Pastel Society | Annual Exhibition 2026
Officially opened by Mark Cazalet, Senior Member of Faculty at the Royal Drawing School
Promotional Video featuring Kelvin Okafor and Members of the Pastel Society
The Pastel Society welcomes New Members Alex Ayliffe, Katy Bailey, Rachel Arif and Stuart Jarvis.
In The Studio Photographs
Awards and Prizes Winners 2026
Award Winners Photographs Courtesy Mark Sepple
Invited Artist Kelvin Okafor
To View The Magic of Pastel
To View ‘In Conversation with Carole Hubscher CEO of Caran d’Ache’
FBA Fundraiser – FBA Editions
Prints for a Cause
Limited Edition Prints from the Federation of British Artists
To view the full range of prints available:
https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/exhibitions-events/fundraiser-fba-editions
Pastel Society Members Tanya Avchinnikova and Ian Rawling are featured.
THE ReMARK February 2026
As I write, we are four days into ‘Direct Touch’, the 127th PS Annual Exhibition 2026 and the reactions from our visitors have been very good. The introductory remarks from our speaker Mark Cazalet from The Royal Drawing School reminded us that whilst AI threatens change, the originality, enthusiasm and individual technical skill of direct human creativity cannot be matched.
Whilst the prizes given out highlight the work of some of the member and non-member submissions (see the list of winners) [READ MORE] we congratulate all the artists who succeeded in getting a great variety of work in this year. It was also wonderful to see so many members on the preview day as well getting the chance to meet non-members, whether submitting for the first time or returning again. We also thank the hard work put in by our five candidates for membership this year and await the results of the membership vote at the end of the exhibition at our AGM.
The Studio has been busy from day one and whilst constantly manned by a variety of members giving out plenty of enthusiasm, knowledge and advice, so far Richard Rees has run workshops highlighting the use of Caran D’Ache products, Curtis Holder spent a day demonstrating the unique conversations he has with his subjects, of which I was delighted to be one, and myself demonstrating the creative process using pastel and dry and mixed media. But there is still so much still to come so please look at both this and the Mall Galleries’ websites to check on details.
Also, do not forget that there are still prizes yet to be won. The two best works at our Art Event Evening, there are still a few places available, so please book through the Mall Galleries:
[READ MORE]
The People’s Choice Award for a work in the exhibition and The Studio Prize given to work undertaken by non-members during the exhibition in the gallery. All the work submitted for The Studio Prize will be shown on our website and two works, chosen by us, that stood out for a prize, will be announced after the exhibition.
Remember that all the work kindly given by members and sold through the Sealed Bid [READ MORE] will ensure that The Pastel Society thrives and pursues its charitable promotion of pastel & dry media in the UK. 10% of monies raised goes to the AGBI to help artists going through hardship. We also hope that sales will go well overall to ensure that individual artists can continue to build on the fine work they produce and finally to ensure that The Federation of British Artists, which is also a charity, can continue to promote contemporary visual arts in the UK. Own art and support a creative and charitable cause at the same time.
Simon B. Hodges VPPS
DIRECT TOUCH PS Annual Exhibition 2026.
Weds 21 Jan – Sat 7 Feb. 10am – 5pm
Say hello, have a coffee, enjoy a chat and get involved.
info.thepastelsociety@gmail.com
Featured artist
Simon Klein PS
Artistic Chronology and Biographical Notes
Simon Klein lives and paints in Richmond, Greater London.
He graduated from the Slade School of Art with a B.A. Hons in 1982, and in 1997 gained a M.A. in Contemporary Fine Art Practice at Kingston University London.
He teaches at Kingston College, where he has been a part-time lecturer since 1991.
Inhabited by light,
Their bodies Fit effortlessly
Into the landscape.
A hat burnishes her head
And in the dream of it all
He waits…
