Last Thursday, April 4, we learned the devastating news that Maggie Price had passed away after a short but heroic battle with brain cancer. Maggie was the President of the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) and the founding editor of Pastel Journal. She was an accomplished artist; a dedicated pastel workshop teacher; an author for North Light Books and contributing writer for Pastel Journal; and a tireless advocate for the pastel medium, industry and community.

Maggie cared very deeply about teaching people to paint, believing that anybody who wanted to learn could learn. Her husband and painting partner, Bill Canright, put it this way: “Her desire was to continue sharing things of beauty and showing others how to do the same.” As a way to honor her legacy and her commitment to new artists, IAPS has created a perpetual award in her name. The Maggie Price Award of Excellence for an Emerging Artist will be given at each IAPS Exhibition, beginning with the 2013 Convention this June.

If you or your art society wish to honor Maggie with a contribution to the fund, you can donate online at the IAPS website. Or, you can send a check contribution to my attention (please make out your check to IAPS and write “Maggie Price Award” on the memo line) at:

F+W Media / Pastel Journal
Attn: Anne Hevener / Maggie Price Award
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200
Blue Ash, OH 45242

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at Anne.Hevener@fwmedia.com.

Maggie will be dearly missed by a great many people, including all of us at Pastel Journal and North Light Books who were fortunate to get to work with her and to call her friend.