Pastels artist featured at center in May

Pastels painter Judy Grochowski is the May artist in residence at the Cedarburg Cultural Center.

Grochowski  will demonstrate her art from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 13; from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, May 20 and 27; and noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 28.

Grochowski is a visual artist whose work explores the space between representation and abstraction. Working primarily in soft pastel, she is drawn to the medium’s immediacy, tactile quality, luminous color, and forgiving nature. She also incorporates cold wax, oil and mixed media in her works.

“While my landscapes and photo-based imagery tend toward representational, more recently I’ve been blurring the line toward abstraction,” Grochowski said. “It is my joy to fascinate myself with ‘what if’ ideas.

“I hope viewers find those ‘what ifs,’ shift their initial interpretation, and perhaps walk away with a new perspective.”

Grochowski has earned numerous awards and currently serves as president of Wisconsin Pastel Artists,. Her work has appeared in juried exhibitions with Chicago Pastel Painters and at venues including the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

Her career also includes teaching art at both the secondary and university levels and coaching students in the Wisconsin Art Education Association’s Visual Arts Classic, where she was honored as a Distinguished Fellow.

Grochowski will also teach a hands-on class, “Pastels, PanPastels & Stencils: Let’s Play with Color!” at the center from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.

The workshop will teach participants of all skill levels to explore layering, blending and creative expression using soft pastels, PanPastels and stencils. Participants will be encouraged to experiment and develop their own artistic voice.

The fee of $60 for center members and $72 for nonmembers includes all supplies.

For more information or to register, call (262) 375-3676 or visit www.CedarburgCulturalCenter.org.

The center is at W62 N546 Washington Ave.