The Friday Pinhook Art Group binds pastel painters with lessons, critiques and friendship

Teaching, listening, learning and creating. The Friday Pinhook Art Group is a gathering of artists who work in pastels. They move from easel to easel looking at progress. They are imaginative and outspoken. It is a group of friends who are all about supporting each other and giving opinions. A gathering of people who have become fast friends.

Cathy McCormick leads the class and is a fervent supporter of the arts. She has been an instructor in the area for more than 20 years, teaching at the South Bend Art Museum and these informal sessions. Before that, a dozen more years in Arizona. She also founded the Northern Indiana Pastel Society. “For me, it is important to promote the arts. Get the word out. Let people know what is happening.”

She said the class builds on skills. All the participants have taken introductory courses. Most have been working in pastels and other media for years. “This group is here to maximize their skills and to learn from each other.”

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All this support comes with a small fee — to pay for the Pinhook Park Community Center room. The support, critiques and conversations are well worth the price.

Pastels, for those who need a bit of information here, are a powdered pigment with a binder. They have been used by artists since the Renaissance.

Cathy said if you have five minutes in the day, you can work in pastels.

Back to Pinhook. The small group of five to 10 artists gathers at 10 a.m. They bring in their work, boxes of pastels and enthusiasm. For two hours, they work, chat and give opinions. Cathy presents a short tutorial and discussion. Recently, it was a talk about how you will know if the piece of art is finished. Is it ever done? Would a bit of color move the eye to another part of the art? Is this a good shade of green for this?

Another class attendee is Mary Firtl, who is a well-known local artist and teacher at the art museum. “The conversations and topics make the Friday class. I often build on the topics for my art Tuesday night at the museum. Friday is a practice session. I can do a landscape with my eyes closed, but someone will ask me about adding a building. I must research and study that.” Ultimately, it is a chance to learn just a bit.

Mary calls Friday her “circle of friends.”

Here is a perfect chance to see the artwork from local artists. A show of the work will run from April 5 to May 4 at CircaArts Gallery, 528 E. Colfax Ave., South Bend. The store’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. There is an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. April 5.

Store owner Kathy Reddy-White said the show and sale is a great way to see local artists. “They gain experience and a chance to get comments about their work. We’ve had this show for about 12 years. It is always well received.”

The artists appreciate the show and the support from CircaArts. Kathy said there is always a sale or two.

But back to the artists and pastels. Pam Fozo, Dee Thornton and Barbara Gentner Stephenson were at a recent session. Each has her own style. All love the camaraderie that has been fostered in the Friday morning sessions.

Pam said she dabbled in arts and loved her art classes at Washington High School. She went on to earn a degree in interior design from Ball State. Later, she took classes from Cathy. She enjoys creating street scenes with pastels.

Dee started after retirement. Always creative but not time for classes. “For me, the class is 90% about the people. We feed off of each other. Cathy is such a great teacher, always giving a comment or an idea.”

Barbara has been taking classes for more than 30 years, going back to sessions with Ron Monsma, from Indiana University South Bend. She has done commissioned work in pen and ink. “I love both pastels and pen and ink.”

For Barbara, Friday is a good way to work together, a great way to start the weekend. “We learn a lot from each other. The conversation is light, no controversy. As artists, we are always students, always learning. Mary and Cathy both have a passion for teaching.”

“Cathy has been a constant and encouraging mentor to all who participate in her classes — whether at the SBMA or Pinhook," Mary said. "We’ve all gained greater experience and confidence through her calm and insightful method of teaching. I wouldn’t be where I am artistically and have the skills learned if not for her and have the courage to lead my own class without her support.”

For more information, visit nipastelsociety.org.

Contact Kathy at kfborlik@yahoo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Pastels group meets at South Bend park weekly