Mary Campos Lopez

Born in 1948 in San Antonio, Texas, Mary studied art in high school and in 1997-99, learned pastel painting at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art under Mary Johnson. Her art education continued with intensive painting workshops with award winning national and international artists, such as Lorenzo Chavez, Richard McKinley, John Roush, Colleen Howe, Judith Carducci, Steven Napper, and Kathleen Cook.

Dedication to producing quality art led to her first competition in 1999 where she received her first award. Numerous awards followed including Best of Show at the 2005 60th Annual River Art Group Show. Mary considers being juried into the 2008 Paint America Mini50 National Competition and the 2006 Top 200 in the National Arts for the Parks Competition as highlights in her career. Her paintings can be found in private and public collections.

Mary is the Founder, Charter Member, and President of the Texas Pastel Society. She is also a member of the Coppini, the River Art Group, a charter member of the Regional Artists Consortium, Austin Pastel Society and the Central Texas Pastel Society.

Mary has shown support for KLRN, her community's public broadcasting station by donating her art to their annual Blazing Gavels Auction. She also promotes the soft pastel medium through teaching at a local Hobby Lobby, has taught at the Northside I.S.D, OASIS(a program for seniors), and doing demos at branch libraries. She sponsors an annual pastel art show showcasing her student's art at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art. In 2008, Mary founded the Texas Pastel Society, a non-profit society, as a support group for all pastelists in the south Texas area and to raise awareness of the soft pastel medium.

Producing art that touches the soul, sharing her knowledge and the beauty of pastels with others continue to be Mary's goals.

Contact Mary C. Lopez at : mclopezart@yahoo.com

                        www.mclopezart.com

What is Pastel?

Pastel is not chalk but pure pigment, the same used in all medias. It is ground, a binder added, rolled into sticks, and dried. The pastelist layers one color over the other, painting directly on the paper. Pastel is the most durable of all mediums, it will not yellow, crack, or become brittle with age. Sixteenth century pastel paintings are still as bright as the day they were painted. Pastel dust reflects light like a prism.

As with all fine art, keep away from direct sunlight and high humidity areas.