Golden Artist Colors Acquires Two Revolutionary Professional Art Materials Brands — PanPastel® and Sofft® Tools
- Columbus, NY, November 1, 2022
Golden Artist Colors, Inc. is delighted to announce the acquisition of two groundbreaking products, PanPastel® and Sofft® Tools. Co-Creators Ladd Forsline and Bernadette Ward, Colorfin LLC, have grown these products, originally introduced in 2007, into important companion products for pastel and mixed media artists alike. PanPastel Colors are professional artist quality soft pastel colors packed in a unique pan format. Sofft Tools, made from specially formulated micropore sponge, when used with PanPastel Colors, gives artists the opportunity to blend and apply pastel (dry) color like paint — something that’s never been possible before! PanPastel colors can be used for painting, drawing and mixed media. Their utility is vast in the professional art materials market.
Golden Artist Colors is excited to be able to add these innovative products into its comprehensive fine art material offering for professional artists. "I have always been impressed with Ladd’s incredible capacity to think between the spaces of our industry," said GOLDEN CEO & Co-Founder, Mark Golden. "His skill in product development and engineering is masterful. With Berni’s expertise and marketing ingenuity, these brands, in just a few years, have become recognized and sought after worldwide."
Moving forward it will be important for GOLDEN to earn and sustain the trust of PanPastel supporters by continuing the tradition of this unique soft pastel color product line. Therefore, GOLDEN is committed to retaining the characteristics that make the pastel medium special – its directness and purity of color – but in a pan format, so that it functions like a paint.
"The corporate missions for Golden Artist Colors and Colorfin are much the same – to enhance the process of making art by creating tools for artists to stimulate creativity and artistic expression, helping them to turn their vision into reality," said GOLDEN President & COO, Barbara Schindler. "This acquisition has been a partnership between the two companies, focused on one goal – watching the PanPastel and Sofft Tools brands flourish and grow."
"We are thrilled about this great opportunity that combines the ideas that began in our studio/lab with GOLDEN’s technical expertise, their forward thinking and deep commitment to offering the best possible materials for artists," said Ward and Forsline. "This will ensure that the PanPastel and Sofft ranges will expand and grow to their full potential, and beyond. We are confident that the products will be in good hands with GOLDEN, a company we have always admired and respected."
"Our company is known for innovation and quality and just like we are an advocate for GOLDEN Artist Acrylics, Williamsburg Artist Oils and QoR Artist Watercolors, we are eager to begin this journey with the many PanPastel advocates that have made this brand so successful,” said Golden.
Artists can continue to find the PanPastel and Sofft Tools brands at their local art supply retailer in the drawing aisle. Learn about the history and development of PanPastel and Sofft Tools at www.panpastel.com. For inspiration and resources to get started using PanPastel and Sofft Tools, visit www.paintdrawblend.com. Resources about Golden Artist Colors, Inc. and its brands can be found at www.goldenpaints.com.
About Golden Artist Colors, Inc.
Golden Artist Colors, Inc. is a manufacturer of artist quality materials including colors and mediums for painting in acrylics, oils and most recently, watercolor. With two locations, a 100,000-square-foot facility in rural Columbus, N.Y., and a 45,000-square-foot commercial warehouse and distribution center in Norwich, N.Y., the company’s over 200 employees are committed to producing materials that encourage exploration of form and concept, while assuring archival integrity. GOLDEN Artist Acrylics is known for quality and archival integrity as well as being the most innovative and extensive system available. The company also owns Williamsburg Artist Oil Colors, which is known for its quality and extensive palette of colors including genuine Italian and French earth colors. QoR® Artist Watercolors, a thoroughly modern watercolor is made with an exclusive Aquazol binder, providing more pigment in every brushstroke, as well as color strength, range and versatility unmatched in the history of watercolors. Furthermore, the Custom Lab at GOLDEN serves artists and organizations by formulating materials to fit their needs and purposes. Not only committed to its customers and local community, GOLDEN is dedicated to its employee owners as well. In 2008, the company became a 100% Tobacco Free Campus and in October 2021, GOLDEN became 100% Employee Owned. For information about Golden Artist Colors and its comprehensive product offering, call 1-800-959-6543 or visit goldenpaints.com, williamsburgoils.com or qorcolors.com.
About Colorfin LLC
Colorfin LLC based in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, is a manufacturer and R&D company devoted to the creation and production of innovative materials for fine art and craft, expanding the choice of contemporary materials and tools available to artists.
Colorfin founders Bernadette Ward & Ladd Forsline developed PanPastel Colors & Sofft Tools during 5 years of research & development. They set up their factory in rural Pennsylvania, and with the help of a team of 11 employees; they have been shipping these innovative products across the US and internationally since 2007.
All Colorfin products begin life in the art studio; they are then developed in the Colorfin laboratory and return to the studio for extensive testing to ensure that they offer high quality and practical materials for today’s artist. The aim of Colorfin is not to replace existing materials, but to enhance the process of making art by offering new materials and stimulating artistic expression.
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Golden Artist Colors Acquires Two Revolutionary Professional Art Materials Brands — PanPastel® and Sofft® Tools
Golden Artist Colors, Inc. is delighted to announce the acquisition of two groundbreaking products, PanPastel® and Sofft® Tools. Co-Creators Ladd Forsline and Bernadette Ward, Colorfin LLC, have grown these products, originally introduced in 2007, into important companion products for pastel and mixed media artists alike.
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My grandfather was a painter, illustrator, and professor. I grew up sitting on his lap watching him draw. It fascinated me. I had an amazing (and patient, ha) art teacher in high school that nurtured my abilities and helped me create a portfolio that was awarded several scholarships to major art schools.
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