Land. Water. Sky. Pastel Workshop with Gina Torello

LightScapes Studio presents Gina Torello’s “Land, Water, and Sky” Pastel Workshop at the Sacramento Arts Center from October 15-17, 2025, running daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a 45-minute lunch break. Located at 5530 Gibbons Drive, Carmichael, CA, this immersive workshop offers a rare opportunity to explore the forgiving medium of soft pastels under the guidance of a seasoned professional artist and educator. Participants will delve into various techniques, application methods, and color theory, broken down into approachable, step-by-step lessons that foster both creativity and technical mastery. Gina’s hands-on, detailed instruction will guide students through the process of creating landscapes that capture the essence of land, water, and sky, while encouraging personal expression and artistic growth.

Throughout the workshop, Gina’s proven teaching methods will provide a structured yet flexible environment for learning, allowing participants to build confidence in their skills. From initial concept to final execution, students will gain invaluable insights into her personal techniques and artistic philosophy, empowering them to continue their creative journey beyond the workshop. This engaging experience is ideal for artists of all levels, offering a blend of creativity, technique, and inspiration that will leave participants with a solid foundation to further develop their pastel work or any other medium of choice.

The workshop will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a 45-minute break from 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM.

Each session, both morning and afternoon, will begin with a lesson. One of the main objectives is to familiarize participants with the forgiving medium of pastels. Mark-making is a crucial skill, and through demonstration, students will discover the hidden possibilities within the medium. The workshop will explore fun and liberating ways to use pastels, directly connected to the first reference. Typically, the larger reference will be broken into several sections, focusing on teaching proportion, shapes, tones, color mixing, and other essential elements.

Throughout the day, Gina will give multiple demonstrations as part of the teaching process. Although the plan is structured, she remains attuned to her students’ needs. If she observes that several students are struggling with a concept previously taught, she will pause to offer a more concise, refined lesson that directly addresses those obstacles. Additionally, she will work with each student individually throughout the course. Gina ends each class with a review of all the students’ artwork. She focuses on drawing out the positive achievements they have made in the class.

Materials list:

Supply List:

- Faber-Castell soft pastel set-assorted colors half stick set of 72 or higher

- Upgrade set would be Rembrandt 60 half stick assorted or Unison half stick pastel set.

- UArt Premium sanded pastel paper pad 600 grade neutral color

or Pastelmat Pad White No3 7.125"x 9.5 or larger

- Stabilo CarbOthello Pastel Pencil set of 24 or pencils of choice

- Recommended site for purchase of supplies: dakotapastels.com, blick.com or michaels.com or amazon

- Kneaded eraser

- PanPastel Sofft tools kit 4 knives 8 covers set

- Artist tape

- Mounting board to tape pastel paper on while you work

- Sizzor

- Old towel

- Wet ones

- Gloves

Preview this workshop at

Host or Publisher Sacramento Fine Arts Center