The Master IAPS Circle was created to honor those artists whose work has been accepted and/or given awards in specific IAPS Exhibitions. This includes annual Juried Exhibitions, and in the past has included IAPS Convention Catalogue Cover Contests, the 2009 Calendar competition and the 2011 Poster Competition (one point awarded to the winner of that competition). (See upcoming IAPS exhibitions for future entry possibilities.) Artists who receive the Master Circle designation may use the letters “IAPS MC” on websites, brochures, magazine articles and other media to indicate their membership in the Master Circle.

Each recipient of the award receives a gold medallion engraved with his or her name and the year the honor was bestowed engraved on the back. The design of the medallion was created by IAPS founder and President Emeritus, Urania Christy Tarbet. “It is of a rose with a pastel stick next to it. When I designed it, I was thinking about the rose as the resurgence of spring, as pastel is in its Renaissance period, now being recognized as a wonderful medium after being in the dark for so long. I wanted something very special that had never been done in the art world before, to honor pastel artists whose work was accepted in our exhibitions or awarded prizes.”

The three-inch round medallions were created with a bronze core and then dipped in 24k gold. Prior to the awards ceremony at each convention, the medallions are sent back to the foundry to be engraved on the back with the recipient’s name and the year of the award, and then dipped into 24k gold the second time. “It is important for the recipients to cherish this symbol of excellence,” Urania says. “It can be worn at IAPS exhibitions and conventions, and readily identifies IAPS artists who have received one of the most important honors in the pastel world.”

Rules for Obtaining IAPS Master Circle Status (download pdf)

RECIPIENTS OF THE IAPS MASTER CIRCLE AWARD

Click on any highlighted name below to see more about the artist

(The year in which each artist was awarded the medallion is shown after the name;
an asterisk* indicates the artist is deceased.)

Qualified for IAPS Master Circle (Medallion will be awarded at the 2013 Convention):

Sandra Burshell, Robert Carsten, Christine Debrosky, Linda Dellandre,
Karen Howard, Kim Lordier, Andrew McDermott, Dan Michael, Paul Murray, Barbara Benedetti Newton,
Collette Odya Smith, Daggi Wallace

Information about IAPS Master Circle Pages (download pdf)