About
the blog for soft pastel art lovers
Inspired by my love of pastels and the enjoyment I receive from teaching about them the How to Pastel Blog has tips & tricks, reviews, step-by-step progressions, guest bloggers, and a great community on Facebook.
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A bit about me
I am very lucky to have been born and brought up in Jamaica, a land of beauty and complexity, of warmth and coolness, of vibrancy and tension. Many say that my Caribbean upbringing influenced my palette and I think they may be right. I do know that it shaped my worldview. Check out these sites to learn more about me and my work.
My Art Practice
Gail Sibley
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Peninsula Gallery
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Friday, 12 June 2026
28 Comments
People often assume my artistic talent was inherited. After all, my grandfather, mother, and father were all artists. But the more I think about it, the more complicated the story becomes. Is artistic talent inherited? Or do we inherit something less obvious – permission, encouragement, curiosity, and a belief that creativity matters? In this post, I explore the question and invite you to weigh in.
More Editions...
October’s Superb Pastels
Saturday, 12 November 2016
Ahhhhh yes…it’s time for another monthly roundup of ten superb pastels. I’m always hopeful that one of these months it’ll be a breeze to select the 10 from the many I collect over the month….and then to wrote about them. Hasn’t happened yet. So after much time struggling to choose this month’s choices, here they
10 Reasons To Go On A Painting Holiday Workshop
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
A year and a half ago, Mario Vukelic invited me to lead a painting holiday workshop with Pastel Workshops Croatia. And early this September, it happened! I had an amazing group of six students who were dedicated in their pursuit of pastel painting knowledge. There were times of concentrated silence and times of uncontrolled laughter
Thérèse Schwartze – Painting For A Living
Monday, 29 February 2016
I came across the painter, Thérèse Schwartze (1851-1918), a year or so ago. The piece I saw was a pastel of hers posted on Facebook. I was stunned and thought, Why have I never heard of this artist before? Have a look at the image I saw. Look at the bravura of stroke, the softness of
Translating Your Thumbnails – Painting From Your Black, White, and Grey Sketch
Friday, 9 July 2021
I’ve written on this topic of translating your thumbnail before (click here to read an earlier post on it), but I think it’s good to repeat the idea as it does tend to be a stumbling block for many students. So what am I talking about? You create a black, white, and grey thumbnail and doing this, you incorporate the extreme ends of
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A Small Box Of Pastels – Perfect For Travelling With Carry-on Only!
Last month I participated in HowToPastel’s 31-paintings-in-31-days Challenge. Somehow I only missed one day despite the fact that I was travelling
Meaning in Art – When Beauty Carries a Deeper Story
While in Athens after teaching in Corfu, I watched the Evzones perform the changing of the guard — a ritual of grace, symbolism, and history. It made me reflect on how beauty can carry deeper stories, both in ceremony and in art. Sometimes, it’s what lies beneath the surface — the quiet meaning, whether intended or found — that gives a piece its lasting resonance.
Ambiguity In Art – How It Can Benefit Your Own Work
Ambiguity in art: art work having several possible interpretations or meanings; of an uncertain nature. And why am I bringing this
Richard Suckling – Studio Artist Takes On Plein Air Painting
Bright and bold were the words that came to mind when I first saw the work of UK artist Richard Suckling.
Change Things Up When Painting En Plein Air
Tuesday, 27 February 2018
How To Use A Viewfinder To See Colour
Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Gorgeous Greys – Creating At Least 50 Shades!
Thursday, 27 April 2017
Value Dominance! How it Can Make (or Break) Your Painting
Friday, 12 March 2021
Putting Yourself Out There – Demoing in Public
Friday, 4 December 2020
Using The Unison Colour 36-Set Of Pastels – My Experience
Friday, 2 November 2018
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6 thoughts on “About”
Gail! Just got turned on to your website by a fellow artist from Wellington, Ontario… both of us former presidents of the Pastel Society of Eastern Canada. I work primarily in pastel and it will always be my medium of choice! I could never give them up! Being a landscape artist for years, I would now like to change things up a bit and try abstract. I was inspired by your article about the progression of your abstract painting…it’s given me the courage to take that (for me) giant leap and go ahead with an image I’ve had in my mind for a long time. Thank you! I look forward to future e-mails! Your’s is one of the best Pastel websites I’ve come across. Look forward to receiving your emails.
Kathryn
Thank you for writing Kathryn, and for your enthusiasm! It comes over loud and clear 🙂 I am wondering which article on abstraction you are referring to. Perhaps you can add a comment directly on the blog? Good luck with your leap. I know how difficult it is to make. It’s ongoing risk-taking that’s for sure! Please let me know how it goes.
Look forward to hearing more from you
I just read your article in the April issue of “Pastel Journal”. Thank you so much. I felt as if you were speaking directly to me. I am going to tear it out and tape it to my studio wall.
Marcia
Marcia, that’s the best reward a writer/artist could hear!! Thank you for letting me know. (As yet, I still haven’t received my copy!)
Hi Gail. I’m really excited and pleased to have discovered your website. I live in southern Australia and I started painting with pastels a few years ago (self taught) , but went a bit stale after doing a couple of workshops- mostly because the pastel artists here who I came across seem to be very conventional and felt that I wasn’t learning much. I’ve been working in oils since and enjoyed it- as I’ve realised, it’s similar in many ways. You showcase so many exciting works – use of colour, composition etc. , and your quick tips are helping me rethink how to approach my work. Looking forward to hearing more about your workshop in Tasmania, or perhaps one in Europe in a couple of years’ time.
Hi Judi,
Thanks for writing such a lovely introduction to yourself and your work. Certainly oils are similar to pastels in the way one builds a painting. Interesting that! I’m glad though that my blog may bring you back to the pastel side 😀 Even if not, so much of what’s here can be applied to the other media available for painting.
I look forward to having you in one of my workshops whether in Tasmania or Europe!!