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.
"I am truly grateful for the work put into this newsletter. The content is always inspiring and helpful in my own journey with pastels"
- HTP Blog Subscriber
Have a look around!
Check out the Welcome Video!
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
Visit NowMy Art School
Art School
Visit NowOnline Gallery
Peninsula Gallery
Visit NowMost Recent Edition
Friday, 29 May 2026
6 Comments
Surrounded by lush mountains, tropical flowers, and sparkling Costa Rican views, I chose to paint…a bathroom. Follow the progression of A Slice of Blue Loo and discover why the subjects that seem ordinary, odd, or unexpected may be exactly the ones worth trusting.
More Editions...
Louise Abbéma – “Portrait of a Young Girl with a Blue Ribbon” – A Close Look
Friday, 29 October 2021
Louise Abbéma (30 October 1853 – 10 July 1927) was a French artist. She isn’t an artist I’d heard of prior to discovering this pastel painting by her in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC. We’ll have a close look at it and I know this examination will be helpful
21 Masters Share Advice To Help You Get into Juried Art Shows
Friday, 15 January 2021
A question I’m asked fairly regularly is this: How do I get into juried shows? This question tells me one of two things: This person feels ready to start submitting but isn’t sure where to start. They may also a bit apprehensive about being rejected OR He/she has already applied to juried shows and experienced
Desmond O’Hagan – Figuring It Out
Friday, 21 February 2020
I remember many many years ago, seeing a fabulous painting of a Caribbean scene reproduced in a magazine (I think it was an airline magazine…?). I was blown away by its colour, the confident application of pastel, the feeling, and how my senses were awakened by it. The artist was Desmond O’Hagan and since that
Heather Laws – The Commissioned Animal Portrait
Friday, 16 October 2020
Animal portraits. Every now and again I get a request for information on how to paint animal portraits. In these cases, it’s best to go to the experts…like Heather Laws. A few years ago, I was taken by one of her cat portraits and featured it in one of my monthly round-ups. You can see it here. When I look at pastel paintings
Join HowToPastel’s journey in everything pastel. Subscribe today!
Florence Rodway – Little Known Today Yet Successful Portraitist In Her Time
Tasmania, that island off the south east of Australia that many of us have heard of but really know nothing about
Beth Tockey Williams and The Allure of Fire
When an artist turns her gaze towards fire, something magical happens. In this guest post, Beth Tockey Williams shares how she captures the flicker, glow, and elusive dance of flames in pastel — from the first spark to the final trail of smoke.
A Portrait by Laura Anning Bell in Tate Britain
We dive deep into the details of this portrait by artist Laura Anning Bell. Located in Tate Britain, it’s believed to be a depiction of Annie Horniman, a pioneer of the repertory theatre.
IAPS – A Whale Of A Time!
Settling back into real life after a fabulous time at the 2015 International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) Convention in Albuquerque,
Grief And Art – Using Art-Making To Deal With My Sadness And Anger
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Tweaking My Plein Air Painting In The Studio – How I Did It
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
How To Deal With The Foreground In A Painting
Friday, 2 October 2020
What Draws You to a Scene? This Is What Pulled Me In.
Friday, 20 March 2026
15 Minutes To Paint En Plein Air In Cayman
Friday, 14 March 2025
How I Use Colour Under White
Friday, 1 March 2019
Subscribe and always get the latest edition
Looking for more?
Instant access to the training you want!
That’s right! I’ve created an art school for people looking for more resources, tools, courses, and information to improve their soft pastel painting! Click the link to check it out.
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!!