The Texas Pastel Society was founded by Mary C. Lopez  due to a need for a pastel artists support group and raise awareness of the soft pastel medium in the south Texas community.  With the help of co-founders, Laura Cardenas, Maria Teresa Everett, Cindy Morawski, Geri Martino, Teresa Villanueva, and Irena Taylor, the opening meeting was held on February 26, 2008 and attended by  twenty-one enthusiastic pastelists. TxPS will  meet nine times in the year on the fourth Tuesday of the month, unless otherwise noted due to workshops, at Coppini Academy of Fine Arts, 115 Melrose Pl., San Antonio, Tx.  The Texas Pastel Society is a member of the presitgious International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS), www.pastelinternational.com 

What is Pastel?

Pastel is not colored chalk but is instead pure pigment,  the same used in all art media.  It is ground into a paste, rolled into sticks, and dried. It is the most durable of all mediums and will not oxidize, darken, fade, yellow or crack with time.  Sixthteenth century pastel paintings are still as bright as the day they were painted.  Pastel paintings reflect light like a prism.

As with all fine art, keep pastel paintings out of direct sunlight and high humidity areas.