03/01/2021
After a long career as a paintmaker, inventor and chemist, Sam Golden retired, but soon grew restless.
He began making paint “for a few friends” in a converted cow barn on property he owned with his wife Adele in Columbus, New York. At the age of 67, with the help of Adele, their son Mark and their daughter-in-law Barbara, he created Golden Artist Colors. The new company was to embody Sam’s lifelong dedication to serving the professional artist.
His paintmaking career began in 1936, working for Bocour Artist Colors, a company he eventually owned with his uncle, Leonard Bocour. Sam and Leonard produced hand-ground oil colors for artists in Manhattan. It was a very exciting time as New York gained a reputation as the world’s art center. Artists like Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler, Mark Rothko, and Morris Louis were regular visitors at the Bocour shop on 15th Street. It became a hangout of sorts for artists. At times, customers would set up their pads or easels and draw or paint in the shop.
Sam was one of the first people to see the potential of new acrylic materials for artist use. His acrylic paint was created out of a dialogue with artists who needed new materials to meet their faster and freer painting styles. The products that Sam developed as a result became the inspiration for his entire career. It was this central motif that he carried forward in the creation of Golden Artist Colors. It has resulted in an ever-expanding assortment of acrylic colors, grounds, mediums and additives that provide artists with limitless opportunities for creative expression.
We’re excited to introduce the latest addition to our offering with SoFlat Matte Acrylics. We spoke with artists seeking to create large, graphic, matte works of art who wanted a paint with excellent coverage, high opacity, and a flat appearance – no distracting glare or brushstrokes. SoFlat is formulated to make it easier to achieve this vision, allowing artists to create uniform fields of rich matte color in fewer layers than our other color lines. Visit goldenSoFlat.com for more information.
GOLDEN Acrylics are known for quality and archival integrity, and as the most innovative and extensive system available. The company also produces Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors, known for its quality and extensive palette including genuine Italian and French earth colors. QoR®, a thoroughly modern watercolor, is made with an exclusive Aquazol® binder. This patented formulation accentuates the luminosity and brilliance of pigments even after drying. QoR provides 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 specific needs and purposes.
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.
