An enthusiastic promoter of the pastel medium, Robert K. Carsten is a master pastelist in the Pastel Society of America and a master circle pastelist (2013) in the International Assoc. of Pastel Societies (IAPS).  He is an elected member of the Board of Governors of the Pastel Society of America and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, the Connecticut Pastel Society, and an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Southwest Florida Pastel Society. He is a  contributing writer for Pastel Journal and the Artist’s Magazine.

    Robert studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Accademia di Belle Arti in Italy, and the Art Student’s League of New York. His work has been shown at the Butler Institute of American Art, the National Arts Club, the Berkshire Museum, Mattatuck Museum, the D’Amour Museum, the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum and others, as well as, in national and regional shows. He has won many awards including the Best in Show at the Northeast National Pastel Exhibition, Joseph V. Giffuni Award, Best of Show at the Thorne Regional Juror’s Choice Competition, Irene Hunter First Prize, Robb Sagendorph Award, Academic Artists Awards. His paintings were featured on the cover of and in the December, 2004 issue of Pastel Journal, in the Artist Magazine, American Artist’s Workshop Magazine (2012), and in Pure Color/ The Best of Pastel by North Light Books, and in American Art Review.

He is a much sought-after art workshop instructor, national art exhibition and awards juror, demonstrator, and panelist.