Michael Freeman Pastel Artist

Today I managed to check my email (as Julie and I are still traveling and are currently in Canada) and had a lovely surprise - with a message saying that I had a painting accepted into the 2024 Pastel Society of America 52nd Annual Exhibition- Enduring Brilliance! Thank you to the esteemed Jurors of Selection and congratulations to all of those artists fortunate to be included in this exhibition. I am truly honored to be one of the 125 works selected from the 1155 submissions and will share my painting after the exhibition goes online.

Still pinching myself this morning

A magnificent and very surreal evening and week. Truly an honor to be amongst such amazing artists and to be able to reconnect with friends and to make so many new ones. Both Julie and I felt very privileged to be invited to sit at the main table at last night’s banquet and to be sitting next to Richard McKinley and Ellen Eagle at the main table (along with Jimmy Wright, Margaret Larlham and her husband, and the owners of Girault Karine and Stephan’s Loiseau and daughter) - it will take some time to fully appreciate last night and the past week 🐝

The IAPS Convention should be on every pastel artists bucket list - we are already starting to make plans and dreaming of 2026

Not a lot of progress lately - have managed to finish the BuzzyBee 🐝

It seems to be popping off the surface and almost landing on my hand!

As all of our time and energy is going into getting things organised for our exciting trip that now is less than a week away before we will be in the air and heading north.

Looking forward to the biggest pastel event on the planet and catching up with old friends and making new ones, and enjoying everything that is the IAPS Convention.

Also cannot wait to see this years exhibition and enjoy the rare opportunity to see artists work up close and personal.

A little bit of fun!

Decided to take a work in progress shot to check whether my BuzzyBee 🐝 was starting to pop out of my painting and ready to land on my hand yet?

Not quite - still need to work on the details and form of the face and right wheel and pull cord .................... but might be getting there 🤓as our trip which has always been months away, all of a sudden is only weeks away ................ looking forward to catching up with old friends and making new ones at the IAPS Convention and beyond.

Does this actually work?

Back in my studio this morning - working on my latest pastel painting. (Here's my latest work in progress pic)

My goal is to try and make this BuzzyBee 🐝 appear as though it's flying right out of my painting right at the viewer.

Busy juggling planning and getting everything ready for our upcoming trip (which seems to be coming at lightspeed) while finding moments to work on this painting. The excitement is building - not long now! (the trip that is - finishing the painting might take longer 😜 it will be a bonus if I can get it completed before we leave!)

Getting a little time in my studio this morning!

So making progress across the top of my latest painting - and working on getting this guy airborne - wont be too long before hopefully we will also be in the air again!

We will be in the USA early June for 6 weeks. We are looking forward to attending the IAPS Convention, taking a few road trips and teaching this 3 day workshop in California.

ITS OUR ONLY WORKSHOP IN THE USA 2024

Registrations are open on the PSSC website
( link in comments)

Look forward to seeing you there 🙂

Very honoured to receive an email this week
indicating that I had a painting accepted into the

2024 IAPS Juried PastelWorld – 12th Master Circle Division

Especially special given that Julie and I will be attending
the IAPS Convention this year.

Thank you to the selection panel, and congratulations to
all those fortunate to have had a painting accepted. BIG HUGS
to all those who were not selected this time – it certainly doesn’t
get any easier. In our household it is always an emotional
rollercoaster. Many times, one of us is accepted while the
other is not! Quite the conundrum on one’s emotions.

We are looking forward to catching up with old friends,
meeting Facebook friends face to face (for the first time)
and making new friends .

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN ALBUQUERQUE

(NOTE: We’ve been asked to refrain from posting
the painting chosen until the opening June 12th)

Always exciting to get an email from the BoldBrush competition
and to represent pastel up against all other media.

Congratulations! Your painting, "Sleight of Hand", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the March 2024 BoldBrush Painting competition.

Thank you to the jurors and congratulations to all those artists that had paintings selected and to those artists who received awards.

