The Pastel Podcast

Sarah Blumenschein trained as a manufacturing engineer. Then, raising young kids, she met an artist at an art festival who told her pastels were the medium she could put down and pick right back up. In this episode, Sarah joins Kari and Lisa to share how that advice, plus a mentor's challenge to paint pears fifty times, grew into an award-winning career in still life and floral painting. She explains why she paints on dark gray UArt paper and how she blocks in one value layer before adding detail. She talks about the bird's-eye view behind her Best in Show sunflowers and pumpkins, and why warm light only glows next to a cool shadow. Plus: handling competitions and imposter syndrome, Richard McKinley's 24-hour rule for wins and rejections, and her advice for every painter: practice like you're learning a musical instrument.

Skip Whitcomb grew up on a cattle-and-horse ranch in Eastern Colorado, where the open land and big skies became his lifelong subject — and later his spiritual home as a painter. In this episode, Skip joins Kari and Lisa to share how a college drawing class pushed him toward art, how mentor Ned Jacob got him outdoors with nothing but a paintbrush and Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, and why he's never once painted outdoors in pastel despite building many of his finished pastels from oil field studies. Plus, the love-hate tug-of-war between oil and pastel on any given piece, the limited-palette color-harmony method at the heart of his year-long mentoring program, and his sage advice for every painter: get your values right, because "values do all the work and color gets the credit."

Daniel Keys bought his first paint kit at 11 with birthday money, taught himself to paint with no formal training, and went on to win the Portrait Society of America's Draper Grand Prize, the PleinAir Salon Grand Prize, and covers on seven major art magazines. In this episode, Daniel joins Kari and Lisa to share how a magazine cover at 22 became his big break, what it was like quietly absorbing everything from a decade at Richard Schmid's easel, and how pastel's "visual mixing" — layering broken color instead of blending on a palette — has changed the way he now paints in oil. Plus, why drawing and values (not composition) are the real gap in most students' work, why he now reaches for pastel over oil for portraits, and a peek at his recent painting trip chasing 500-year-old thatched-roof cottages through Yorkshire, England.

Nancie King Mertz has done it all — 19 years running a Chicago gallery, painting in 24 countries, guest of honor at the Pastel Society of France, and now the newest PSA Hall of Fame honoree. In this episode, Nancie joins Kari and Lisa to share her signature "tick mark map" technique, her denatured alcohol underpainting method, and the one rule that transformed her students' compositions: the three-quarters value principle. Plus, why she never lets students bring pastel pencils, how she funded international travel by painting on every trip, and a peek inside her dream learning center retreat in Rockford, Illinois.

Lon Brauer spent 20 years as a commercial photographer before returning to full-time painting — and only picked up a pastel stick 18 months ago. Yet somehow, he already holds Pastel Society signature status and PleinAir Salon wins. In this episode, Lon joins Kari and Lisa to talk about his "expressive realism" style, his bold experimental technique, and why pastel feels like being a five-year-old with chalk on a sidewalk. Plus: his tips for building intuition, finding your authentic voice, and the one question every artist should be asking — "what if?"

What happens when a left-brain scientist retires and discovers pastel? Shirley Anderson — incoming president of the International Association of Pastel Societies — joins Kari and Lisa to share her unlikely journey from chemistry labs and AT&T boardrooms to full-time landscape painting in Arkansas. She also pulls back the curtain on IAPS: what it does for pastel societies, what to expect at the 2026 convention, and the exciting new direction the organization is heading. Plus, a great book recommendation for any artist struggling to silence their inner perfectionist!

Episode 13: Greg Barnes on Plein Air Painting, Pastel Mastery & Building a Full-Time Art Career

What does it take to walk away from a stable career and build a full-time life as a painter? Greg Barnes did exactly that after 9/11—and hasn't looked back since. The Charlotte-based pastel and oil painter joins Kari and Lisa to share the journey, techniques, and philosophy behind his expressive, light-filled work.

About Greg Barnes Greg Barnes has been a full-time painter since 2002, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Known for his impressionistic pastels and oils that capture the light, atmosphere, and feeling of being in a place, Greg has earned prestigious awards including Best in Show at Plein Air New Bern and the Irvine Museum Award at Maui Plein Air. In 2021, he was selected for the ArtPop Street Gallery, with his work displayed on billboards and airport screens across Charlotte—and somehow, on a restaurant wall in Miami too.

