The Pastel Society

Pastel Society | Annual Exhibition 2026

The 127th Annual

Exhibition

of the

Pastel Society

'Sun Rising with promise of a good day' - By Simon Hodges VPPS

DIRECT

TOUCH

Key Dates

Submissions open: Monday 18 August 2025, 12 noon

Submissions close: Friday 14 November, 12 noon

Notification of selection: Friday 28 November, 12 noon

Receiving Day (if selected): Saturday 10 January 2026,
10am to 5pm

Private View (invite only): Tuesday 20 January, 5pm to 8pm, official opening at 6:30pm

Exhibition opens: Wednesday 21 January, 10am to 5pm daily

Exhibition closes: Saturday 31 January, 5pm

Collection of unsold work: Thursday 5 February,
10am to 5pm

Submission Criteria for Acceptable Media

To view the Mall Galleries Federation of British Artists Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAyqHNAlfMM

Interview with Caran d'Ache CEO, Carole Hübscher
Caran d'Ache are Sponsors of the Pastel Society

Pastel Society Awards 2026

THE ReMARK November 2025

On November 14 1969, Apollo 12, the second mission to land on the moon, was launched. On the 14 November this month, entries close on your chance to either launch your exploration into pastel and dry media or to continue the journey to wider horizons.

I have visited a few exhibitions this year and the number of pastel paintings shown can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The Pastel Society is here to encourage & promote this medium and its ‘Direct Touch.’ There is still time and we want to see the work of the potential new members of the Pastel Society, whether young or older.

And speaking of members and the promised Members’ Guide, just as when you think a painting is finished, another thought pops into your head and another deadline comes and goes. The Members’ Guide will always be a document that adapts to a changing world but soon it will be sent out to all members and be available to prospective new members before going on the website. It will help to understanding how the society works, whether you do not know or for those who occasionally forget.

The new website progresses well, but we don’t want to change over until the exhibition is over. Not worth the risk!

In the coming months, The ReMark will essentially be about the 2026 exhibition and what is going on. So even if you are not entering, simply too young to enter or just want to know what is going on to plan a visit, we will begin to highlight some of the activities we have lined up for all ages. So please spread the word.

On a personal note, I am thrilled to know that we have at least a handful of ReMark followers. Ron Best sent us two images which are below. Ron says ‘regarding the self-portrait ‘Oh No! They're Coming to Stay!’ the inspiration for this was a talk we had at my local art society. In choosing a title, various possibilities were suggested… a friend suggested an impending and unwelcome visit from (not-so-close) friends might be apposite, and so it seems! We have also selected some work sent to us by Bill Truslove. Bill, who is a member of the South Australian Pastel Society and who is writing an article on the Pastel Society for a local publication, contacted us for advice. It is nice to hear from other societies from time to tie and we will hopefully publish the article later.

Send your images to us by the 24 November 2025 to info.thepastelsociety@gmail.com for the next ReMark

Good painting and keep the submissions coming for DIRECT TOUCH, PS Annual Exhibition 2026 to the Mall Galleries. Deadline 14th November 2025.

Simon B. Hodges VPPS

Oh No! They're Coming to Stay!

Self Portrait

Fleet Street from Ludgate Hill

Trees Les Menuires

The Bovril Building Winter Rush Hour

Earthenware 4

Earthenware 3

Featured Artist

Benjamin Hope PS NEAC RSMA ROI

Artist's Statement:

I draw and paint directly from life, both in the studio and outside. Working in this way results in marks that are reactive, and for me, it is the best way to capture what it feels like to be with the subject. I also create much larger studio paintings based on small plein air studies. In these I try to recreate the energy and atmosphere of the smaller work using a more complex layering of the medium.

Biographical Details:

Benjamin took an unconventional route to a career in fine art. As the son of artist Jane Hope, he was introduced to painting at an early age, but he decided against Art School and instead pursued Mathematics and Physics, culminating in a PhD from Cambridge University. After graduating from Cambridge, Benjamin had a spell as a ‘quant’ in the City in order to set up a studio in South East London, and in 2011 he left the City to begin focusing on his art full-time. As well as the Pastel Society, Benjamin is an elected member of the New English Art Club, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Royal Society of Marine Artists.