Learn more than how to paint.
Learn how to trust yourself as an artist.
Each month, we come together for Inner Studio, where you can bring your questions, share what you’re working through, learn from one another, and be part of the conversation.
What Makes This Different
Most instructors show you what they are doing. I explain the why.
Because when you understand the why, something shifts. You begin to understand what color is doing, why a value change matters, and why one mark works while another doesn't. You start seeing possibilities instead of wondering whether you're doing it right.
I have a way of breaking things down that meets you wherever you are. I'm not going to talk above your head or assume you already know. I'll show you what I'm doing, tell you what I'm thinking, and let you see the decisions, changes of direction, mistakes, and discoveries that are part of actually making art.
The goal isn't to teach you to paint exactly like me. It's to give you enough understanding that you can begin making those decisions for yourself. And little by little, you start trusting yourself more.
And the teaching doesn't end when the class does.
That’s where Inner Studio comes in.
What I’m exploring in my own studio often finds its way into what I teach. But the conversation doesn’t necessarily stop when a class is finished.
Once a month, we come together live in Inner Studio and see where it takes us.
Sometimes I might share something I’ve been exploring in my own work. Or we might end up talking through a painting or demonstrating something that comes up along the way. I love that a single question can take the conversation somewhere I never expected. And other times, we’re simply hanging out with people who understand why making art matters so much to us.
That’s one of my favorite things about Inner Studio. It isn’t another formal class. It’s a place for the conversation to keep going, for you to bring what’s happening in your own creative life, and for us to explore together.
You don’t need to have a question or anything prepared to join us. Come participate in the conversation, ask me something you’ve been wondering about, or simply spend some creative time with us.
And if you can’t be there live, every Inner Studio is recorded so you can watch the replay whenever it works for you.
“I felt so recharged and motivated afterwards and I still feel that way! I loved connecting with the other members and being able to ask you questions.”
- Nathalie, Pastel Insider Member
What begins to change
People often join Pastel Insider because they want to learn soft pastel. What they often discover is something more. As your understanding grows, so does your confidence.
You begin to see not just what you're doing, but why. You notice light differently. You understand color in a new way. You become more willing to experiment, change your mind, erase something that isn't working, and try again. Eventually, what you're learning starts showing up beyond the individual lesson. That's when it becomes yours.
One member recently wrote to tell me that she was carrying what she had learned about composition and color into her own artwork, whether she was working in pastel or acrylic. That is exactly what I want for you.
I'm not interested in giving you a collection of paintings you know how to copy. I want to help you build an understanding you can carry into whatever you decide to create next.
Inside This Month's Class
Have you ever followed along with a painting demonstration and found yourself questioning a mark simply because it looked different? Maybe a shape takes an unexpected turn, or a color creates something you hadn't planned. It's easy to think you need to correct it. But what if that's where something wonderful begins?
That's the heart of Beauty Out of Chaos: learning to have a conversation with your painting.
Throughout this class, you'll experience the push and pull of developing a painting. Making marks, responding to what's emerging, changing direction, and discovering possibilities you might never have considered in the beginning. You'll see me work through uncertain moments and unexpected discoveries, learning to recognize what the painting needs as it unfolds.
There's something to discover in that process, even when you're simply enjoying watching the painting unfold.
Because every hand brings something different to the paper. And sometimes the most beautiful discoveries happen when we begin to recognize and trust our own.
More than 100 lessons. No expectation to do them all.
The Pastel Insider library is there to be explored, not completed.
Follow what interests you. Paint the subjects that pull you in. Explore landscapes, animals, portraits, color, PanPastel techniques, pastel pencils, mixed pastel approaches and creative process.
Return to something when you're ready for it. Watch a class without painting anything. Come back six months later because suddenly that lesson is exactly what you need.
There is no finish line here.
The library gives you somewhere to go whenever curiosity strikes, while the monthly class and Inner Studio keep bringing something new into the conversation.
Explore the full Pastel Insider library, including complete descriptions for every class.
Join The Pastel Insider Community
This is your moment. Come inside. Let me show you my world. No commitment, cancel anytime.
One full year of Pastel Insider, the equivalent of one month free.
New to PanPastel? Start here.
One of the biggest questions I get is about supplies.
What do I need? How much will this cost? Where do I even start?
I've spent years researching and testing materials so you don't have to figure all of that out on your own.
Every new member receives my Pastel Insider Membership Guide, created to help you feel at home from the moment you join.
