This one day workshop is designed for everyone, whether a beginner or experienced artist.

Mike has been a professional artist for over 50 years and has been teaching painting workshops for the last 25 years. Pastel is his favorite medium, especially for landscapes. He has won many awards for his work including many best-of-shows and has taught and exhibited in various museums and art organizations from Florida to California. His work is recognized for its strong sense of design and dynamic and painterly use of color and value. He is the inventor of the unique pastel handling system, Mike Mahon’s Pastel Porter™.

Samples of his work and testimonials can be viewed on his website at https://www.mmahon.com.

Painting demonstrations in pastel and oil can be viewed on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/MikeMahonFineArtist1

And his Patreon channel at https://patreon.com/mikemahonfineartist

Teaching Approach

Mike's students have had great success in his Paint-Along workshops. The more controlled step-by-step procedure of a paint-along is very encouraging to those who want to master the seemingly contradictory qualities of control and spontaneity. You will learn how to think in Aesthetic Categories which form the foundation of all forms of art.

Workshop participants will be emailed a supply list and links to several videos that will help prepare them for the workshop. Some of these are videos that are only available to his students and their value alone is worth the cost of the 1 day workshop.

Paint-Along Procedure

In his Paint–Along session, Mike will supply landscape pictures to paint for each student that are identical to the one he is using. Mike will demonstrate his step-by-step painting process, stopping at each step to allow students to reproduce what they have just seen him paint. He has found that this is the fastest and most effective way to build confidence while learning his painting method. During this session he will discuss the basics of his step-by-step procedure and the art principles upon which they are built. Techniques and tips about supplies and subject selection will be discussed. While students are painting, Mike will answer questions and work with individual students.

Mike will demonstrate how to choose the best photo as a painting reference and how to crop it. At the end of the workshop, there will be a comprehensive class critique of all the work produced during the workshop. Many artists consider this one of the most useful sessions of the workshop experience.

A Systematic Painting Process 

You will also be introduced to Mike’s “Aesthetic Categories” ©, a 7-step systematic approach to painting based on classical principles of art which are logical, learnable, and memorable. Also known as the Divine SETUP, this systematic process will free you to be more spontaneous, while still in control of your painting. You will learn the necessary steps and the order in which they must be used to accomplish a good painting.

Please register early by contacting Richela Chapman, [email protected].

The cost of the workshop is $125 payable by check to LSPS (Lone Star Pastel Society) on or before January 31, 2026. Artists who register and pay by December 1, 2025 will receive an autographed copy of Mike’s book, “Art Principles” a $25 value. Links to instructional videos will be sent to participants to help them prepare for the workshop. Register early so that you will have time to study the videos before the workshop.

Mike will be judging the "WINTER BRILLIANCE OF PASTEL SHOW" prior to the workshop and doing a free pastel demonstration after the Awards Ceremony at 7:00 pm, February 6.

REGISTRATION FORM—Mike Mahon’s Pastel Workshop, February 7, 2026

Please print clearly and fill out the attached form:

Name_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Street City / State Zip Code

E-mail address________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number (s) _____________________________________________________________________________________

Check addressed to Lone Star Pastel Society. Check #___________ Dated_______________ Wait List? Circle: Yes / No

Send this form and your check for $125 to: Richela Chapman, 3316 Palmetto Trail, Amarillo, TX 79106 before January 31, 2025. The

maximum number of participants is 15. You are not registered until we receive your form and payment. If the workshop is full, your

check will be returned. Questions? Contact Richela at [email protected].