Young Sam Golden, third from left, NYC 1950s

Adele & Sam Golden
Original Farm, Columbus, NY, 1970s

GOLDEN ARTIST COLORS, 1980s

GOLDEN Factory, 1985

GOLDEN Factory, 1998

Paint Milling, 2000

Tube Production, 2000

Color Chart Production, 2001

1930
At the height of the depression in the 1930s, Sam Golden joined his uncle Leonard Bocour as a partner in Bocour Artist Colors. Leonard and Sam produced hand-ground oil colors for artists. The shop, on 15th Street in Manhattan, became a hangout for artists from the 1930s through the early 1950s. Artists such as Barnett Newman, Helen Frankenthaler, Jack Levine, Morris Louis, Mike Lenson and Mark Rothko would visit the shop to talk to Sam or to get paint. During one of his visits, Mike Lenson questioned if pigment could be mixed into some honey-like resin. Sam knew this new idea would take rethinking because in those days the resin would not support the high pigment loads oils generally carried. The first versions of the paint seemed to dry before the paint was applied. After a great deal of trial and error, from 1946 to 1949, an acrylic was ready for commercial production. Soon thereafter Sam developed the Water Tension Breaker for Helen Frankenthaler who complained she had severe problems because colors puddled up on the surface without saturating or staining the canvas as oils would. Sam worked with the chemistry until he found what worked and what did not. For the next 20 years Sam continued to refine acrylics.
1972
After 30 years experience in the business, Sam retired from paint making and moved to picturesque New Berlin, New York. Sam planned to fish and golf, but soon grew bored with retirement. He found himself saying to his wife Adele that he was ". . . going to the barn to make paint for my friends." The company began in 1980 when Sam, at the age of 67, decided to come out of retirement and begin making acrylic paint once again. With the assistance of Adele, Barbara and Chuck Kelly, Sam and Mark founded Golden Artist Colors, Inc. This new company was created to embody Sam's lifelong dedication to serve the professional artist. Sam described his work as simply "making tools" for artists.

Since the beginning, GOLDEN has concentrated within the niche for the professional artist, although student and craft markets have been steadily growing. Typically, the professional customer is looking for strength of color (or high pigment load) and consistency of product. This consistency from batch to batch allows the customer to make some good inferences about the working properties of the same color or range of products. The products are clearly defined by these two characteristics. GOLDEN actively searches out ways to maintain the highest pigment load among all major manufacturers today. GOLDEN also develops formulas and procedures to increase color strength with the same level of pigment. This is the greatest route to product improvement.

The first four years for the company were less than a success financially. During this time Sam and Adele used every resource they had to keep the business alive. Mark took weekly trips to New York City to sell the product to artists because retailers were unwilling to carry the product without the demand for it. However, the business did succeed with the very loyal support the product was gaining from professional artists.
1980
The first major addition grew from the original cow barn "factory" in 1985. The addition gave the company a combined size of 6,200 square feet. As the building grew, so did the product lines. The original Heavy Body and Iridescent Acrylics were accompanied by Fluid Acrylics, Matte Acrylics and Interference Acrylics.

The company and the product gained respect in the artist community. Demand for the product became great and retail stores began to stock the product. Because of this demand the company was running out of space and needed another addition; this was completed in 1990. The 13,000 square foot expansion added much needed office space, a gallery, and in 1998, the lower level was renovated to create a state of the art Quality Control facility. In July 1990, GOLDEN celebrated its tenth anniversary. The date also marked Sam Golden's 50th anniversary of paint making. The company invited its customers, retailers, friends and family to help celebrate the Golden name in acrylic paint manufacturing.
1990
The company has received many local and national awards. The company was chosen for the 1991 Business Arts Award by the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce and the Council of the Arts. Mark Golden received the 1996 Small Business Person of the Year from the New York State Small Business Administration. The company was featured on NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation) Nightly News as a successful small business. The former was a result of the 1996 Small Business Person of the Year Award. In 1998 Mark Golden was selected by Fortune Magazine to appear in a video series on small business.

GOLDEN has continued to grow. The company added 31,000 square feet to their facility in 1997. The plans included taking down the "old barn". Despite the largest growth in size, sales and employees during 1997, GOLDEN suffered a great loss with the unexpected death of Sam Golden, age 82, on March 11, 1997. Sam left behind the legacy of being a part of the creative process between artists and their materials.
Today
GOLDEN continues the legacy that began with Sam by producing professional grade acrylic paint and materials. The company also continues a commitment to provide employee and community support in a variety of ways. The company provides a leadership style that encourages individual and group improvement as well as community involvement. In the past, GOLDEN has sponsored Paint Day, designed to let the people who work with the paint use the product, and Kids Day, designed to let kids come and see where their parents work during the day and use the products. In 1996, the company invited all employees to the National Art Material Trade Association (NAMTA) show in Toronto. Employees, along with local and artist communities, are also offered a "Seconds Program". The Seconds Program offers paint that does not meet GOLDEN standards and offers it at little or no cost to artists or nonprofit organizations.

GOLDEN also offers many benefits to the community. Waste disposal receives careful attention. The company recycles and meets disposal requirements of Chenango County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A proactive approach is taken to abide by and surpass standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To meet the requirements of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, enforced by the CPSC, all products are evaluated by the toxicological services of Duke University. This system allows the company to select the safest raw materials and formulations for the consumer. In the rare occurrence that a product cannot be made nonhazardous, it is thoroughly labeled with warnings and precautions.

Employees contribute to the community in a variety of ways. GOLDEN employees aid in demonstrations and volunteer as helpers for Colorscape Chenango, a local arts celebration held in September. Others are actively involved in local community planning boards, the Chamber of Commerce, the restoration task force of the local Earlville Opera House or serve in volunteer fire departments.

GOLDEN constantly strives to outdo itself. The product and the people are always evolving. GOLDEN has grown on three premises: 1) Make the best products, 2) Provide the customer with the best service, and 3) Find those people who can make the first two happen.

Advertising Left to right: "Golden Man", 1993, "Golden Moon", 1999, "Paint@56k", 2001, "Loaded", 2003

© Golden Artist Colors, Inc.