Learn to create luminous pastel paintings while embracing the power of a limited palette! This 3-day workshop is designed to help you master the three essential components of creating luminosity in your work:

• Understanding value and the role it plays in both creating depth and clear, vibrant colour. 

• Unlocking the power of colour theory to achieve harmonious, expressive and exciting colour with a limited selection of pastels.

• Developing a controlled touch for layering pigments that creates shimmer and luminosity.

You’ll learn to mix pastels with confidence, uncover unexpected combinations, and discover exciting new ways to express your artistic voice. 

Why a limited palette? Because a limited palette frees you from the search for the “perfect” colour and inspires creativity and risk-taking. You’ll achieve shimmering, vibrant works of art—without the frustration that comes from muddy colours.

This workshop is all about focus on process over outcome, encouraging you to step outside your comfort zone and embrace the challenges of trying something new. Frustration and struggle are welcome here—they’re signs of growth and creative breakthroughs!

By the end of this workshop, you’ll leave with practical skills, fresh perspectives, and the confidence to layer pastels and create luminous paintings filled with depth and vibrancy.

Bring your curiosity, your willingness to take risks, and your unique vision of the world. Together, we’ll explore what it means to move beyond simply copying what we see and instead create art that’s truly your own.

Gail Sibley, BFA, MA, is an artist and instructor who, after years of academic study, rediscovered her passion for art-making after opening a box of soft pastels over 30 years ago. Captivated by their vibrancy, immediacy, and mark-making potential, Gail has since explored a wide range of subjects in her work, from still life and figures to landscapes and abstracts.

In addition to her own art practice, Gail loves teaching and is dedicated to helping others find their unique artistic voice. She encourages her students to create fearlessly, guided by their passions, and to use colour expressively. “As artists, we see the world differently and it’s this ability to see deeply that we can share with the rest of the world. This means interpreting what you see rather than merely copying it.”

Combining her love for teaching with her love for travel, Gail leads art retreats and workshops in stunning locations worldwide, including Croatia, Spain, Italy, the UK, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

Gail balances her art-making with creating content for her widely respected HowToPastel blog and IGNITE!, her vibrant online art membership. She also offers ACCELERANT, an intensive six-month one-on-one mentoring program designed for artists ready to commit deeply to their practice.

Her work has been showcased in national and international exhibitions, earning media recognition and awards. Gail is a recipient of the IAPS Master Circle, holds Master Signature status with Pastel Artists Canada, and is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America.

Born and raised in Jamaica, Gail now enjoys the temperate climate of Victoria, BC, Canada, where she and her life partner live in a charming 1910 heritage home.

This workshop will be held at Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, Oregon, in conjunction with the 2025 Northwest Pastel Society Members Show.