to 7:30 at the NLR Argenta Public Library.
Click here for the Online Catalog of the Show. All artists accepted to the show, prices, contact information and photos of the paintings can be seen in the Catalog. Winners will be listed after the show opens.
Colette Odya Smith, Juror
A lifelong Wisconsin native, Ms. Smith is a painter of contemporary landscapes that often blur the distinctions between realism and abstraction. She earned her degree in Fine Art, Humanities, and Education at Macalester College in St. Paul and then taught public school art. A pastel class at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design set her on her career path. Ms. Smith works from her home and studio in Wauwatosa, WI, not far from where she was raised. While her extensive travels nationally and internationally have expanded her vision and insights, she remains at heart a midwestern girl in love with the richness of the landscape she is grounded in.
Her paintings have received over 70 regional, national, and international awards. Ms. Smith has written articles and juried for the Pastel Journal and The Artists Magazine. She has been honored as a Maître Pastelliste by the Societe des Pastellistes de France, Master Pastelist and Advisory Board Member by the Pastel Society of America, Eminent Pastelist and Masters’ Circle member by the International Association of Pastel Societies, and Distinguished Pastelist by the Pastel Society of New Mexico.
Colette Odya-Smith presented a workshop for the Arkansas Pastel Society in November 2025.
During the workshop, Colette shared a perspective that resonated with many artists in the room: “Artists have a superpower – the ability to see something before it happens.”
She also spoke about her preference for working in a square format, explaining that “It’s easier to break the rules in a square.” To create texture in specific areas of a painting, she layers pastel with fixative in alternating layers, but does not use fixative as a final finish.
Colette also mentioned that she will be teaching a workshop in Door County, Wisconsin, in August, which sounds like a great way to beat the heat of an Arkansas summer.
Several members of APS spent a lovely Saturday recently with instructor Vic Mastis exploring new surfaces and mixed media tools to use with pastels. We played with patterned papers, spray paints, stencils and various mark-making options, and everyone ended up with unique studies as a result. Vic shared some fun techniques that she’s been using and participants were encouraged to experiment with the materials and references on hand.
Vic said “I can’t believe all the beautiful artwork that was started and produced!! Time went too fast. Pat yourself on the back for trying new things and going with it!”
(Note: Participant Carol Rivas had to leave before the group photo was taken).
We have a brand new page on our website. It is a place for us to read about ideas, techniques, products and other tips. These articles will be written by our members. The first one is written by our President, Caprise Cooper. It highlights the procedure and materials she uses to paint her series of “Old Rusty Vehicles”.
Mertz Encouraged Participants to “Paint What Scares You”
Nancie King Mertz presented a three-day workshop for the Arkansas Pastel Society on November 12–14, 2024. She also presented a demonstration for the Society’s regular Tuesday night meeting, which was available to view via Zoom.
The theme for the workshop was“Paint What Scares You.” Each participant was free to focus on whatever that meant for them.
Workshops like this are a valuable part of the Arkansas Pastel Society’s programming. They give members the chance to learn from accomplished artists, exchange ideas with fellow painters, and spend focused time developing their work in a supportive environment.
Thank you to Nancie King Mertz for sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with APS members during this inspiring three-day event.
Arkansas Pastel Society 