As you know, I was recently at the 12th pastel convention of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) in Albuquerque. One of my self-set tasks was to create as many short artist interview videos as I could during the four days and incredibly packed schedule. I’ve created these interview videos over the past three IAPS conventions and this time, I was pleased to interview 17 artists! I asked each a single question. Some of the same questions were answered by a few of the artists. And happily, two artists (Albert Handell and Bill Creevy) answered two questions!
I have divided the videos into six categories. With each video, I’ve included a couple example of the artist’s work. Click on the artist’s name to see their website. I encourage you to explore more about them and their work.
This will take some time to get through so read and watch when you can. It’s a resource that will be always here for you!
Artist Interview Videos On How To Get Looser In Your Work
Pastels by Albert Handell illustrating lost and found edges
Artist Interview Videos On How To Grow As An Artist
Artist Interview Videos On The Painting Process
To see more of Nancie King Mertz’s work, go to her recent guest blog.
Artist Interview Videos On When Is A Painting Finished
Artist Interview Videos About Colour and Colour Palettes
Albert Handell
Artist Interview Videos That Didn’t Quite Fit Into The Other Categories!
Bill Creevy
(Waiting to receive a couple of images from Bill!)
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Whew! I hope you enjoy this resource of great tips! LOVED making these artist interview videos.
Please leave a comment about the #1 thing you learnt watching these videos.
Thanks for being here! Until next time,
~ Gail
PS. A few more photos from IAPS, some with these artists!
54 thoughts on “Artist Interview Videos From IAPS – 19 Of Them!”
Can’t wait to make my way through these videos!
No rush Kristin. But I can hardly wait either!
What a lovely blog! Really enjoyed your interviews with all the Artists.Each one is an individual.Each one has their own personality which I think is probably one of the best parts,of course the information is valuable because we all want to improve.Cant’t remember which Artist it was,but the advice on how to paint in a looser style by limiting yourself to ten minutes is great advice and I will take that on board because it’s something I can’t do at the moment but I want to be able to paint in a loose style.The one work that jumped out at me is Sunset Walk by Marla Baggetta.What wounderful colours.Wow.Thank you Gail.
Thanks Ed 😀 Look forward to seeing those 10-min pieces in the Facebook group!!
Gail–What a fantastic idea to interview these well known artists on all these questions that we always wonder about! It is amazing that you put these together and share their artworks and photos from IAPS conference. I wish to be able to participate some day. I will comment more of what I learnt most after finishing watching all the videos. But I just want to thank you for putting this valuable information together. You are an AMAZING contributor to the pastel society; I am so grateful that I found “howtopastel” blog. THANK YOU! Susan
Susan, thank you so much for your kind words!! One of these times I do hope you make it to the pastel convention. There’s nothing quite like it!!
Hello Gail,
Thank you for putting together this wonderful presentation of videos! The time you put to sharing all things pastel as well as your incredible sense of community is so inspiring. This sense of community comes across in the videos as well. The feeling I receive when watching the videos is how giving and sincere and sharing the pastel community is. It brought my first convention experience back to life! You variety of questions added to the interest of the videos. I am ordering the book “Write it Down Make it Happen” tonight!
I look forward to meeting at the next IAPS. We only met briefly this year!
Anne so many of my meetings at IAPS were all too brief but I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to connect with so many from the HowToPastel community! Sounds like you had a great first convention experience….and out only gets better every time.
Thanks for ordering the book. Your mention of it reminded me to put a link to it in the blog so thanks!
Thoroughly enjoying them this past week! What a great idea and thank you for sharing them!
Leslie from Langley, BC
P. S. Who are the other Canadian pastelists in your photo???
Glad you’re making your way through them Leslie! Thanks for reminding me to identify the other Canadians (I have now added to the photo: Renata Bradshaw, Susan Typert, our Pastel Artists Canada awesome President, Ruth Rodgers, and me.
I am so looking forward to watching all of these videos. Thank you so much for doing this!
You are so welcome Gaye. Look forward to hearing any eureka moments!
Opened my I pad late afternoon and found all this “treasure” waiting to be read. It was right on getting ready to prepare for dinner, but guess what! No dinner! ,!!! Just a sandwich. Thankyou Gail .
