GOLDEN Celebrates Completed Sculpture by Artist Terry Slade

Golden Artist Colors, Inc. held an artist opening on Fri., Sept. 9 to celebrate the completion of "Area for Reflection" - a sculpture created by Artist Terry L. H. Slade for the GOLDEN property. The sculpture, which is located on the hill near the pond, signifies, in part, the future of Golden Artist Colors, Inc. It speaks to the company's desire to not only create a place where artists want to visit, but more significantly, a place where artists want to come to create artwork in collaboration with GOLDEN employees.

"We were thrilled with the opportunity to work in collaboration with Terry on this piece," said GOLDEN CEO, Mark Golden. "We are committed to producing materials that allow the most current ideas to be recorded successfully, in a spirit of collaboration with the artists who will share our legacy in times to come. The conversations with Terry about this piece during 2004 were just a continuation of what we've been doing for the last 25 years." The work was donated to the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts, Inc. by the Golden family to support the Foundation in honor of their parents' legacy and commitment to the arts.

"I was honored when I was approached by Mark and Barbara to create this sculpture for the property," said Artist Terry Slade. "The support that GOLDEN gives to the artist community is tremendous. It began with Sam's vision 25 years ago and continues with Mark and the rest of the staff now."

The artwork was also about transformation and the company's growth over the years. Slade created the sculpture with the trees that surrounded Sam and Adele Golden's house, which were taken down to make way for the company's recent 40,000-square-foot expansion. The expansion, while representative of progress, marked a bittersweet occasion for many at GOLDEN, calling for removal of Sam and Adele Golden's house, which had been serving as office space. The ability to transform the trees in order to create a place of remembrance and restoration is a continuing reflection of the company's commitment to be respectful of the beauty of this area and continue the legacy of the company.

"Area for Reflection" - acrylic on wood - is one of the works in a series that Slade has been working on for four years. The last four years Slade has searched for ancient monuments in the form of stone circles, standing stones, cairns and burial chambers throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The trips have resulted in a large series of drawings and sculptures inspired by these sites.

"My intention for 'Area for Reflection' is that all who experience the space will leave with a renewed awareness of the world and their place in it," said Slade. You can learn more about the artist and his work by going to his Web site at http://users.hartwick.edu/sladet/web/home/home.htm.

The evening wine and cheese reception was held on the GOLDEN property from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., with the artist statement and dedication at 5:30 p.m. Mark Golden and President Barbara Schindler both spoke at the event, which was attended by GOLDEN employees and families as well as local individuals from the Chenango County area.