In This Episode

• From a Wake Forest fine arts degree to 15 years in commercial work—until 9/11 prompted a life-changing pivot
• How portrait commissions led to pastel landscapes, art festivals across the country, and eventually plein air invitationals
• Why Greg chose to master pastel first before adding oil (and the gallery realities that drove that decision)
• His "order from chaos" teaching philosophy—and how he puts his intuitive process into words for students
• The key lessons he absorbed from mentors Albert Handel and Scott Christiansen: emotional mark-making, design, and letting the leaves "dance"
• How the plein air invitational world works: the difference between open events and invitation-only shows, and how word of mouth is everything
• What a Quick Draw is and why it's one of the best ways to get noticed as an emerging plein air painter
• Deciding between pastel and oil in the field—and why it's almost always an intuitive call

Upcoming Workshops & Events

• Tallapoosa School of Fine Arts, Alabama — back-to-back pastel workshops (late April)
• Gloucester Plein Air, Gloucester, Virginia — June
• Cashiers Plein Air, Cashiers, North Carolina — July
• Wild Acres Pastel Workshop, Blue Ridge Mountains, NC — one week, all-inclusive, under $1,000 (spots still available)
• Monhegan Island, Maine — August (informal paint-alongs; reach out if you'll be there)
• Plein Air Down Under, Perth, Australia — later this year

Find Greg Website & workshop info: barnstudios.com

Also Mentioned

• Lisa's pastel workshop with Rosemary & Co., Yorkshire, England — June
• IAPS (International Association of Pastel Societies) Convention — June
• Pastel Today newsletter — the go-to resource for all things pastel

The Pastel Podcast is hosted by Kari Stober and Lisa Skelly. New episodes monthly. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit thepastelpodcast.com.

Welcome to our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY episode of The Pastel Podcast! 🎉 Today we sit down with the incredible Liz Haywood-Sullivan — New England landscape pastel artist, former president of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS), Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, and author of Painting Brilliant Skies and Water in Pastel.

In this episode, Liz shares her journey from the design world to full-time fine art, why pastel painting became her lifelong medium, and how she narrowed her focus to pastel landscape painting to truly master her craft. We dive into her go-to pastel materials including Lux archival paper, Terry Ludwig pastels, Diane Townsend pastels, Unison pastels, and more. We also discuss plein air painting, color mixing, value studies, and what it takes to earn the highest honors in the pastel world.

Whether you're a beginner learning how to paint with pastels, an experienced pastel artist looking for inspiration, or simply curious about pastel painting techniques, this episode is packed with insight you won't want to miss.

In this episode of The Pastel Podcast, hosts Kari Stober and Lisa Skelly welcome rising pastel artist Clint Howard, whose rapid ascent in the pastel world is inspiring artists everywhere. Clint shares how he returned to pastel painting in 2023 after a career in graphic design and ministry—and how focused daily practice led him to earn Master Circle status with the International Association of Pastel Societies in just a few years.

This conversation dives deep into pastel painting techniques, including working from reference photos, atmospheric perspective, tonalism, painting water and reflections, and capturing light in landscape painting. Clint explains his process for simplifying composition, using neutrals effectively, and building strong value structures in pastel.

You'll also hear about plein air painting, digital tools for composition studies, mentorship, teaching, and building a sustainable art practice. Clint's thoughtful insights on observation, consistency, and artistic growth make this episode especially valuable for painters at any stage.

Whether you're a pastel artist, landscape painter, or creative searching for pastel painting stories and inspiration, this episode offers practical wisdom and motivation to keep painting.

🎧 Subscribe for more pastel artist interviews, techniques, and inspiration. ThePastelPodcast.com

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In this episode of The Pastel Podcast, hosts Kari Stober and Lisa Skelly sit down with acclaimed pastel artist Brenda Boylan, known for her expressive figurative work, rich color palettes, and emotionally resonant paintings. 🎨✨

Brenda shares her artistic journey, from discovering pastel painting to developing a confident, intuitive studio practice rooted in observation, memory, and human connection. She talks about working from life versus reference photos, embracing imperfection, and allowing emotion to guide composition and mark-making.

This conversation explores essential pastel painting techniques, including layering, color temperature, value control, and simplifying complex scenes. Brenda also discusses the role of drawing in pastel, the importance of daily practice, and how curiosity fuels long-term creative growth. Her insights into teaching, workshops, and staying creatively energized offer valuable guidance for artists at every stage.

Whether you're a pastel artist, painter, or art lover researching pastel painting stories and inspiration, this episode delivers thoughtful advice, encouragement, and a deeper look into the creative process behind meaningful pastel artwork.

🎧 Subscribe at ThePastelPodcast.com for more artist interviews, pastel techniques, and inspiring conversations from today's leading pastel painters.