Inside the guide, you'll find:
✔ A simple guide to navigating the membership
✔ Essential supply recommendations so you know what you actually need
✔ A lesson roadmap to help you know where to begin
✔ Tips for getting the most from your membership
✔ Answers to common questions, all in one place
You don't need every color, years of experience, or even drawing skills to begin. Every class includes the original line art I use, so you can focus on learning the medium itself: value, color, layering, blending, edges, mark-making, and everything that begins to make pastel feel like yours.
No guessing. No overwhelm. Just somewhere to begin.
A note on finding your style
Style isn't something you start with.
It's something you accumulate.
Lesson by lesson, painting by painting, you're building a kind of filing system. You're learning what catches your attention, what colors you reach for, what subjects interest you, and what kinds of marks feel natural in your hand.
Following along with a lesson doesn't prevent you from finding your voice. It's one of the ways you develop the skills that eventually allow that voice to come through.
The more you understand the medium, the more freedom you have to make it your own.
A membership that grows with you
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LEARN
A new in-depth class every month where I take you through the process and explain the thinking behind it.
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EXPLORE
A complete library of more than 100 lessons you can follow according to your own interests and pace.
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CONNECT
Inner Studio is where we come together each month to talk, create, explore, and spend time with other people who understand why making art matters to us.
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GROW
Take what you're learning beyond the lesson and into your own paintings, ideas and creative decisions.
You don't have to figure this out alone.
I remember standing in an art store telling my friend that the last thing I needed was another medium. I'd tried everything over twenty years. I didn't buy the full set or understand how all of it worked together. I just bought a few colors and started playing.
And then something happened that had never happened with anything else I'd tried. I didn't want to stop.
I've spent the years since then painting, experimenting, teaching, making mistakes, figuring things out, and still discovering new things every time I walk into my studio. Pastel Insider is where I share that experience with you, not because I want you to make paintings exactly like mine, but because I want you to understand enough to make the choices that feel right in yours.
You can come in as a complete beginner or after years of making art. You can paint every class, watch quietly, ask questions in Inner Studio, explore the library, or simply show up when you need a little creative spark.
However you show up, it counts.
If you've been wanting a place like this for your own creative life, I'd love to have you join us.
Dawn
Join The Pastel Insider Community
This is your moment. Come inside. Let me show you my world. No commitment, cancel anytime.
One full year of Pastel Insider, the equivalent of one month free.
FAQs
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As a Pastel Insider, you'll receive one new in-depth lesson every month, thoughtfully designed to build your skills, deepen your understanding, and strengthen your creative confidence. Each lesson explores different subjects, approaches, and techniques while guiding you through the complete creative process.
You'll also be invited to The Inner Studio, a private monthly live session created exclusively for members. Think of it as a live extension of the membership experience, where we can dive deeper into techniques, explore ideas, answer questions, and continue the creative conversations that happen between the lessons. Replays are always available if you can't join live.
From the moment you join, you'll also have instant access to the complete Pastel Insider library of over 100 lessons, along with line art, supply lists, and a welcoming community to support your creative journey.
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Yes, absolutely. This membership is designed to meet you wherever you are, whether you are brand new to soft pastel or have been creating for years. When you join you will receive the Pastel Insider Getting Started Guide, which includes supply recommendations, suggested beginner friendly lessons, and a clear roadmap so you know exactly where to begin. No guessing, no overwhelm. Just a clear path forward.
And in every lesson I am right there with you, walking you through each decision along the way. No drawing experience required.
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Not at all. Some members paint every lesson. Some watch first and come back later. Some are here to absorb, to be inspired, to spend time in a creative space that feels good. There is no right way to be a Pastel Insider. Show up however works for you.
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Once you join you will receive access to a members only area on my website where you can find all your lessons, downloadable line art, and resources. Everything is easy to navigate and available whenever you are ready for it.
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Yes. You can manage your membership at any time. Monthly memberships can be canceled at any time and you'll continue to have access until the end of your current billing period. If you're an annual member, your membership will remain active through the end of your paid year and will not renew if canceled before the renewal date.
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The Pastel Insider is a membership subscription, not individual class purchases. As long as you are an active member you have full access to everything in the library. When your membership ends your access ends, but you are always welcome to come back.
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Because of the way Squarespace handles memberships, switching from a monthly plan to an annual plan takes one extra step.
Simply cancel your current monthly membership. You'll continue to have full access through the end of your current billing period, so nothing changes right away.
Once your monthly membership ends, return to this page and sign up for the annual Pastel Insider membership. You'll pick up right where you left off with full access to the membership.