Working with pigment powders and having the time or equipment to self mix one's own paints is a luxury few painters indulge in regularly. Myself, I have only mixed my own paints a few times back while studying at Boston University under the guidance of Richard Raiselis. It was a wonderful experience: time consuming, methodic, messy, and overwhelming calming (despite the wrist cramps).

I often think about that someday in the future when I have my own permanent studio where I will take the time to mix my own paints again. The sense of control, the oil balance, and the complete ownership over your work is well worth the investment in money and time. Recently I came across an article by Allison Meier that revamped my passion for loose color powders. "A Pigment Library that Launched American Art Conservation," Nov. 2014, is a charming piece introducing you to the Harvard Art Museum's reopening and expansion project, which includes the historic Forbes Pigment Collection. If you are curious about how paints are made or if you simply want to rejoice in pure color, this will be a collection worth visiting. I intend to visit the collection as soon as I am back in Massachusetts, hopefully over the holidays.

Read the article here for some fun tidbits on color and art conservation.