Article: Pastel Horizons: An Interview with Jacob Aguiar
Pastel Horizons: An Interview with Jacob Aguiar
Jacob Aguiar is a Master Pastelist—a title awarded by the Pastel Society of America—and a nationally recognized landscape artist known for his luminous skies and emotional depictions of the American West. He’s also a former naturopathic physician, a father of two, and an instructor of pastel workshops across the U.S. and abroad.
We recently sat down with Jacob to talk about his transition from medicine to art, his deep connection to the land, and why pastels are the perfect medium for expressing nature’s complexity.
Why Pastels?
“Pastels let me dive right into color. I don’t need to plan everything out in advance—I can be spontaneous.”
Jacob’s journey with pastels began after experimenting with watercolor and drawing early in his career. He found watercolors restrictive, requiring too much planning and reducing spontaneity. Inspired by pastel master Richard McKinley, Jacob embraced the dry medium and never looked back.
He now works with more than 10,000 pastel sticks in his studio and carries 500–600 into the field. The medium’s purity and texture allow him to express nature’s subtleties with unmatched immediacy. “They’re nearly pure pigment,” Jacob explains, “which means I can build color and depth right on the paper.”
Favorite Places to Paint
Jacob’s landscapes are born out of time spent in some of the country’s most breathtaking places. While he has a deep affection for Point Lobos on the California coast, it's Wyoming that keeps calling him back.
“There’s so much beauty in Wyoming—not just the mountains, but the meadows, pastures, and wetlands. It connects me emotionally and spiritually.”
Raised in rural Kansas, Jacob developed an early, visceral connection to the outdoors. That relationship continues to inform his work today.
Technique & Process
Jacob approaches pastels much like an oil painter uses a brush—beginning with broad gestures and gradually refining details. He layers color from dark to light, softening edges to create movement and atmosphere.
“I use the side of the pastel—sometimes 2 inches wide—to block in large areas. Then I add contrast, texture, and lead the viewer through the composition.”
Roads, rivers, and fences often serve as compositional tools, guiding the eye deeper into his scenes and inspiring a sense of journey.
Life, Art, and Letting Go of Medicine
After years of balancing a medical practice with a growing art career, Jacob made the difficult decision to step back from medicine.
“It took 2–3 years to make the shift, but art has always been part of who I am.”
He now enjoys more time in nature and on the road—often bringing his family along for the ride. From leading workshops in France to painting in the Big Horn Mountains, Jacob has found a rhythm that nurtures both his creativity and his home life.
Explore Jacob Aguiar’s Work
Jacob’s landscapes are not just visual—each piece invites you to step into a quiet moment, a big sky, or a path less traveled.
Final Thoughts
Whether he’s painting a storm rolling in across the plains or a glowing horizon at dusk, Jacob Aguiar’s work reveals not just the beauty of the land—but the quiet stories held within it.
