LAUREL, MS.- The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art presents The Degas Pastel Society: 10th Biennial Exhibition, through January 23, 2005. This exhibition features approximately eighty works from the 10th biennial national exhibition sponsored by the New-Orleans-based Degas Pastel Society. Formed in New Orleans in 1984 by pastelists following in the footsteps of the French artist Edgar Degas, the Degas Pastel Society has grown to include more than 150 artists from across the nation. "From its inception in 1984, the Society is proud to have played an important role in the Renaissance of pastel painting worldwide," said Alan Flattmann, President of the Degas Pastel Society and recipient of the distinction of Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of America (PSA). "Our exhibitions showcase some of the best pastels that are being painted throughout the United States and abroad," he added. Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917) pushed the envelope of pastel painting and changed the reputation of the medium from a pale, pallid one to an engaging, exciting and colorful art form. The artists in this exhibition take their cues from his innovative, experimental approach to the use of the pastel medium.

This year's juror is Maggie Price, a signature member of the Pastel Society of New Mexico, and a member of the Pastel Society of America. She is a co-founder and former editor of the Pastel Journal, national magazine for pastel artists. The Degas Pastel Society: 10th Biennial Exhibition is sponsored by UBS.