The Pastel Society promotes the use of pastel painting in contemporary art
The Pastel Society is an art society, based in London, with over 70 members. The society promotes the use of pastel painting in contemporary art, through exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations and lectures. Founded in England in 1898, its first exhibition was held in the Royal Institute, Piccadilly, London and now holds an annual exhibition in the Mall Galleries.
News flash | Call for entries
Call for entries
Artists working in pastel and contemporary dry media are invited to submit work for the Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2027
From pastel and pencil to charcoal, crayon, chalk and beyond, our 128th Annual Exhibition will celebrate one of the five essential components of contemporary painting and drawing: colour.
Artists are invited to explore how colour can unite us through a shared language of expression, celebrating the possibilities of pastel, dry, and mixed media.
We welcome works in pastel and other dry media, from black and white to every shade in between. The exhibition offers several prizes and awards, worth over £5,000! This includes The Caran d’Ache Prize of £1,000, and the Yoshimoto Prize of £1,000 awarded to an outstanding work submitted through the open call!
The ReMark | Nov 2026
There is still plenty of opportunity to produce a piece of work in these wonderful mediums
“I hope that unlike me, whether you are a member or a non-member, you are currently undertaking work in pastel, dry media, or mixed media to ‘adorn’ the walls of the Mall Galleries next year. It is certainly a time that all but the most efficient artists are suddenly realising that time is disappearing fast and yet when the mind is not sent into panic, there is still plenty of opportunity to produce a piece of work which will be of both credit to yourself and to what we are all trying to achieve in these wonderful mediums.”
Simon B. Hodges PPS
Featured Artist
Dave Roberts PS
Biographical Details:
Born in 1968 in Aberystwyth, Wales, I’ve lived in most corners of the UK over the years but returned to my homeland in 2009. I am now settled in Flintshire.
I had a long career in the charity sector, painting on a part-time basis. I became a full-time professional artist in 2018 and opened my own gallery (Oriel Glasfryn Gallery) in 2022.
Artist’s Statement:
I’m self-taught and specialize in capturing the stunning land and seascapes of North Wales. I work exclusively in soft pastel.
My work is about light and how it profoundly alters the way we perceive these places. I’m particularly drawn to the moments around dawn as this is when I find the atmosphere is at its most ethereal. There is something very elemental about being alone in these vast landscapes in the half-light.
The result is paintings that are full of the rich blues and reds that we associate with that time of day, coupled with intense contrasts of light and shade. In many respects, my work is the antithesis of how most people would imagine pastel paintings to be.
