Jan Carlton Art

Jan Carlton Art

"Color helps to express light, not the physical phenomenon, but the only light that really exists, that is in the artist's brain." – Henri Matisse

Award winning Olympia pastel artist and retired academic Family Physician, Jan Carlton started painting in 2003 in order to pursue her lifelong passion for art. Initially a watercolor painter, she discovered soft pastels in 2015 and fell in love with the luminescent quality of dry pigment on paper. She favors a loose impressionistic style, focusing on vibrant colors and the effects of light. Her subjects are mostly landscapes and still lifes. She is primarily self taught but has studied with incredible pastel artists such as Alain Picard, Barbara Jaenike and Teresa Saia. She has done several commissions and welcomes new challenges. Her work can currently be seen at Splash Gallery of Olympia.


Affiliations

Northwest Pastel Society- Signature Member

Pastel Society of America- Associate Member

Pastel Artists of Oregon

Pastel Guild of Europe -Journeyer Member

Olympia Art League

American Women Artists

Exhibitions

International Open Online Exhibition, Juried, Northwest Pastel Society, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026

Membership Online Exhibition, Juried, Pastel Artists of Oregon, 2023, 2025

Member Show, Juried, Northwest Pastel Society, 2022 – 2025

Pastel Guild of Europe, Juried, Open Online Competition, 2022, 2024

Make Your Mark! International Online Juried Exhibition, Pastel Society of Southern California,  2024-2025

Spirit of Pastel Exhibition, Pastel Artists of Oregon, 2022, 2024

A View From Olympia, Solo Exhibition, Thomas Architecture Studios, Olympia, WA, Jan. 4th – Feb. 15th 2022

Abandoned, Images of What Remains, Arts Council of Lake Oswego Exhibition, 2021


Awards & Honors

Member’s Show, Northwest Pastel Society, 2023, Honorable Mention for ‘Nisqually Marsh’

Pastel Guild of Europe’s Monthly Get Dusty Competition, February 2023, Overall Winner for ‘Portrait of Jordan’

Members Show, Northwest Pastel Society, 2022, Honorable Mention for ‘Maui Storm’

Pastel Guild of Europe’s Monthly Get Dusty competition October 2022 — Honorable Mention for ‘Cat Nap’

Pastel Guild of Europe’s Monthly Get Dusty competition, November 2022 — First Place Winner for ‘Grandma’s Vitrine’

Pastel Artists of Oregon-Spirit of Pastel exhibition- 2022, Honorable Mention for ‘Nisqually Wetlands’

Dakota Pastel Art Competition, Emerging Artist, Winter Quarter 2021, Honorable Mention for ‘Kindred Spirits’