11/15/25 - Intro to Painting Pastel Landscapes with Nathan Pope

Participants will experiment with soft pastels and learn about the surfaces on which they can be used. The instructor will explain his steps for beginning a painting, including the underpainting process. We will practice various techniques of applying, layering, and blending the pastels. Participants will work on their own paintings during the workshop and should bring photos of landscape scenes. TAG will provide pastels, paper, and other supplies. Participants who have their own pastels are encouraged to bring them, but this is not required.  This will be the same class Nathan gave in the spring. 

NOTE:  A more advanced class for people who have completed the basic class will be offered in Spring 2026.

NATHAN K. POPE  I paint landscapes, primarily the fields and water close to my home in eastern Virginia. My paintings are inspired by the changing light on the familiar environment. Indeed, I return to the same places regularly to explore how different they appear from one day to the next, from one season to the next. I consider a painting successful when I have conveyed the feeling that attracted me to stop and look.
My mother is a professional artist, and I grew up watching her work and studying the paintings in her studio. I took art classes each year of high school, but when it came time to choose a college major, I was discouraged from pursuing the difficult life of an artist. It wasn’t long, though, before my love for drawing came creeping back and I discovered pastels. I took a few courses in college, and studied at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. My work is certainly informed by the Romantics, Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and even Abstract Expressionists, but I am probably most influenced by other contemporary artists’ work.

I have been exhibiting professionally since the early 2000s and have won some awards from the Rappahannock Art League, Crossroads Art Center, the Bay School, and Tappahannock Artists Guild. While it is rewarding to receive such accolades, it is most meaningful to hear viewers of my work tell me how they are moved and, sometimes, comforted by it.

Thanks for looking.

http://www.nkpope.com
http://www.facebook.com/artnkp
http://www.instagram.com/nkp.art

* TAG invites all people to participate in classes, and we never want price to be a barrier. If you can’t afford to attend a class, send an email to info@tapparts.org or call 804-925-1011. We have scholarship funding available for high school students, seniors on a fixed income, or people in a tough spot financially. No shame!