Chris Behrs- November 2025

How and where did your art practice begin? 

I have been drawing and painting most of my life. I graduated from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) with a BFA in oil painting but my senior year at MIAD I discovered pastels and never looked back.

Where do you draw inspiration for your forms/designs? 

I am first and foremost a plein air painter. I love the challenge of taking what the day (or night) is presenting and creating a composition. Analyzing and synthesizing the nuances of every scene, whether a soft morning sunrise or bustling festival, working en plein air has sharpened and refined my decision making process. What I have learned in the field has also translated to the studio, so when I am working from photos of places I have been, I am able to bring that freshness into my studio work.

What draws you to your specific/preferred medium? 

Pastels are an incredible medium, and I believe misunderstood and somewhat under appreciated. I was immediately drawn to the intensity and vibrancy of color as well as the immediacy of application. I am holding sticks of pure powdered pigment in my hands and I can work directly on my painting surface. While it is a dry medium, pastel artists do refer to their work as paintings. The pigments are the same as used in any painting medium, it is just that the binder used to hold the pigment together is dry. 

What challenges does your medium or process present and how do you adjust for or react to those challenges as they arise? 

Pastels do present some challenges, maybe the biggest being we don’t mix colors. While a pastel artist does blend color we don’t mix and make new colors, therefore we have to carry most of our colors with us. I am mainly a plein air painter, meaning most of my work is done outside and onsite. My travel set of pastels includes 200+ colors, my studio sets are much larger.

What result can a finished piece or your process yield that makes you feel rewarded or proud? 

There is a unique quality to the look of a pastel painting. I think creating a painting that displays that quality is most satisfying. Because the application process is so immediate and intimate there is a freshness and spontaneity in the look of the work. Painting en plein contributes to that freshness and spontaneity as well, making pastels the perfect combination for me.

Upcoming events/sales/where can your work be purchased? 

The Art Hub, of course, and I show locally at the Cedarburg Cultural Center in Cedarburg. I also show regularly with the Wisconsin Pastel Artists (WPA) and the Cedarburg Artists Guild (CAG). 

I participate throughout the summer in plein air painting events around Wisconsin including Paint Cedarburg, Paint the Point in Mineral Point, the Wisconsin State Fair, and Cambridge. I have also traveled to Montana and Nova Scotia for painting events. 

My work can be seen on the Wisconsin Pastel Artists website and the Cedarburg Artists Guild website. I do have an instagram chrisbehrspastels@instagram.com

How do community art spaces like Art Hub enhance your ability to make,

distribute, and celebrate art? 

The Art Hub and other community venues provide artists with opportunities to show and sell their work. The exposure we have is limited and artists rely on places like the Art Hub to not only promote our work but to educate the community through events, art classes, and exhibits.