Mark Golden on Paint

We have been visiting back and forth between Buffalo State Department of Conservation and Golden Artists Colors for many years now. Each time James Hamm and students come to visit it is a wonderful occasion to share what we are both doing. This last week James was joined by his colleagues Judy Walsh and Greg Smith and almost the entire first year class. What was so remarkable was that this was literally their last day of classes and that they used that day to visit us. It is a beautiful ride in the country… but the stretch from Buffalo to Syracuse is just brutal. We thank them all for making the trek and look forward to meeting and sharing more of our work this fall.

Although the world of manufacture and art conservation is at the opposite sides of the artist divide, I think we enjoy so many similarities. We are both delighted to be able to work so closely and intimately with some of the most creative visual talent in the world. For many conservators this talent can only speak by way of their canvas. For us, we are able to speak to artists, but less often get a chance to interact with the actual work. I think we both get a vicarious thrill to be so close to creative talent.

Both conservator and manufacturer are in the business of supporting the artist with technical advice. For us the advice is often about best practices… For many in the conservation world the advice had in the past been full of admonitions of what not to do. I think recently… at least within the 10 years, conservators are more willing to allow for the creative freedom of artists while sharing also best practices.

I think we have moved the other direction. As we’ve developed new and more esoteric materials, we realize how important it is to share where these materials work and where they will fail.

So often artists will contact us or conservators wanting to know the exact answer. For all of us within both communities the answer is often… “It depends�… not very satisfying to the artist… but very real and typically very accurate.

Finally both manufacturers and the conservation community have so much to learn from one another. With greater transparency we can truly find even greater common ground
We are so grateful for this relationship with Buffalo State. I look forward to our visit later this year… hopefully before it starts snowing in Buffalo.