PICKENS — The Pickens County Museum of Art and History has opened registration for Erin Cronin-Webb’s “Introduction to Pastels” classes.

“Portrait of a Girl,” pastel by Erin Webb

The classes will be held on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. starting on Jan. 28, and then again on Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25 and March 4.

The six-week session being held in the Liz Smith-Cox Educational Studio will cover a discussion of different types of pastels and their uses, composition and understanding how the use of values can create drama and visual excitement. Students will work on different textured surfaces, explore different methods of underpainting and receive tips on framing and sources for the best supplies for the pastel artists.

For Webb, it is the journey that has made the artist. Like her Celtic ancestors, she has wandered much, always exploring new ideas, new images and new passions. As each new experience became part of her life, so it became part of her expression as an artist.

From the beautiful images of herons and egrets of the Lowcountry to the wildlife of the Rocky Mountains to the faces and lives of people she has captured and to the enduring relationship between man and dog, all are reflections of her and her personal  journey.

While she has worked in all mediums, her true love is for pastel and the elegance and softness it lends to all subject matter.

Webb is renowned for her portraits of dogs, which capture not only their physical likeness, but the spirit and soul within the animal. Erin has recently hosted a one-woman show at the Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville, which was also a fundraiser for Foothills Search and Rescue. She has been a past exhibitor in the prestigious Greenwich Village Art Show in New York. She has conducted numerous workshops in pastel and portraiture and is a member of The American Society of Portrait Artists, The Southeastern Pastel Society and the Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville. Her works are in private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Asia and Europe.

Today, her time is spent between painting, training her German shepherds and competing in obedience trials.

Tuition for the class is $88, or $78 for museum members. Pre-registration is required. Tuition must be paid prior to the first class. No refunds on tuition will be available after the start of class. Class size is limited, so those interested are urged to register today.

Pre-registration is required for all classes and can be done online at visitpickenscounty.com/calendar, in person, or by calling the Pickens County Museum at (864) 898-5963. Tuition may be paid by cash, check or charge. Make checks payable to the Pickens County Museum, or call the museum to use your Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

Workshops will be held at the Pickens County Museum at 307 Johnson St. in Pickens. Students will be notified if a class is cancelled or filled. If cancelled, all tuition will be reimbursed to registered students.