18 August - 1 September 2025, Introduction to Pastels, with Caroline Reid

This course is an introduction to the medium of soft pastels – oil paints without the oils. Learn all about the surfaces, techniques, mark-making methods and the many types of luscious pastels to begin your journey making nature-inspired artworks with soft pastel.

Dates: 18 August - 1 September 2025
Day/Time: Mondays, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: NatureArt Lab, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, ACT

Course Description:

This course will cover the basics of starting your journey with soft pastels, including getting familiar with surface types, pastel types, using pastel with other media including watercolour, mark-making, basic studio practices to avoid dust and mud. You will try out various materials and techniques to build familiarity and confidence with the soft pastel medium. At the end of the class you can expect to produce a lovely nocturne landscape in soft pastel. Suitable for absolute beginners not knowing where to start.

Learning Outcomes 

• The history of soft pastels and pigments, including the famous artists who used them

• Knowledge of the range of soft pastels and studio equipment used with soft pastels

• Ability to make a wide variety of marks with different soft pastels

• Knowledge of soft pastel surface media and what each can be used for

• How to plan a soft pastel project

• Finish a class landscape project using the techniques and materials we have learned about.

About the tutor:

Caroline Reid is a contemporary landscape artist based in Canberra, on Ngunnawal Country in Australia. She draws deep inspiration from the rugged, semi-alpine terrain that surrounds her—flanked by mountain ranges to the east and west, and the Snowy Mountains to the south.

Though art has always been part of her life, Caroline spent many years working in science and industry policy, leaving little time to pursue a professional art career. It was through plein air painting that she reconnected with her creative practice, using it as a path to physical and emotional recovery, grounded in her profound care for the natural world.
For Caroline, the life force in nature is endlessly restorative. She is especially drawn to the wild beauty of Kosciuszko National Park and the remote areas of Namadgi National Park. There, the movement of water and the warmth of sunlight are more than just elements—they’re the vital energies that breathe life into the landscapes she paints.
Her work spans a variety of styles, from realism to impressionism, with a particular love for soft pastel and watercolour as her mediums of choice.

NatureArt Lab Awards:

• 2022, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Promoting Sustainability, ACT
• 2024, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Building Communities, ACT