I have put a comment below - with a link to see all of the work selected.

Making progress ............................... working in my studio this morning 🐝🐝

............... and so it begins

back in my studio this morning working on the underpainting for my newest pastel painting

A GREAT weekend - at the PANZ National Convention in Morrinsville! 🐝

Where my painting 'The Rules R the Rules' received an Honourable Mention in the Master Circle section. My thanks to the esteemed panel of judges and congratulations to all of the other award winners (including my talented wife Julie who took out the top award!) and to all of the artists who had paintings accepted into the Purely Pastel PANZ National Exhibition this year.

It truly was a wonderful weekend of catching up with old friends and meeting new ones - and the success of the event could be measured by the size of the smiles on all of the attendees faces. It was a SPECIAL weekend!

Very cool to receive my copy of the Pastel Journal and to see both Julie’s and my work published together! 🐝🐝

It was also an honor to both be asked to contribute to Anne Hevener’s article ’So Many Good Things’

However although we love Australia and Australians I can happily say that we are still proud New Zealanders and haven’t hopped across the ditch. 😜

Finished my painting - only have to sign and decide on the title!

Really had a lot of fun creating the depth, texture and form in this piece and capturing the beautiful subtle colors.

So what to work on next?

This little painting is 8"x 8" (200mm x 200mm)

I took the reference photo for this painting down in the South Island of New Zealand 🐝🐝🐝

Making progress and definitely getting closer to the end.

I'm enjoying the details and striving to get depth and texture you can feel into this little piece - such beautiful subtle colors.

So back in my studio this morning, and reminding myself to slow down 😜!

Still haven't decided on a title for this one yet?

This little painting is 8"x 8" (200mm x 200mm)

I took the reference photo for this painting down in the South Island of New Zealand 🐝🐝🐝

Its almost time !! For our March Quarterly Newsletter

Can you believe March is around the corner

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Work in progress from my studio this morning!

2/3rds complete - so the end is in sight - time to slow down 😜

I am enjoying the extra time that I can spend on the detail of this little study 8"x 8" (200mm x 200mm) because it is so small!

Starting to get the feeling of depth and texture of these stones, or would you call them rocks?

I think they are stones 🐝🐝🐝 with such interesting subtle colors and texture. I took the reference photo down in the South Island of New Zealand

Making progress and back in my studio this morning!

This little study 8"x 8" (200mm x 200mm) is starting to come alive - and I am looking at spending more hours on it after a busy and productive time out of the studio this week.

I do love stones 🐝🐝🐝 such subtle colors, texture and form.

Always special!

and an honor to have a painting receive an award
in this year’s Pastel 100

Congratulations to all those artists who were equally fortunate

To all of those responsible for running and jurying this years
paintings and to the awards judge – a BIG Thank you!

Progress ....................... is being made in my studio today

stone by stone - left to right / top to bottom

Slow and steady wins the race!

.................... and so it begins

Underpainting finished and ready to get started on this small one!

My finished pastel painting - is titled 'The Rules R the Rules'

🐝🐝🐝

There is a quote from Einstein that I have hidden in the painting - which might give a little insight into what the painting is about.

Thanks for following my work in progress posts on this one - and now I'm looking forward to making a start on the next one 😳😎

Working down in this right hand corner and reminding myself to slow down 🐝 😜 😂😂😂 because the end is in sight!

Fingers crossed this guy is still here when I get back into my studio tomorrow …….

Latest work in progress - 2nd 🐝 completed……. so slowly making my way down to the bottom corner of this painting next

……….. and then there were 2 🐝 🐝
work in progress pic of my latest pastel painting - trying to make this one fly out of the box 📦

First BuzzyBee 🐝 completed in 2024 - a great start to the New Year

Wishing you a Happy New Year

Finally back in my studio this morning and once again making progress on my latest painting destined to be my first for 2024

May your year ahead be full of happiness, fun and good health and you satisfy your artistic and personal goals for 2024