A tiny post about handmade pastels.

Finally… something worth stopping for.

That single post led me to Still Got It, one of the most beautifully curated Instagram accounts I’ve come across in a long time. It’s a celebration of craftsmanship, heritage, forgotten workshops and the people who continue making extraordinary things by hand. The kind of places you would never find unless someone lovingly pointed you in their direction.

One of their posts introduced me to La Maison du Pastel in Paris, the world’s oldest pastel maker, where every pastel stick is still made by hand using centuries-old techniques. As someone who grew up drawing with pastels, I was completely captivated.

There’s something magical about working with pastels. Unlike paint or pencils, the colour sits on the surface like pure pigment, soft and velvety. You work on specially textured paper so the powder has something to cling to, and the colours blend almost effortlessly with your fingers. It’s a medium that has enchanted artists for centuries. Edgar Degas famously used pastels for many of his ballerinas, creating works that still seem to glow today.

Somewhere in my house is a beautiful wooden box of pastels that belonged to my grandfather. I haven’t seen it in years, but discovering La Maison du Pastel made me want to find it again and start drawing. Isn’t it funny how inspiration works? Sometimes all it takes is one unexpected image to reconnect you with a part of yourself you’d almost forgotten.

The next time I’m in Paris, La Maison du Pastel will be one of my very first stops.

So thank you, Still Got It, for reminding me that social media can still introduce us to remarkable people, remarkable places and remarkable craftsmanship. Every now and then, hidden amongst all the noise, you stumble across something so beautiful that it makes every swipe worthwhile.