The Cutting Garden Art Center hosted a “A Dance with Pastels” workshop with pastel artist Dawn Emerson of Terrebonne, Ore., Sept 30-Oct 1.

With 25 years of experience teaching drawing and painting to all ages and levels, Emerson is known for her gestural, high energy approach to painting. Her strokes are broad and sweeping, catching the detail of the subject with energized lines and marks.

The primary focus of this workshop was to learn how to “find, feel and follow” the energy of any subject as one draws and paints with pastel. The goal is to enable the students to connect with their subjects so the process of painting in a more personal, dynamic and meaningful. The secondary focus of the class is to use color expressively and freely, and to let go of any rigid rules one may be attached to.

“My goal is to help students develop the skills they need to express their own passion with art. I emphasize process rather than product and believe the workshop setting is the place to try new things and learn from each other,” Emerson said.