Read our latest President’s Newsletter
Plein Air 2022
Many PPS members came out to paint this summer in new and different locations. Some challenging weather conditions did not stop most of our hardy plein air painters. Check our schedule here.
Pat Riley and Kathy Apfelbaum very successfully planned our year. Thank you for leading us in another plein air season!
Our end of the season exhibit and celebration is taking place on Saturday, October 15, at the East Goshen Community Park. We will join many locals who are also celebrating East Goshen’s Art in the Park weekend.
June 2022 — IAPS
Nine PPS members traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico in June to attend the International Association of Pastel Societies biannual pastel conference. We learned a lot and connected with many terrific pastelists from around the country and the world. Next conference is 2024. Its a worthwhile trip for anyone who cares about the pastel medium. We will start planning now!
February 26 Jeri Greenberg Demo
Our Philadelphia Pastel Society sponsored an online Demo on February 26 presented by Jeri Greenberg. Many members took part in this event via Zoom. Jeri painted an interior scene while offering many tips on how to plan an effective design and use pastels to good advantage. Visit Jeri’s website to see more of her work.
January 5, 2022 Virtual Members Meeting and Nancie King Mertz Presentation
PPS members attended a January 5 virtual members meeting via Zoom. We enjoyed a wonderful presentation given by Nancie King Mertz, a talented and nationally known pastelist. Her rendering of a complex Chicago scene taught us much about how to approach architectural drawings and paintings. You can check out Nancie’s website and her upcoming workshops for even more inspiration.
October 15 General Meeting and Demo
Our fall meeting was held at the Community Arts Center on Friday, October 15. Blanche updated everyone about our 2021 activities and our plans for 2022. Attendees also voted for our slate of officers for the upcoming 2 calendar years. Elected for the new term were:
President: Blanche Levitt Torphy
Vice-President: Denise Vitollo
Recording Secretary: Kathy Apfelbaum
Treasurer: Jack Lloyd
Also featured at this meeting was a most informative talk and demo by Carol Kardon, a talented PPS artist and a widely known area pastelist. Carol explained and worked on three selected paintings at different stages of development. Her painting technique focuses on planning, loose execution, and reworking without fear. It was an unusual approach to teaching and much appreciated by the audience.
May 3 General Meeting and Artist Demo
Our first LIVE meeting of 2021 was a welcome event for all who attended. Planned as an outdoor meeting on the grounds of the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, PA with all necessary CoVid precautions in place, the threat of rain drove us into the spacious indoor gallery partway through the event.
Ann Whalon, our Plein Air presenter, expertly adjusted to our last minute change of venue and produced a beautiful painting while explaining her special underpainting techniques, much to the delight of all who attended. Ann is a valued member of PPS who stepped up to help us transition to long missed in person meetings once again.
Plein Air 2021
October 9, 2021 — Art in the park end of year celebration
We celebrated the end of another successful Pleir Air season at the East Goshen Community Park on Saturday, October 9. A local musical group, the 29ers, entertained while everyone gathered to admire the summer’s paintings and enjoy delicious box lunches prepared by Kathy and Pat. Once the soccer games in the nearby fields were finished visitors came by to admire our work and help us celebrate. 11 PPS artists participated in the show.
PPS members who displayed their work under the Veteran’s Pavillion were Anne Whalon, Patricia Riley, Kathy Apfelbaum, Blanche Levitt Torphy, Suzanne Burns, Mary Rinderle Smith, Marie Harris, Betsy MIraglia, Paulette Staley, Roe Murray, Judith Kornfield.
Artists and local visitors voted for the painting they saw as the best in the show. Peoples Choice awards were granted to Ann Whalon, Blanche Levitt Torphy, Pat Riley, and Kathy Apfelbaum. Congratulations to our members for their excellent work!
September 14-15, 2021 — Kathy Apfelbaum’s Home in new jersey
September 3, 2021 — Valley Forge Flowers, Wayne, PA
Valley Forge Flowers has a wonderfully diverse outdoor display of flowers and plants, seasonal decorations, garden statuary, and other intriguing items to inspire our painting pleasure! We met in the back parking lot just behind the shop on a beautiful late summer day, and set up our easels to capture the most engaging floralscapes.
August 18, 2021 — Sugartown Strawberries, Malvern, PA
A visit to a wonderful farm stand with lots of wide open spaces certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. This is a busy working farm, a great inspiration for painting summer’s bounty. An enthusiastic painting crew spent the morning enjoying sunfowers, hay bales, produce, and other farm views. We were so glad to be welcomed by Farmer Bob and his staff.
August 14, 2021 — Garrett Williamson, Newtown square, PA
A Saturday painting event at the Garrett Williamson child care center where beautiful gardens with impressive sunflowers were the star of the day.
July 21, 2021 — Stone Harbor, New Jersey
Our trip to the beautiful Shore town of Stone Harbor, New Jersey was a full day event. Our New Jersey members and our Southeast Pennsylvania members had a chance to share a great day of painting. We need to make this an annual affair.
July 8, 2021 — Willowbrook Farm
June 23, 2021 — Kuerner Farm
A classic old farmhouse and barn, now made available to the public by the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, was our evening plein air site in late June. This Chadds Ford site is notable for its association with Andrew Wyeth who created over 1000 paintings and drawings here over his long career..
