Judge of Awards General Statement for "Visions in Pastel"

Margaret Dyer, PSA-MP, IAPS/MC

Juror’s Statement: “Let me tell you this was no easy task; every piece in this show was exceptional. You should all be proud. But my task was to choose those that I thought stood out among all the works. Unfortunately there were many more deserving paintings than I was allowed to choose; I was assigned a quota. Know that all the artists’ names were concealed at judging; I had no idea whose work I was looking at.

When given the daunting task of choosing award winners from a room full of exceptional paintings, the first thing I look for in a painting is technical proficiency; I look for draftsmanship, which would include drawing, perspective and anatomy. I look for strong composition and an understanding of color, which includes a solid grasp of value and temperature.  Once I have isolated those pieces that fulfill this criteria, I need to eliminate more pieces to meet my quota. I look for something in the artist’s work which transcends technical proficiency. So I look for an unusually expressive application of the pastel medium. I look for a unique subject or a unique handling of a traditional subject. I look for confidence in the work which shows the artist has found his or her “voice”.

To select the top awards, I had to choose the few that I thought were the strongest. That’s where it really became difficult, because the quality of all of these was comparable. This is where my bias became evident. But that’s just the way it is with judging a show; if this biased judge didn’t choose your painting, the next one may.

I congratulate all of you artists whose work I had the honor to view, and I give special congratulations to the award winners. These were truly excellent works.

I also want to express my gratitude to the Philadelphia Pastel Society, everyone on the board, who so graciously made this exhibition possible and my workshop such a pleasant experience.”

Biography: Born in New York, Atlanta-based Margaret Dyer is a Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America. She is in the Masters Circle of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS), and she is a Member of Excellence with the Southeastern Pastel Society. Some of her recent awards are:

2022 First Place, Southeastern Pastel Society

2021 Best of Show, American Impressionist Society Associate Members Exhibition

2021 Honorable Mention, American Impressionist Society Members Exhibition

2019 Best Impressionist Painting, National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Small Works Exhibition

2018 First Place, Southeastern Pastel Society International Exhibition, Atlanta, GA

2014 Best of Show, SE Pastel Society International Exhibition

2013 Best of Show, IAPS Online Exhibition

Margaret has been featured many times in The Pastel Journal, American Artist, International Artist and The Artist magazine. You can also find her in the publication “Pure Color - The Best of Pastels” I and II.

In the June 2002 issue of The Artist’s Magazine, the author wrote:

“Dyer is adamant about what she wants to portray: beautiful - not overtly provocative - figures in action. She tries to avoid languid, sentimental posturing, and prefers to show her model in an unguarded moment, when she’s not worrying about the ‘right pose.’ Dyer’s attention is caught by telling gestures, such as a direct gaze or a hand on a hip… Above all, Dyer seeks to establish an atmosphere and mood particular to the developing painting.”

Juror of Selection – General Statement

Nancie King Mertz, PSA-MP, IAPS-MC & EP

What a visual treat it was to jury the “Visions in Pastel” PA show! My process is to run through the entire show to get a feel for subject and skill level and I was so inspired at first glance. After the initial review, my pace is deliberate and slow as I look for 1. Accurate drawing, 2. Interesting subject matter, 3. Energy in mark-making, and 4. The Spirit of the Artist. With these guidelines in place, I feel the show covers a broad spectrum of qualifying elements to offer a fine exhibition. Congratulations to the accepted artists, and of course to the award winners; and to those who submitted but did not make the selection, please try again very soon. Each competition is an opportunity to learn from each other and to see how to improve your submissions. The bar is set high in this show, and with careful observation of the selections, you could be in the next one!

Biography: Nancie has spent her lifetime painting in oil and pastel. She was awarded Master Circle status as well as Eminent Pastelist by the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS). Nancie is a Master Pastelist Signature member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA) and Chicago Pastel Painters (CPP). 



Nancie juries, demos and teaches numerous workshops across the US, Italy, France & Croatia. She is on the faculty for the Plein Air Convention, Plein Air South, and the IAPS Convention. IAPS awarded her the Prix de Pastel in 2018. She was the lead juror for the 2019 IAPS Masters’ Show, and juried the 2022 PSA Enduring Brilliance Exhibition.



Her work has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, Southwest Art, American Artist, French and Chinese magazines, as well as the cover and several articles in Pastel Journal.



Nancie was an Instructor of Art at Eastern Illinois University for three years where she received her MA in Painting, two years after completing her BFA in Painting at the University of IL. 



She and her husband owned a gallery for 19 years in Chicago’s Lincoln Park/Lakeview area. Nancie has owned a framing company since college, and they recently opened a Learning Center and gallery, Art DeTriumph, in their home in Rockford, IL for pastel immersion, where artists can stay. She travels across the US and to Europe to conduct workshops for various pastel organizations.



Her pastel paintings are included in exhibits in museums in the US, China and Europe. She was the Guest of Honor of Art Du Pastel en France with a workshop and show of her work in Giverny in May, 2022. You can see more of her work at www.NancieKingMertz.com.