Great article in Pastel Society of the West Coast by Natasha on Judging and and the Process. Read full article here (Select the SUMMER 2025 Issue and scroll to page 72): https://pswc.ws/new-pswc-magazine/ 

Isenhour, Wild and Free Like Me

March 2025: This month’s blog has the highly accomplished Natasha Isenhour, asking us to consider the limitations that may come from the use of categories in defining our art. Pastel Society of the West Coast

Mar 1, 2025

Rock and Roll or Country: Some Thoughts on “Categories”
By Natasha Isenhour

“What “kind” of artist are you?”

“Ummm, well, the kind that paints, draws, plays dozens of instruments, and I’m told I really know my way around the kitchen, I’m that kind of artist.”

Laughs, “well, I suppose I should have asked, what do you paint?”

“Oh! I see! Birds, trees, Ferris wheels, chipmunks, storm clouds, teabags….”

“Thanks Natasha, I’ve gotta go.”

I find the nomenclature maze around art to be stupefying. “How nice, you do pastel drawings!” “No, I do pastel PAINTINGS. Sometimes I draw but you asked me about painting?” OK. I do realize that we are the chosen ones, and we do this everyday, so we get what’s going on. I also realize we have an incredible opportunity to educate the poor souls that dare to ask, and I’m happy to oblige. 

Read more:

Interview by the Pastel Society  of the West Coast with Natasha

Congratulations to the following PAPNM artists whose work has been juried into the 26th Annual National Juried Exhibition Cassens Fine Art Hamilton, Montana Exhibition dates August 1 – September 2, 2025:

MICHELE BYRNE BARBARA COLEMEN, CAROLINE J. LINDSEY, SPIKE RESS.

For more information visit: https://americanimpressionistsociety.org/page-18726

Top 100 Finalists March 2025

Linda Wells

Ellen Buselli: 

This competition seems to have become VERY competitive. A BIG congratulations to Linda and Ellen!!

See all 2025 Monthly Awards and paintings here.

Each month all the entries are reviewed and scored by our judges, and the paintings with the highest scores become the Top 100 Finalists. The awards for the monthly competition are selected from the groups of finalists.

The overall and category winners will be included in the judging for the 14th Annual PleinAir Salon Competition being awarded in May 2025.

August 2024:

The Top 100 Finalists for the for the August 2024 PleinAir Salon Art Competition were announced on September 23rd. The awards will be announced on September 30th.

The top 100 finalists include PAPNM members, Michele Byrne, Jane Hunt and Peggy Immel 

July 2024 Competition: 

PAPNM Members, Jane Hunt and Lamya Deeb were in the top 100. Jane Hunt received a vehicle award in addition.

May 2024 Competition:

PAPNM Members in the Top 100 Finalists: Jane Hunt, Natasha Isenhour. 

Join PAPNM Members participating in this studio tour.

For more information, visit https://placitasstudiotour.com

Join PAPNM Members participating in this tour on May 3rd and 4th

For details, visit: https://corralessocietyofartists.org/studio-tour/

Hello all,

In case you are unaware, award winning, successful artist Nocona Burgress has a show on KSFR, Radio Free Santa Fe, called the Business of Art. 

Our PAPNM President, Jack McGowan, will be interviewed by him on the show this Thursday, April 17 at 6:04 PM to discuss: PAPNM, the Abiquiu Paint In The Footsteps of Masters Event and the 17th National Juried Members Show.  

You can listen to the broadcast here for now (as of this date, 4/20; I listened to it - excellent, new information for all artists!!): 

https://www.ksfr.org/show/the-business-of-art-with-nocona-burgess

--

Jack McGowan, Plein Air Painter

President, Plein Air Painters Of New Mexico

WWW.JackMcGowan-Artist.com

Plein Air Painters of New Mexico

Oil Painters of America

(505) 681-7482

The Days Ahead by Lorenzo Chavez 18" x 24" Pastel

Lorenzo Chavez - a fabulous artist. You may have read about him in one of the many art magazines including (but not limited to), Plein Air, Southwest Art, Artists Magazine, American Art Review, etc. Lorenzo also teaches workshops, so if you're wanting to perfect/learn he would be a great one to take a workshop from. More info below!

From Lorenzo:

I am happy to announce that I am the featured artist today on artfoodhome.com . 

have a great and Happy Easter.  See article link below. 

Enjoy!

Lorenzo Chavez

Article Link: https://artfoodhome.com/2025/04/14/featured-artist-lorenzo-chavez-2/

Congratulations to Paul Murray, PAPNM Master Artist for winning the Best of Show Award in the 2025 Masterworks of NM.

There are a couple of spaces left in the Masterworks' RGAA workshop by Barbara Coleman.

Check it out:https://masterworksnm.org/3-4-day-workshops-2024/ or

https://rgaanm.org.

View all awards and paintings here: https://masterworksnm.org

(Select the tabs for the Standard and Miniature Shows.  But also, be sure to visit the tab with the judge's comments.)

Congratulations to other PAPNM Artists with awards:

Standard Fine Art Gallery:

Albert Handell, 3rd Place, Pastel
Lewis Williams, Award of Excellence
Tom Blazier, Wilson Hurley Enchantment Award
Paul Murray, Award of Excellence, Non-representational
Marilyn Drake, Margi Lucena Award

Miniature Fine Art Gallery:

Gwen Ethelbah, Honorable Mention
Michael Meyer, 3rd Place Oil
Katherine Irish, 1st Place Pastel
Wendy Ahlm, Honorable Mention

Other PAPNM members juried into the shows:

Tobi Clement
Carla Forrest
Jay Leutwyler
Mike Mahon
Jay Parks
Marilyn Wightman

The OPA National Show show will be held at the Herrig Center for the Arts in Bradenton, FL - May 27-June 1. 2025.

Congratulations to our PAPNM members, juried into the show:

Carole Belliveau
Ellen Buselli
Barbara Coleman
Albert Handell
Jane Hunt
Natasha Isenhour
Carolyn Lindsey

Visit OPA's site for more information: https://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/shows/ (click on the National Show Acceptance List)

If your name is not on this list and you were juried into the show, send Karen Halbert an email. See the News webpage for more information.