Skills for artists and art lovers

Skills lives up to it’s name

• specialist artist materials
• specialist art and photography services
• an exceptional framing service
• highly experienced staff providing art valuation and restoration

We are passionate about encouraging your creative path whatever your age or stage in life.  We are proud to be one of Stony Stratford’s vibrant independent shops.  Skills stocks only authentic specialist art materials, which contain the high quality an artist deserves.  We also let customers try before you buy.  Why gamble with online purchases when you can confidently buy from Buckinghamshires only independent art shop.  In our company, we have no less than five artists and two photographers, because of this we understand your needs and ideas.  Stony makes a perfect summers day shopping without the hassle of crowds.

What is so special about Unison Soft Pastels?

Skills are the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire stockist for the top quality Unison soft pastel range.  Why do artists choose these particular pastels over other varities on the market?  The reason why they were created in the first place is due to creator John Hersey’s experience as a pastel artist.  He was dissatisfied with manufactured pastels available – which had poor colour vibrancy, inconsistent colour texture, and often crumbling and breaking soon after purchase.
John Hersey was born in 1925. He was a student at the Byam Shaw School of art in London where he won a Rome scholarship and lived in Italy for several years. On returning to London, he continued to paint and ran a business making fine art colour slides.

With his experience using pastels, John had a vision for the quality of pastel he would like to use for his artwork.  For several years he worked on methods of production, colour sequences and the texture of his pigment mixtures. In 1987 he decided to offer the results to fellow pastallists, with immediate interest.  Eventually sales expanded in the USA and now the Unison brand is known as a sought after artists quality pastel range.  Find out how the unison pastels are made.

Unison pastels are available to purchase at Skills individually in a pick n mix purchase and a special offer for 6.  Attractive boxed sets, including starter, bright, dark, portrait, and landscape are also available for a special Christmas gift.

Click on the wheel to view the complete range.