Pastel Society | Events Programme 2026

The Pastel Society presents a series of special events during the Society's Annual Exhibition 2026.

Unless otherwise stated, the events will take place in The Studio (East Gallery) and are free with exhibition admission.

The annual Pastel Society Art Event Evening will take place on Tuesday 27 January, 6pm to 8:30pm. Further details can be found below but please note that booking is required; tickets are £12 for participants, £10 to spectate and £6 for Friends of Mall Galleries.

Wednesday 21 January, 11am to 5pm

A short introduction to events after which the studio is open for all visitors to draw and paint. Sarah Bee, Janine Baldwin and Simon Hodges will be around to give practical advice and answer questions. 

Pastel Pixels & The Studio Prize A DIY experience held throughout the exhibition in the studio. Visitors of any age are invited to undertake a painting or drawing of any subject in pastel or dry media that will be photographed and shown on the Pastel Society website after the exhibition as part of a ‘pixelated image’. A £100 Cass Art E-Gift card will be awarded to two selected works after the exhibition. All work must be left with a name and contact details on the reverse.

All materials are supplied. Use subjects in the exhibition, phone images, photographs, memories or invention to create your image… (If you do not wish to have it photographed, please let us know; but either way, you may take the finished work away!)

Thursday 22 January, 11am and 2pm

11am Simon Hodges; 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 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.

Friday 23 January, 11am and 2pm

11am Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels and dry media in the studio. There will be a Pastel Society member on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tuesday 27 January, 11am and 2pm

11am Roger Dellar; 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.

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.

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.

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

11am 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.

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 minutes)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Wednesday 4 February, 11am and 2pm

11am Andrew Barrowman; Demonstration The Art of Charcoal

2pm Andrew Barrowman; Demonstration The Art of Charcoal

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.

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.

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.