Pastel Society Events Programme

I don't normally do a post about the events programme for a national art society exhibition. However this is the BIGGEST events programme from the Pastel Society that I've ever seen - and so.....

The Annual Exhibition 2026 of The Pastel Society opened today at the Mall Galleries and continues until 7th February

The Pastel Society Studio is in the East Gallery at the Mall Galleries

There is an Events Programme 

• all events are FREE with admission and no booking is required.
• Unless otherwise stated, the events will take place in The Studio (East Gallery)

Here's your options - with dates and who is doing what.  Note there are lots of opportunities to try out different media and work on your own to see whether or you like dry media.

To see more of the artwork by the person giving the demonstration/talk/whatever click the link in their name (only applied to the first listing).

Events Programme | Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2026

Simon Hodges & Richard Rees

Thursday 22 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges PS; Use it or lose it A short illustrated talk and Q&A about Vice President Simon's thoughts on the creative process.
• 2pm Richard Rees PPS will take you through the amazing qualities of Caran d’Ache pastel varieties and show you how they can open up a world of creativity.

Curtis Holder

Friday 23 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Curtis Holder PS SGFA CBPP Demonstration Curtis will talk and draw through a pencil portrait in his own unique way. A seated model may be requested from the audience.
• 2pm Curtis Holder; Demonstration Curtis will talk and draw through a pencil portrait in his own unique way. A seated model may be requested from the audience.

Simon Hodges

Saturday 24 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges; Pastel & the painting process A short illustrated talk, demonstration and Q&A about his thoughts on the painting process using pastel.
• 2pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels and dry media in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

Richard Rees

Sunday 25 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.
• 2pm Richard Rees will take you through the amazing qualities of Caran d’Ache pastel varieties and show you how they can open up a world of creativity.

Simon Hodges

Monday 26 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges; Pastel; chalk, oil & water A short illustrated talk, demonstration and Q&A about using various types of pastel.
• 2pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

Roger Dellar

Tuesday 27 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Roger Dellar ROI RI PS ARSMA; A Demonstration Roger will talk through a soft pastel demonstration of a still life in his own unique way.
• 2pm Roger Dellar; A Demonstration Roger will talk through a soft pastel demonstration in his own unique way.

Art Event Evening

Tuesday 27 January, 6pm to 8:30pm

Booking required

The annual Pastel Society Art Event Evening in the West Gallery brings together two models for a themed drawing and painting session with Pastel Society member artists 

Dave Roberts

Wednesday 28 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Dave Roberts; Workshop Dave will run a workshop, guiding participants through the techniques he uses to paint the mountains of North Wales in soft pastel. All materials provided.
• 2pm Dave Roberts; Workshop Dave will run a workshop, guiding participants through the techniques he uses to paint the mountains of North Wales in soft pastel. All materials provided.

Louise Diggle & Richard Rees

Thursday 29 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Louise Diggle will demonstrate plein air pastels on The Mall outside the galleries (weather permitting). If the weather is adverse, expect a talk inside the galleries about plein air painting.
• 2pm Richard Rees will take you through the amazing qualities of Caran d’Ache pastel varieties and show you how they can open up a world of creativity.

Martin Goold

Friday 30 January, 11am, 2pm and 4pm

• 11am Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.
• Martin Goold; Themed Tours of the Exhibition
• 2pm Colour and Atmosphere in Pastel Painting A themed tour of the exhibition looking at a variety of ways in which pastel artists have suggested and evoked atmosphere in their paintings. Martin will focus on a small number of paintings in the exhibition and look at different uses of colour in a range of subjects including landscape, portrait and still life as well as more abstract approaches. Discover some of the secrets about how this wonderful and versatile material can really be used. (Duration: 45 minutes)
• 4pm Suggesting Depth and Distance in Pastel Painting: A themed tour of the exhibition looking at a variety of ways in which pastel artists have suggested depth in their paintings. Martin will focus on a small number of paintings in the exhibition and look at different methods used to give the feeling of being able to look from foreground to background. See how traditional perspective methods have been used as well as some less obvious approaches. (Duration: 45 minute

Felicity House

Saturday 31 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Felicity House will talk through a soft pastel portrait demonstration in her own unique way. A seated model may be requested from the audience.
• 2pm Felicity House will talk through a soft pastel portrait demonstration in her own unique way. A seated model may be requested from the audience.

The Studio

Sunday 1 February, 11am to 5pm

• 11am to 5pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

Simon Hodges

Monday 2 February, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges; Pastel & mixed media A short illustrated talk, demonstration and Q&A about his use of pastel with other media. 
• 2pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

John Tookey and Richard Rees

Tuesday 3 February, 12pm and 3pm

• 12pm John Tookey will create a marine landscape in pastel, working from a photograph and sketch.
• 3pm Richard Rees will take you through the amazing qualities of Caran d’Ache pastel varieties and show you how they can open up a world of creativity.

Andrew Barrowman

Wednesday 4 February, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Andrew Barrowman; Demonstration The Art of Charcoal
• 2pm Andrew Barrowman; Demonstration The Art of Charcoal

Simon Hodges

Thursday 5 February, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges; Pastel; sketching, studies & painting A short illustrated talk, demonstration and Q&A about his use of pastel at various stages of the creative process.
• 2pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

The Studio

Friday 6 February, 11am to 5pm

• 11am to 5pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

Fiona Carvell & Richard Rees

Saturday 7 February, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Fiona Carvell; Still Life in Pastel - A Beginner's Guide A talk/demonstration of approximately 1 hour, followed by Q&A. Fiona will use fruits and vegetables as reference to demonstrate the basics of composition, plus understanding subject, light, weight and density as well as colour choices, pastel application and mark making. Materials will be available to encourage people to try.
• 2pm Richard Rees will take you through the amazing qualities of Caran d’Ache pastel varieties and show you how they can open up a world of creativity