Pastel exhibition to open at Butler

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

An exhibition of works selected from the Pastel Society of America’s annual exhibition will open Saturday at the Butler Institute of American Art and run through Feb. 4.

The exhibition, titled “Enduring Brilliance,” will be located in the Flora B. Giffuni Gallery.

The Pastel Society of America promotes works by the most accomplished pastel artists in the United States and abroad.

Since 1972, its annual exhibition has been held every September in the Grand Gallery of the National Arts Club, a historic mansion located on Gramercy Park in New York. Each year, the Butler curates and shows a smaller exhibition composed of works selected from the PSA exhibition.

This year, the Butler exhibition, which was curated by Louis A. Zona, executive director of the museum, includes 33 works out of the 177 pieces that were selected for the original exhibition.

A slide show of the complete PSA exhibition can be viewed at pastelsocietyofamerica.org.

The PSA was founded in 1972 by the late Flora B. Giffuni. It is the oldest pastel society in America and is largely responsible for the current renaissance of pastels in American art.

The society’s annual exhibitions at The National Arts Club in New York are the premier event for pastel artists in this country and abroad.

In 2004, the Flora B. Giffuni Gallery of American Pastels was established at the Butler, thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Giffuni. It is the only museum gallery in the country devoted exclusively to works in the pastel medium, and its creation was a dream come true of the late Mrs. Giffuni.

The gallery offers exhibitions of accomplished pastel artists, group shows from the Pastel Society of America, as well as the display of works from the Butler’s prestigious collection.

The Butler museum, 524 Wick Ave., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free.