“Art du Pastel en France” has been set up for all those who want to discover or share a passion for pastels:

Our aims are to promote soft pastels as an art form by:
Restoring pastel to its proper place among the main techniques for creating pictures.
Stimulating your professionalism: discovering, encouraging and developing new talent, and offering guidance to those seeking it.
Awarding the title of “Master Pastelist” to painters with a proven record of high quality of work and technical development.
Organising meetings and encouraging the exchange of ideas between pastelists.
Organising workshops and social occasions for pastelists in France and elsewhere.
Developing and promoting stages in training in pastel work for different levels of proficiency.
Organising and participating in exhibitions internationally.
Developing various networks with other organisations having compatible aims.
Finally “Art du Pastel en France” is concerned with both the quality of work and the enthusiasm of participants and providing members with a supportive environment in which mutual learning is encouraged.

Master Pastelist :
The Association intends to create the title of “Master Pastelist” to beslow on any contemporary pastelist, based on:
The quality of their work
Their contribution to the development ot other pastelists
their commitment to, and promotion of, the genre
Candidates for the title, or their sponsor, should support the candidacy with a hand-written letter explaining their motivation and reasons for thinking themselves, or their nominee, worthy of the title. They should also provide ten high quality photographs of recent works completed by the candidate.
The final decision will be taken only after the original works depicted in these photographs have been examinated. All works submitted must be original creations of the artist.
Copies of others’work, either contemporary or historical cannot be accepted as evidence.