96. Passion for Pigment: Interview with Steven Patterson CEO of Derivan Matisse

Susan Nethercote Studio Insider Art Podcast

Today's episode is a real treat for all the art supply nerds out there. Steven Patterson is the CEO of Derivan, a family-owned Sydney-based company that manufactures one of my favourite brands of acrylic paints: Derivan Matisse. Many of the Aussie artists out there would likely have used a Derivan product at one time or another as they were the first company to manufacture student grade acrylics back in the 1950s when his father started the company with a couple of partners.

Steven grew up at the factory and started off working in the lab in the day and studying chemistry at night. He's a multi-passionate creative and innovative CEO that has been involved with the creation of a number of unique products, many of which have been inspired by the requests coming from artists.

He also continues to strives to make the factory and the products he makes as environmentally friendly as possible. I really hope you enjoy learning more about this unique paint company and the man behind it.

In this episode, we talked about:

• Steven’s journey to becoming a paint maker and the CEO of Derivan
• How the company has innovated to make products safer for the planet
• Innovating packaging and recycling
• What inspires Derivan's innovation
• What inspired Steven to create "Coloured Gesso"
• Suse's involvement in testing their new watercolour ground
• The testing process before products reach the art stores shelves
• Steven’s creative leanings and passions
• The inside scoop on pigments and where they are sourced.

Links:

Check out Derivan’s new Watercolour ground

Check out Derivan’s Liquid Pencil

Check out the Matisse range

Derivan Recycling program

Connect with Steven