Sandra Orme is renowned for her ability to capture dramatic skies and a sense of place. From her studio in the heart of the Peak District in Buxton, Derbyshire, she explores the ever-changing sky and landscape. Inspired by the grand landscape tradition from JMW Turner to Alexander Nasmyth, Sandra applies contemporary pastel and charcoal methods to develop epic representational works that convey the terrible beauty of wild open spaces. Sandra has a degree in Fine Art and many years experience as an art teacher and tutor. She regularly exhibits at both local and national shows as well as galleries, and has exhibited with The Pastel Society at the Mall Galleries in London. Sandra is a member of the art collective, Peak District Artisans, and has contributed to SAA and The Artist magazines. Sandra is also an associate artist with Unison Colour, with her own sets of sky pastels. Sandra has a website, www.sandraorme.com, with online video tutorials. She is active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Aimed at beginners and those with some experience, Sandra Orme's Painting Skies in Pastel is a practical and inspiring book that serves a complete course in working with pastels. Each of the stage-by-stage projects focuses upon a particular sky effect, with clear images describing every step of the journey. There's plenty of general practical advice on using pastels from an artist renowned for her dramatic skyscapes – from how to hold the pastel itself to make the marks you want, to which surface to use and how to blend and layer colours. Sandra's paintings throughout are sure to inspire you. * Leisure Painter, November 2023 *