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Introducing Pastel from Foundation to Finish

A Live Workshop In Milwaukie, Oregon

This is a 3 Day Live In-Person Workshop


DATES: September 26-28, 9:30am-4:30pm


LOCATION: Milwaukie Masonic Lodge, Oregon

 Workshop is Limited to 20 Students

NOTE: We are also holding a Plein Air Made Easy Workshop the same week and you are encouraged to Attend Both!


Automatically Save $100 when you Sign up for Both!

Master the fundamental principles that transform good paintings into luminous works of art in this focused three-day intensive with Marla Baggetta. Through a carefully structured progression—from value as the foundation, through intentional color relationships, to expressive mark-making—you’ll develop a complete, repeatable workflow that brings consistency and confidence to your pastel practice. Each day builds upon the last, combining focused demonstrations, hands-on painting time, and personalized guidance at your easel. Marla’s proven teaching method distills decades of painting experience into clear, actionable techniques you can immediately apply to your work. By workshop’s end, you’ll possess not just new skills, but a systematic approach to creating paintings with stronger compositions, harmonious color, and surfaces that truly sparkle with life.

Marla Baggetta is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and an IAPS Master Circle recipient, placing her among the most accomplished pastelists working today. Her award-winning landscapes have been featured in PleinAir Magazine, Pastel Journal, and numerous national exhibitions. With over 40 years as a professional artist and educator, Marla has developed a teaching approach that combines technical excellence with artistic expression, helping students at all levels achieve breakthrough results in their work.

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Workshop Contents

3 Days of In Person Learning!

Day 1:
The Power of Value

The workshop begins with Marla’s demonstration and lecture on the essential structure of value—the foundation that makes or breaks a painting. You’ll discover how simplifying your subject into large, readable value masses creates stronger compositions and learn to develop effective thumbnails before touching pastel to paper. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll explore how value supports mood, creates space, and captures light. The remainder of the day is devoted to painting and applying these principles, with Marla providing one-on-one guidance at your easel to ensure you truly grasp these fundamental concepts. After our lunch break, we’ll put theory into practice with hands-on color exercises, learning to create atmospheric effects that give paintings depth and life. Marla’s afternoon demonstration on building light from dark will reveal techniques that transform ordinary scenes into luminous statements. The day concludes with our first group critique, establishing a supportive environment for growth and discovery.
  • Guided Learning: Introduction
    Apple a Day!
    Distilling an Image (It’s our job!)
    Carlson’s Theory of Angles + How to Use It
    Making a Value Scale (Yes, it’s necessary)
    Value First Exercises
    Lunch Break
    Color Theory in Practice
    Color Variations
    Demonstration: It’s not about going faster
    Critique

Day 2:
Clarifying Color

Day two shifts focus to making informed, intentional color choices that bring life and unity to your paintings. Marla’s morning demonstration demystifies color theory for pastelists, breaking down the relationships between hue, chroma, and temperature in practical, applicable terms. You’ll work with limited palettes to discover how constraint creates harmony, painting the same subject with different color approaches to understand how color interacts with your value structure. Throughout the day, Marla coaches at your easel, helping you see and adjust color relationships with newfound confidence.

  • Guided Learning: Inspiration
    Demonstration: Ways to start
    Lunch Break
    Keys to Composition
  • Exercises: Feisty Color/ Moody Color
    Making the Most of Your References
    Critique

Chapter 3:
Integration and Critique

The final day brings everything together. Morning painting time allows you to synthesize your understanding of value and color while exploring expressive mark-making techniques—scumbles, glazes, and edge work that add energy and life to your surfaces. The afternoon features our comprehensive group critique, where you’ll receive encouraging, constructive feedback on your three days of work. This proven critique method fosters critical thinking and provides actionable insights you’ll carry forward in your practice, ensuring continued growth long after the workshop ends.

 

  • Guided Learning:
    Inspiration
    Demonstration: Getting in a Groove and sticking with it
    How to make a strong finish
    Lunch Break
    Surprise Exercise
    What’s next?
    Critique
    Goodbyes
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A Lifetime of Artist Experience

Over 30 years as a professional artist and teacher

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Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t worry about the supplies needed for the workshop. We’ll be sending out an email with a comprehensive list of all the supplies you’ll need. Please keep an eye on your inbox so you’ll be fully prepared for the workshop.

Given the intimate nature of this workshop, limited to only 20 students, our refund policy is as follows: We are able to process refunds up until the end of July. This allows us to ensure that every spot is filled and that the workshop can run smoothly. After this date, we are unable to provide refunds due to the costs associated with planning and securing resources for the event. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with this policy.

If you need assistance finding accommodation or deciding where to eat during your stay, please contact our support team. We’re more than happy to provide local recommendations to suit your needs.

We have a daily lunch break during the workshop and suggest packing a meal for convenience. However, if you prefer to purchase your lunch, we can also recommend local eateries where you could grab a quick bite. Feel free to reach out to us for more details.

In Person Workshop in Milwaukie Oregon's Masonic Lodge

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