Pastel Lab

Mount Vision Pastel Company

P.O. Box 543

Mt. Vision, New York 13810

888-413-2009

http://www.mountvisionpastels.com

Researched and Presented by Melissa Young

This is a relatively new pastel company that recently advertised in the Pastel Journal. After visiting the website, I was more than intrigued, I was hooked! The colors were very intense and pure. The reds and oranges were particularly stunning, and this was a hole that needed to be filled in my collection. I called on the phone and spoke to the owner, and was doubly impressed. This man had worked with pigments in a small paint company...he definitely knew his stuff. After a quick peek at my checkbook and a few deep breaths, I decided to order the full set. The next day, I had buyer’s regret. Did I get a good deal? What if they were too small, too hard, too soft. What if the colors I saw on the Internet were not faithful to the real product? I reprimanded myself for buying a product sight unseen and never experienced, telling myself that if I was disappointed, I could probably return them.

A few tense days later, my pastels arrived. My worry had been for naught! Not only were these pastels gorgeous, but they were huge, and the colors were even more luscious than the pictures! Adding to my delight was the fact that they arrived in pristine condition. One pastel had chipped. The chip was the size of the half moon on my little finger. I have never received a set of pastels shipped in mint condition.

....Each pastel was the size and shape of a Unison....The consistency is even throughout the line. I would characterize them as medium to medium soft. The colors are intense and clear. I will definitely make this line part of my regular collection.

Recently I have noticed that these pastels are being mentioned by many well known pastelists. They have a real following, though not commonly available in retail art stores or catalogs.

Pastels from Mount Vision may be bought by open stock (single sticks) or by sets. (There are sets of 5, 25, and 50.) For instance, had I been more cautious, I could have bought just those fabulous reds, and tried them out first. I am glad that I threw caution to the winds. Not only was I extremely pleased with the product, but now I feel like a financial genius as well. I have not found another line that gives such a Cadillac product for a Saturn price.

I would encourage you to do a little Internet research. The website is beautiful and well organized, an impression that speaks for the line as a whole. I would encourage you to call their toll-free number. I hope that you will speak to the owner, as I did. He is extremely dedicated to his craft and an artisan of integrity; integrity that is also reflected in the product. I hope that this line becomes popular and successful. I would rate my whole experience with Mount Vision Pastel Company a perfect “10”, and think that future success would be well deserved.

From: The Pastel Society of North Florida Newsletter