IAPS Conventions

Since 1995, pastel artists have been gathering together every two years for the IAPS conventions. The convention has grown and expanded each time, and now includes a wide variety of activities for pastel artists. Even if you’ve attended every previous convention, please take a minute to read about what’s new and improved for the Ninth Convention.

One of the biggest changes for the 2011 convention involves registering for the convention. For the first time, you can look at all of the possibilities of things you might like to do during the convention, and register online. Payment will be through PayPal's secure payment site (you don't have to have a PayPal account to use it, just a credit card) and you'll receive immediate email confirmation that your payment has been made. Begin the process by clicking here or on How to Register in the sidebar which appears on the left side of every web page relating to the convention. (For those who do not wish to register online, you'll have an option to print a registration form as well. However, because online registration is immediate, there is a chance a class may fill during the time it takes to mail a registration form.)

New in 2011 will be three Showcase Demonstrations featuring top-name pastel artists whom everyone wants to see. To avoid disappointment when popular demonstrations fill quickly, the Showcase Demonstrations will be in a larger room with audio-visual so more people can attend and everyone will be able to see details of the painting in process on a large screen.

We’re also adding a couple of outdoor sessions during the main convention, both in the beautiful garden and patio area at the hotel, with convenient access to hotel facilities. (Meeting rooms will be available in the hotel in case of bad weather — while we don’t expect that in New Mexico, you can never predict weather!)

Other changes for 2011 include juried master classes designed for more advanced artists, and additional full-day workshops each day of the convention. For those choosing the shorter two- and three-hour sessions, we’ve structured the schedule to allow for a full hour break between sessions, so you have time for both lunch and shopping. The hotel will offer a more streamlined sandwich lunch service than in 2009, so you won’t waste precious pastel time sitting in a restaurant.

The trade show (affectionately referred to as the “candy store”) has long been a place where new products for pastel artists are introduced and familiar favorites are for sale. The Trade Show Grand Opening was so successful at the last convention, we are repeating it in 2011 with two hours of dedicated shopping time on Friday morning before the demonstrations and workshop programs begin. Bring your wish list and grab those bargains!As in 2009, free product demonstrations will be featured in an adjacent room. Be sure to stop
by the F&W Media booth for book signings and a chance to meet the editor, publisher and other staff of The Pastel Journal, the official IAPS media sponsor.

Opening events on Thursday, June 2, will include the popular Paint-Around, where five artists each work sequentially on all five paintings. Those paintings are auctioned during the Saturday Banquet, with the proceeds going to the IAPS/UCT Scholarship Fund. Also on Thursday will be free walk-in demonstrations by pastel artists from societies in Canada, and a free walk-in session where artists can meet officers and board members of the Pastel Society of America and learn more about that organization.

Convention activities other than classes include social events such as the welcome buffet and Saturday banquet, where artists congregate to network, see old friends and make new ones, and of course, talk about pastel. Society presidents and other officers have an opportunity to discuss matters of importance to their organizations during the Presidents' Panel (open to all convention attendees), and a chance to network at the President’s Dinner.

In 2011, the Eighteenth Juried Exhibition will open with a reception on Wednesday, June 1, along with the first Master Circle Exhibition. Both exhibitions will be housed in a beautiful space in Albuquerque just a short drive from the hotel. If your travel plans allow you to arrive on Wednesday, please join us for the opening reception 5:00–7:00 pm. The exhibition will be open from 10 am–5:00 pm. through Sunday. For information about entering either of these exhibitions or the 2011 Poster Competition, click here.

There’s a lot packed into this week-long celebration of pastel. Please take time to explore the various events and activities through the links on the left, and then either register online for immediate confirmation, or download your printable registration form.

We look forward to seeing you in Albuquerque!