This winter, Oklahoma Pastel Society (OPS) presented works of dozens of artists on the Tulsa Community College (TCC) Center for Creativity website.
The society was founded in 2003. It has 55 members from Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas.
The society’s website states, “…the state of Oklahoma (has) many excellent pastelists who are hungry for venues dedicated to pastel art.”
One of the pastelists from Oklahoma who participated in the show at TCC is Dana Lombardo. She is an award-winning artist. Her landscapes and portraits presented at the exhibition are very picturesque. The artist’s colors, light and impressionist-like strokes keep a viewer mesmerized.
Lombardo’s “Cabo Beach Sunset” landscape amazes audience with its details of the seashore, buildings and massiveness of the clouds.
Another participant of the OPS exhibition is Greg Stone, TCC’s Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Stone has a Tulsa Junior College (former name for TCC) associate degree in journalism, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Northeastern State University, and a Ph.D. degree in English from University of Tulsa.
Stone worked as a newspaper investigative reporter and later taught at TCC. After receiving his advanced degrees, he was promoted to provost serving at the Metro Campus and Southeast Campuses Provost’s positions.
At the Metro Campus, Stone organized “Brown Bags with Provost” meetings to help students to adapt to the changes that TCC experienced at that time.
While Stone was a TCC student, he worked as managing editor for the TCC Connection.
Stone has had the hobby of painting and drawing since his childhood.
“I painted a lot in oils when I was in my teens and 20s,” Stone says. “Late in my 20s, I began studying with a local artist who introduced me to the medium of pastel.”
“Art is a way to be creative for me and to sharpen my critical thinking and observation skills,” he adds.
Last year, Stone was awarded with the status of Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America.
Stone displayed three pastel landscapes at the OPS exhibition, such as “Edge of Yard”, “Winter Reminder”, and “Emergence.”
The landscape paintings impress audiences with their realism and romanticism. The artist takes a viewer on a journey to mysterious places which expose nature’s soul.
Stone shares his secrets of pastel painting by teaching classes at Tulsa’s Water Works Art Center. This spring, he will offer two courses on Mondays and Saturdays.
OPS also conducts workshops on pastel art. TCC introduces students to a few pastel drawing techniques in its Drawing and Figure Drawing classes.
For more information about Oklahoma Pastel Society, go to www.pastel.org.