Q&A with Richard Rees, President of The Pastel Society

The Pastel Society Annual Exhibition is currently open at Mall Galleries and runs until Saturday 3 June.

We spoke to the president Richard Rees about the importance and relevancy of this wonderful medium, which arguably has been historically underrated.

Pastels are one of the oldest known artistic mediums, with natural chalks being used for prehistoric cave paintings, and the soft pastels we know today were developed in the 16th Century. Are you able to speak about the historical importance of the medium?

The rise of oil painting and watercolours in the 18th Century has masked the fact that during this period pastel was a more prestigious medium and commanded greater prices per work. Industrial scale production of the new pastel medium made them affordable, with paints becoming the medium of choice for artists. Great artists like Degas still saw the potential in pastels in the 19th Century and looking around our exhibition this year it can be seen that it lends itself to adventurous interpretation.

Sparks Lake, Oregon | Tony Allain | 50 x 65cm | £2,800

A unique medium with over a thousand vibrant colours immediately to hand, pastels have so many incredible versatile uses! Who are some of the members of the Pastel Society whose work you feel particularly demonstrates the vibrancy and versatility of the medium?

I think it slightly unfair to single out individual artists as everyone in the Pastel Society is selected by their peers and each artist has a unique approach. However, artists like Tony Allain have a striking approach. He uses soft pastel in a fast and direct manner with an intensely vibrant palette creating shimmering effects of light and shade. 

Norma Stephenson has a more subdued palette but she delivers beautiful soft landscapes with subtle colour harmonies showing her local landscapes in the north of England. Finally, Felicity House has an eclectic approach to subject matter but the same relaxed touch for each one where she conjures effortless drawing to the service of representing people, still lifes, and landscapes.

Garden Table | Felicity House | 48 x 38cm | £750

What draws you to pastel works and why do you feel it is an exciting and relevant medium?

The directness of the medium is astonishing to me. You can pick up a stick of colour and apply it directly and quickly, and the range of colours is so attractive. There are pastel colours available that you would have a job creating in oil and watercolour without a lot of thought. The medium is exciting and relevant due to its potential for this direct expression. It can also be used in a photorealistic manner as seen in Ian Rawling’s wonderful toy cars.

Aside from the artists previously mentioned, is there anyone’s work that you are particularly looking forward to seeing in the exhibition?

My colleague Simon Hodges, the Vice President of The Pastel Society, is a prolific artist and creates wonderful sketchbooks. He is sharing his sketchbooks and answering questions about his work and the pastel medium in various sessions at Mall Galleries during the run of the exhibition. Click here for a listing of the events including these sketchbook sessions.

Benjamin Hope is a great artist in any medium, and is primarily an oil painter, but his pastel work is always sensually attractive and demonstrates his appreciation of the medium. Another artist who works primarily in oils is Peter Brown, but his wonderful charcoal streetscapes create a deeply textured and lively view of his home town of Bath, which I've loved seeing on the gallery walls.