About the Artist

"Pastels and I go way back. Pastel is the first painting medium I was introduced to, I was hooked straight away. This addiction with pastel is still going on thirty years later.

 

My name is Karol Oakley I love painting with pastel and sharing what I have learnt along my 'Pastel Path'. When I first started, I wanted to paint things to look real. I still do. But along the way my style changed, as it should, with learning, experimenting and practice. Now I paint in a more 'expressive' and looser style.  I couldn't have done that without the foundation painting skills I was taught at the beginning.

 

This love of pastels has taken me to so many locations across the world  and I have met some of the best people on the planet.

 

 Major pastel paintings have won numerous awards over the years. The best was Pastellist of the Year with the Pastel Society of Australia. Pastel works have been exhibited with the International Association of Pastel Artists (IAPS) in the USA. They have found homes across the globe within public and private collections. I hold, with pride, the status of Master Pastellist with in the Pastel Society of Australia and have done for over 24 years.

 

Teaching pastel painting is a privilege that I enjoy so much. To be able to share what I do and how pastel painting is done with aspiring artists just has to be the best feeling. Mind you I was coerced into teaching at first. I had to pull on my experience as a student to be able to teach what is needed and to answer the questions. I still do a question and answer scenario while painting today, as everyday I am still a student of pastel painting.

 

Learning never stops, it just gets more interesting".

 

Karol Oakley

 

Master Pastellist PSA

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Karol Oakley is a highly respected International Pastel Artist known for her vibrant representational paintings.  A Master Pastellist for over twenty years Karol has works in public and private collections in Australia and overseas.  She has been in many exhibitions and is a long-time member of the Pastel Society of Australia, a member of AGRA (Australian Guild of Realist Artists), NAVA and the Pastel Society of Southern California.

 

Regarded as one of the best educators of the pastel medium in Australia, Karol Oakley is continually invited to tutor in regional and rural Australia, starting in 1996. Karol is an International judge and tutor travelling, teaching and painting En Plein-air painting tours to the Greek Islands and Norfolk Island many times. 

 

This Artist paints from life as much as possible and ‘en plein-air’, in pastel, oil and mixed media. Karol is constantly searching out patterns, textures, vibrant colours and  the light extremes of Mother Nature’s presence.  The majority of Karol’s work is based on water themes in  both the land and seascape. This doesn’t stop her from exploring other subjects such as still life, flowers and animal portraits.  Karol works on the premise that there is always more to learn and shares her enthusiasm for painting in workshops and demonstrations, when not out exploring new places and painting her response to natures showcase.

 

Qualifications:   Master Pastellist Pastel Society of Australia (PSA)

                       Certificate IV Work Place Training and Assessment

                       Thirty years of arts practice.

 

Memberships:  Pastel Society of Australia (PSA)  position held: Master Pastellist and President 2019 -2021

                       Pastel Society of Southern California (PSSC)  general member

                       Australian Guild of Realist Artists (AGRA) general member

                       National Association Visual Artists (NAVA)

 

Awards - Selected:   numerous awards in Australian Art Shows since 1995

                      PSA Pastellist of the Year 2014

                       AGRA 2017 2016 2020

                       PSA Annual Awards 2015 2018 2019 2020

 

 Exhibitions - Selected:  numerous solo and joint exhibitions since 1994 - 2020

                      AGRA Art Excellence Awards 2016 2017 

                       PSA in Wondai  Regional Gallery 2019/20

                       PSA Annual Awards and Exhibition

                       Master Pastellists Showcase 2018

                       IAPS Convention 30th Juried Art Show Albuquerque USA.

                       Plein-air Convention Exhibition Monterey CA. 2015 

                       Hahndorf Academy Solo Exhibition of Plein-air works 2018

                       Pastel Society of Southern California Online Exhibition 2020/2024

 

Collections:   International and National

                       Private Collections in France, England, Sweden, Poland, Greece, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, USA

                       Public Collections in Australia include Regional Council Galleries, Royal Brisbane Hospital

 

Collaborations:  Australian Pastel Exposition 2018, 2020, organising committee and participant

 

Teaching Experience: 1996-2020 Workshops, residencies, summer schools across Australia

                        Greece 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012,

                        Norfolk Island 2007 2017

                        New Zealand  2019

 

Travel:         Leading Painting Holidays to Greece 2006-2012, (2020 & 2024 postponed)

                        Norfolk Island 2007, 2017

 

Judging:      Guest Artist and Judge Pastel Artists New Zealand (PANZ) National Annual Exhibition and Competition 2019

                        Australian Art groups 2004-2020

 

Publications: Australian Artist Magazine 2007-2019: selected issues

                        International Artist Magazine,

                        E-art-h magazine

                        Art Edit Magazine 2019

                        PSA Newsletter

                        AGRA Newsletter HUES

 

Interviews:  eARTh magazine 2016, Norfolk Island Radio 2018, ArtEdit magazine 2018

 

Residencies:  Hahndorf Academy South Australia - six weeks 2018

 

Invitationals: Los Gatos Plein-air Week California USA 2017