Hah hah! Gottcha!! Sandwich works 🙂
Thank you, Gail! That is a terrific present you made to your readers! I watched the first two videos, I love them. It is very special to see an artist explain his/her work. The interviews are a treasure trove. Thank you and all of the artists who participated! Now I am going to watch the other interviews.
Great to hear Barbara! It is special to hear an artist explain something in their own words isn’t it? Let us know what’s your fav tip when you’ve got through them all!
What wonderful inspirations. Thank you Gail and thanks to all of the Artists featured here.
I was so thrilled that these artists agreed to sit with me to make a video answering a question. So yes, a HUGE thank you to all of them!!
Hi ! Gail
Just thanks for your videos and photos
And Valin, thanks for your comment 😀
Thank you Gail for the time and effort and thought that you put into this, and thank you to each and every one of the artists who gave their thoughts and tips. These clips have been a treat and an inspiration to watch, and I have learned something from each and every one.
Paula glad to know you learnt something from every video. It was indeed my hope that they would bring nuggets of info to everyone!
Gail,
I watched the interviews today. Thanks very much for sharing these valuable insightful bits of knowledge with us. I was specifically moved with the interviews by Doug Dawson, Lyn Diefenbach and Bill Creevy.
I feel like I am on the same path as they were earlier in their art journey. Maybe in some way this new found knowledge will lead me to the goals I have for my art journey a little sooner than expected. I feel better now knowing that they all faced the same challenges in their journeys as I am today.
Thanks for adding your comment Joe and sharing where you’re at in your art journey. It does help doesn’t it to know those we look up to struggle or have struggled with similar challenges to ourselves.
Thanks for sharing these wonderful videos. What a great project!
You’re welcome. It was a real treat to make them!
Hello Gail,
I have watched all of the 19 videos that you so kindly put together for all of us!
Gosh, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing I learned from watching them, but I would say the #1 for me is from Lyn Diefenbach who said not to focus on the details and work in 1/2 hour increments/exercises. I found that I was really able to relate to her experience. It was a valuable lesson she learned and am grateful that she shared this example.
Thank you Gail for all the work you put into this blog, providing a convenient link to each of the interviewed artists’ websites, including examples of their work and taking the time to interview and sharing this with us!
Wow – good for you Berdine. Takes some time to get through them all! And thanks for sharing your #1 takeaway – Lyn’s shared lesson is invaluable! Let us know how you make out trying these exercises.
Glad you found the links and images useful 😀
Wonderful Gail! Bill Creevy has got to be my hero. What an iconoclast! Totally refreshing: “it’s what you see and conceptualize.” Pastel is a growing and wonderful medium, but so many doyennes are trying to formalize things with a big list of does and don’ts, as if to legitimatize the medium. I took a landscape workshop a while back with a credentialed pastelist absolutely gasped and said “no” to La Carte paper–really? I don’t have an axe to grind, I love that Pastel Journal writes about varying techniques, but let’s not get bogged down with rules and regs: no blending, no photos, work only from life, etc. You go Bill Creevy! Tell the truth, without being full of yourself–smash those idols. Picasso, Monet, etc. they all went against the grain.
Laura, Bill Creevy is definitely one of my heroes too. Ever since I bought his book – The Pastel Book – I knew this was an artist that did NOT paint inside the lines! I loved the way he wrote about various explorations that didn’t seem very pastel-y to me! And today, as you see, he still goes his own way. Thanks for you rave comment!
Thanks Gail. It was like being back at IAPS.
My #1 (two) comments are Jacob Aguiar – “write it down/make it happen”
and Tony Allain “observation/application”
Glad to help you relive the IAPS experience Glenys!! And thanks for sharing your main take-aways 🙂
Not only do I enjoy your blog but the addition of the video interviews was brilliant! Happy so many did take the time to participate! Your blog is one I do follow faithfully because it is so informative. Had a chance to do part of the 31 in 31 challenge but had to drop half way through. Learned a lot about painting ..and myself! It was a great idea! Maybe a repeat in the future? Thanks for all of this!
Glad you enjoyed the videos Yvonne. I too am delighted so many artists participated! Next time….more!!
I remember when you had to drop out of the 31 paintings in 31 days challenge last October. Still, I’m glad you learnt much. I’m planning on the same again this October!
