Central Mass Pastel Society Awards 2022
Now in its 4th year, the Central Mass Pastel Society (CMPS) held its annual national juried show, Marks of Distinction 2022 from September 1-28.
This first in-person show drew pastel artists from around the world. This year, selection jurors Liz Balkwill and Natasha Isenhour, both award-winning pastel artists, had the difficult task of selecting just 80 paintings (from the almost 200 submitted) to be hung at Fivesparks in Harvard, MA.
The awards juror, Katie Hanson, Associate Curator of Painting from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, an expert in pastel, selected the top 20 paintings to receive cash and/or merchandise awards at the reception. Over a hundred pastel artists, friends and enthusiasts attended the awards reception on September 10th
MAMUT Handmade Soft Pastels was part of this event donating three Sets of 21-piece Baby MAMUT.
I received two wonderful letters; The first one was from Anne Vosikas, Clerk of the Corporation, Awards Manager, Marks of Distinction 2022. She let me know me that they were excited to be able to offer each of the top 3 award winners this year with a box of Baby MAMUT, along with their cash prizes. No need to mention that I felt exited too be part of this event and to see the juror´s decision!! Here are the artists and the beautiful paintings that won Mamut award.
First Prize, “Lazy Hazy Days” by Terri Brooks, ©photo by CMPS
"The layering of colors—subtle lavender and white atop vibrant orange—create a mesmerizing glow. The play of these matte layered colors to convey the shimmering surface of water harmonizes beautifully with the quiet whimsy of the subject and composition. This one just kept drawing me back to it with its compelling push and pull of my attention between the use of the medium and the composition as a whole."
Second Place, “Grandpa's Hay Barn” by Kathryn Niles, ©photo by CMPS 2022
"Pastel’s lush velvetiness adds to the quiet grandeur of these old buildings, emphasizing the softness of aged, weather-beaten wood. The lively, energetic strokes of growing grass provide a captivating foil to the soft stillness of the structures. Touch, composition, and subject combine to enchanting effect."
Third Place, “With You By My Side” by Betsy Payne Cook, ©photo by CMPS
"The richly textured surface is fascinating in its own right, and conveys so compellingly the luminous, wet atmosphere of the scene. This is a marvelous meeting of technique and subject, of application and effect."
I was so happy when i received another letter, this time from Kathryn Niles, who won the second prize!
-Hello Alain, My name is Kathryn M. Niles and I was the second place winner for the Marks of Distinction exhibition at Fivesparks Gallery in Harvard, Massachusetts. I just wanted to thank you personally for the wonderful gift of handmade pastels. I am currently using them in my first painting since the show and have found them to be lovely. They make beautiful marks and are soft, yet do not fall apart. I am in love with them! I will order a box of the earthtone colors and perhaps a set of darker greens, too, as I work with landscape. Again, thank you for your generous gift, and I am enjoying them immensely!
Sincerely,
Kathryn M. Niles, BFA, MFA, PSA
It feels great to get the feedback from the painters, their opinion and sensations with the pastels are precious to me! Congratulations to the accepted artists and award winners for their diverse and beautiful work, and thanks to the jurors of selection, Liz Balkwill and Natasha Isenhour, and the Judge of Awards, Katie Hanson, and of course the Central Mass Pastel Society for the oportunity and for sharing with me this experience!
Winners of the annual national juried show, Marks of Distinction 2022 ©photo CMPS, 2022
