All is Golden

River rocks are round in the Esopus River. Phoenicia, NY.

What a fun summer this has been. In June I moved into a new home and new studio; in July I went camping, celebrated my birthday, and spend two and a half weeks at Penland School of Crafts. The cherry on top was a ten-day visit at the end of August with my mother in upstate NY.
I've been referring to this as my "off the grid" vacation because I was without internet the whole time. Basically I sipped a lot of coffee with mom on her porch, went swimming at Gilbert Lake (love those NY state parks) and I read a bunch.
Among my literature: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life edited by Sharon Louden, and 9.5 Theses on Art and Class by Ben Davis. The latter has me thinking about the role of artist versus worker, and the political and philosophical contradictions that the contemporary art world finds itself in. It's a chewy read and the writer offers an informed and revelatory perspective.

Inside Golden Artist Colors, Inc. New Berlin, NY

Anyway! Returning to the original intention of this post -- I did some research and realized that my mother lives just forty minutes from Golden Artist Colors, Inc and the Golden Foundation for the Arts in New Berlin, NY. I've been curious about these places for two reasons:
1). I use Golden products all the time and I work with them a lot in my classes.
2). Golden offers four week residencies to painters with unlimited use and experimentation of their products.

I should have taken a picture of the residency facilities but I forgot, and so you'll just have to look at this sculpture that was on the premises and wait until next year if/when I do the residency :)

The artist residencies -- studios and living quarters -- are situated in a converted chicken barn which provides a stunning view of the amazing countryside. I'm biased because upstate NY is where I grew up, but it really is gorgeous. The "barn" houses private rooms for residents and a shared living space. It looks like a beautiful place to be for four weeks (if you can tolerate living in the middle of nowhere) and, like I wrote earlier, they encourage you to use any and all of their products.

paintpaintpaint

The Golden Artist Colors, Inc headquarters are right down the road from the foundation and let it be known -- here and now -- that I, Ursula Gullow, fully endorse Golden products and their subsidiaries, Williamsburg Oil Paints and Qor Watercolors. Why? Because they are worker owned.

Worker. Owned. How. Cool.

The other reason is that all those products are top quality, loaded with pigment, and super lux to work with. You might also be delighted to know that the Golden labels and sample charts are prepared by hand. Every time you go to an art supply store and see those samples of Golden mediums, pastes and paints-- and all those tube labels baring a single swoosh of color -- please remember that someone actually made those in New Berlin, NY.

She's making samples!

Another fun thing is that each sample sheet is signed by the person who
prepares it.

Signature is to the left of the Golden logo at the bottom of the page.

Thanks for the tour, Golden! I hope to return soon. xo