New Awards, and ArtWalk Fayetteville this Weekend!
Sent: 4/28/2026 8:30:13 AM

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Paintings, Paintings and more Paintings!

Rita Kirkman Studio

May 2026

Dear Subscriber,

'Tis the season for Art Festivals! My next one coming up quickly is the ArtWalk in Fayetteville TX, this weekend, May 2-3, 2026.

Luckily (or unlucky, depending on one's point of view, ha,) The Woodlands Waterway Arts Fest earlier this month was a rain out, so I haven't had to do much re-stocking and will still have most of my current paintings available for ArtWalk... and a few new landscapes painted en plein air from this past week!

Here are a few more of the paintings I currently have available, including a few I painted since the last newsletter. These and more will be with me at ArtWalk...

Solidarity

Hannie

Hello.

Say Again?

Gabby

White Peacock

TWO Awards at

The Rolling Hills of Round Top Plein Air Festival

2cd Place, Quick-Draw

First Place Overall

I'm tickled and still a bit surprised that I got awarded twice at the Rolling Hills of Round Top Plein Air Festival! Landscape is not even really my "thing", but I do enjoy the experience of plein air painting. There's nothing else quite like actually being out there to strengthen powers of observation and simplify composition, under time constraints and weather distractions too!

I'm also very happy to say I had a successful event, with many red dots!

Here are a few pics from the event, and some of the paintings I did there (the available ones will be with me at ArtWalk) These are so new they're not even on my website yet!

"Round Top Lights" 10x10, SOLD

"Texas Gold" 10x8

"Delphiniums" 12X9

"Breaktime For Two" 8X10, SOLD

"Park Trail #76" 5X5

The exhibit at The Compound, Round Top

My "wall", across from the goodies!

The judging of the Quick-Draw

The VIP dinner for Artists and Patrons

Read more about the event at studiotexas.org/plein-air-festival

(when they update their site soon with this year's pics, or find them on Instagram @studio_texas_!)

Pastel Exhibit in Austin

The Pastel Spectrum: Expanding the Boundaries

The Pastel Spectrum: Expanding the Boundaries

I'm pleased to have one of my favorite figurative paintings, "Safe Haven" (pastel, 18x28 inches) in this group exhibit presented by JGallery and the Austin Pastel Society.

Safe Haven

The show continues through July 8, 2026.

More info at austinpastelsociety.org

Pastel Workshop

Grapevine Texas (Dallas area)

Sept 28-30, 2026

Almost Full!

More information here!

For an Ongoing Inspiration Boost...

My Patreon Page

I still have my usual schedule of Virtual Open Studio days, on Zoom, exclusively through my Patreon. You can always see my schedule here.

My Patreon Page itself contains over 250 inspiring and tutorial full-length pastel videos from the past four years. Live invites, demos, art tips and engaging conversation from my ongoing VOS days, Paint-Alongs, and more!

(PS: The highest tier includes Monthly critiques! :)

It also contains tons of free public posts with quick vids, art tips and progress pics. If you're not yet ready to join a paid Membership Tier, you can join for free to follow the public posts!

Check out my Patreon!

"Art is our one true global language. It knows no nation, it favors no race, and it acknowledges no class. It speaks to our need to reveal, heal, and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible."

~ Richard Kamler

Thanks for reading my News. Please do share with your friends. I hope to see you soon! Be artful and enjoy life,

Rita

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