Maryland Pastel Society about us

Founded in 1977, the Maryland Pastel Society is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and development of professional, original works of art in the medium of soft pastel and to the creative and technical development of its members. There are many local pastel societies throughout the country, but the Maryland Pastel Society is the oldest state society and is an active member of the International Association of Pastel Societies. While the Society had its roots in the Baltimore area, its members (over 200 today) come from all over the Mid-Atlantic region.

Our society aims to provide educational opportunities for artists and the public through the Society’s website, lectures, art demonstrations, workshops, and art exhibitions.

What we do...

• Hold four general meetings each year, with programs that include demonstrations, lectures, mini-workshops, critiques, and the opportunity to share current artwork with other society members and get their feedback
• Sponsor pastel workshops by nationally known and local artists
• Sponsor Shades of Pastel, our biennial national juried exhibition
• Hold juried Members Only exhibitions biennially
• Hold non-juried Signature Members' shows biennially
• Publish quarterly on-line news updates
• Sponsor paint outs and other special events

We offer several different types of membership: see our membership page for more information.

Board Members and Volunteers