KENT — The Gallery at the Kent Art Association has announced that Laura Bleau of Newtown won the Pastel Society Award for “Julie” in Kent Art Association’s President’s Show. The work is of a heavy-set, yet seemingly defiant woman standing up and looking to her left.

Ms Bleau, a pastel artist specializing in portraiture, began her career as an illustrator and graphic designer. Since 2005 she has been studying pastel painting and drawing the human form independently in open life drawing sessions at the Silvermine Art Center, and in workshops with artists such as Daniel E. Greene.

For the last six years she has been at The Art Students League of New York studying pastel portraiture with Ellen Eagle, academic figure drawing with Michael Grimaldi, and most recently painting and drawing from life with senior League instructor, Harvey Dinnerstein. Her work has been reproduced in The Visual Language of Drawing: Lessons on the Art of Seeing by James L. McElhinney and Instructors of the Art Students League of New York, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., September 2012.

Ms Bleau was the winner of last year’s Elected Artist award at KAA, which gives her a solo show in the Elected Artist Show next month.

On display with Ms Bleau’s painting at the 2013 President’s Show are more than 100 paintings in oils, watercolors, pastels, and graphics as well as sculpture in various mediums. All of these works are original and for sale.  Many prize-winning artists both locally and regionally are represented in the show, including work from the judges for the show, award winning artists Tom Yost, Lorraine Ryan and Debra Losado.

The exhibit closes Labor Day, September 2. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 1 to 5 pm. The gallery, at 21 South Main Street,will be open on Labor Day.

For more information on this show visit www.kentart.org or call The Gallery at the Kent Association, at 860-927-3989.