You did a great job of interviewing my pastel heroes…I always learn something by listening to these
clips short and sweet…thank you for sharing …and for your time.
Thanks Eve. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to interview all these amazing pastel artists. I was very thankful for their open sharing. Without that – no videos!
I loved Bill Creevy’s comments on using photo references and his views on plein air (how there’s a kind of moral implication of purity attached to painting outside), his dislike of people watching him paint outside, his dislike of being outside etc. I found his views refreshing and enlightening. Thanks Bill! He shows there’s more than one way to paint a painting.
I know! He’s such rebel!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to record these, great advice from master pastellists – what a gift!
You are welcome Jenny. IAPS is such an incredible opportunity to connect with the who’s who in the pastel world and I feel privileged to have been able to make these videos with some of them!
Hi Gail,
A brilliant idea (tips and advice from the ‘horse’s mouth’-so to speak!). I did a workshop with Casey some years back; a very interesting artist. My #1 would have to be Albert Handell. I just can’t get over the way he paints rocks and mountains. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Cliff, lucky you taking a workshop with Casey – he certainly has a different take on things! And so agree with you about Albert Handell’s way of painting!!
Hi Gail-
GREAT videos! THANKS much for taking these and posting them…really enjoyed watching them AND all had very helpful insights!!! (Actually haven’t finished them yet but wanted to send this note anyway.):-)
Love all those CAPS Randall! REALLY speaks to me of your appreciation. Glad you find them helpful!! 😀
Thanks Gail for sharing the videos . I really enjoyed the interviews. Here’s some thoughts: I’d love to take classes from all of them but there are a few that would be on my list first! Albert Handel is my all time favorite but I’d be shaking in my boots in awe of him! Stan Sperlak because I’d love to learn from him and I think he would be lots of fun. Jacob Aguilar ,well he’s so darn cute and I love to paint in his style. Marla Baggetta for her color advice and she is just a cool gal. Tony Alain as he just like Handel is an icon and love his sharp lines and colors. Lastly Richard McKinley because to me he is a genius and one could learn it all from him !
Sandi thanks so much for taking the time to respond with your wish list of instructors. I think I’ll join you on all the workshops 😀 Love your descriptions which are right on the money!
Wow! Felt like I was there and wish I was!! These videos were wonderful to watch, and I was inspired by something from each one of them. Thanks so much for doing this. I really like the examples of each artist’s work underneath the video. Really helped to understand what they were saying. Thanks Gail!!! Really appreciate you and all that you do!!
So glad you got something out of each video Ruth. AND that the images were helpful. I felt they would add to the words of each artist.And you are soooo welcome! I appreciate your thanks 🙂
Casey Klahn, Bill Creevy: please come over and bring your supplies and play in the pastels and talk to me about whatever. While I SO enjoyed and appreciated what ALL these talented artists so generously shared for your videos, I came away with the strong conviction that as I learn and practice varying techniques, I should most of all follow my gut, my vision and make this art for ONLY ME. Period. I found that I am particularly drawn to these guys’ styles and now -godhelpme- have added my name to the blog follow list for Mr. Klahn. If Mr. Creevy has a blog, I bet I get on that one too. Gail, you are so generous! Thank you SO MUCH for these videos and photos.
You got it Genie!! Paint for YOU!!! And if Bill Creevy and Casey Klahn come to play at your house, I’m coming to play too!
You’re gonna love being on Casey’s blog list for sure. Wish Bill Creevy had one. I guess I’ll just have to get more of his words on HowToPastel!
Thanks Gail
I love how all their advice is immortal and what was true yesterday will be true today. Watched these videos 2-4 years later. Learnt from them all.
Keep up your enthusiasm and happiness as it really shines through everything esp your paintings
Yay Kelcey!! And ain’t that the truth. Glad you could enjoy them all over again.
And thanks so much for your kind words – brightened my already radiant day!!!
Thanks Gail. I feel a personal relationship to these wonderful artists now. What a wonderful insight to do short interviews! I have many take-away ideas to implement soonest. I’ll start now to save$$ for 2021 at IAPS.
So glad you enjoyed them Kathleen! I did a few more this IAPS so look out for them probably end July (once I’m done my summer teaching stint!) I’d love to hear which idea you implemented first!
And glad you are saving your $$. IAPS is an awesome experience!!