June 16, 2021
It was a grand day of painting at the Peace Valley Lavender Farm in Doylestown, Pa. Over 3000 lavender plants largely in full bloom were a joy to paint..The members who attended were glad to socialize and paint at this excellent venue.
May 27, 2021 — Tyler Arboretum
Our recent PPS Plein Air Day at Tyler Arboretum proved to be a fantastic opportunity. Good weather. Beautiful rhododendrums and kousa dogwood plus lots of colorful flora of all types. Much to see and do!
May 13, 2021 — Mike Kerr’s Farm
April 25, 2021 — Ridley Creek State Park
Our first Plein Air outing of the year took place at the beautiful Ridley Creek State Park. We parked near the picturesque creek and enjoyed warm, sunny weather and good companionship with 5 PPS artists attending.
Our hard working PPS Board members were recently offered a special exhibit opportunity at Salus University in Elkins Park, PA. This exhibit ran through December 17, 2020.
Plein Air 2020
October 11, 2020 — End-of-Season Gathering
PPS members enjoyed an active warm season schedule of plain air painting days last year. While we /cancelled indoor activities to avoid the danger of virus transmission, outdoor painting, with all the necessary precautions in place, were a great success!
We decided to celebrate a productive season with an end-of-season gathering at East Goshen Park in West Chester, PA. We brought some of our paintings to share and welcomed friends and a variety of park visitors to enjoy our show. There were boxed lunches, snacks and drinks and musical entertainment to enjoy. Kathy Apfelbaum, Marie Harris, and Deborah Reeder provided our musical talent.
All of those who attended were invited to vote for People’s Choice Awards after surveying our plein air paintings. Awards were granted to Mary Smith for her painting Island Joy (Uart Award), Anne Whalon (Dakota Art) and Jack Lloyd and Kathleen Apfelbaum (Wayne Art Award) Check here for information about winners.
A wonderful ending to a fun season of painting outdoors.
October 8, 2020 — The Willows
Our last Plein Air event before our Party and Show. The Willows is a beautiful park on Darby Paoli Road, Villanova, with a pond, a little bridge to an island, and sometimes people fishing.
September 30, 2020 — Mike Kerr’s Farm
Our second trip to Mike’s farm in a rural neighborhood near Coatesville, PA
September 8, 2020 — Elmwood Park Zoo
Several pastel painters came out to paint and gather inspiration at the neighborhood zoo in Norristown last week. This park is a playground for families and artists alike.
September 3, 2020 — Linvilla Orchards
We had a great turnout of eager painters at Linvilla Orchards, a great orchard, farm market, and family attraction in nearby Media, PA
August 20, 2020 — Valley Forge National Historic Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park, an historic treasure, is right in our backyard! This site is nationally significant as the site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington. It has more than 3000 acres to wander and paint.
More than 10 PPS artists enjoyed great weather and good painting on August 20.
August 10, 2020 — Brandywine River Museum
Another beautiful painting day found us on the grounds of an historic old mill on the banks of the Brandywine Creek in Chadds Ford, PA. This is the home of a wonderful museum that houses the works of three generations of the Wyeth family and many other painters of the Brandywine tradition. Eleven PPS artists turned out for this special plein air event.
July 22, 2020 — Willowbrook Farm, Malvern, PA
PPS members are taking advantage of the summer weather to get out and paint together! Ten of us painted at Willowbrook Farm on July 22. It was no doubt over 90 degrees in the sun, but, with lots of shady spots to set up for painting, so it wasn’t bad. A lot of good work was produced.
A diverse group of PPS members traveled from Coatesville in the west, Audubon and Blue Bell in the north, New Jersey in the east, and local places like King of Prussia, Bryn Mawr and Newtown Square. Thanks to all who drove to join us and enjoy a shared, safe painting day.
It was a great day for members to enjoy one another and take advantage of this painting opportunity.
July 8, 2020 — Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden — Villanova, PA
On July 8 a hardy group of PPS painters visited Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden in Villanova to create some lovely pieces. It was a blazing hot day, but the stately trees and gardens were an inspiration.
June 24, 2020 — Skunk Hollow Park — Radnor, PA
June 17, 2020 — Mike Kerr Farm, Coatesville, PA
Val Rossman Demonstration
Our first general meeting of 2020 was held on January 11 at the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, PA. Our special guest was Val Rossman, a well-known pastel artist from the Philadelphia area. Val is an abstract painter who works with beautiful color harmonies. She spoke about her career and worked on two paintings simultaneously to demonstrate her skills.
Doug Tweddale Workshop
PPS members enjoyed a two-day workshop with nationally known artist, Doug Tweddale, on November 5-6. It was a beehive of activity at the Community Arts Center. Doug provided valuable painting tips and demonstrated his underpainting and pastel techniques for all of us who attended. Thank you to all of the PPS embers who worked to make this event a success!
2019 Plein Air Paintouts
PPS hosted two paintout events this summer. On July 17 a group of 6 gathered at Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden in Villanova where Pat Riley hosted a pleasant morning of painting. Stoneleigh was a country estate that has been donated to the Natural Lands Trust and is now open to the public.
On July 24 Chris Clarkin invited PPS painters to Exton Park near the Church Farm School and the Chester Valley Trail where they painted in the late afternoon to capture good evening light.
Another paintout day went well at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove. The new Center building and updated landscaping provided a beautiful setting for our group of 10 artists to settle in and paint. The weather was perfect!
