Remembering the Pigment Shop That Taught Me How to See

Upon stepping into Kremer Pigments, nestled at 29th Street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, customers were immediately enveloped by a vibrant array of colors. Here lay bags and containers filled with enchanting hues: lapis lazuli, vermillion, rich malachite, an expansive selection of ochres, and natural iron oxides. The aromas of traditional oils derived from walnuts and sunflowers floated through the air, punctuated by a delightful honey-like scent coming from a corner stacked with bags of beeswax.

In its September 7 newsletter, Kremer announced the heartbreaking decision to close its New York City shop after more than three decades of supplying artists with unique raw materials. The family-operated German company cited soaring rents, new tariffs imposed by the U.S. government, and lengthy customs delays as hindrances to its operations. While Kremer will continue to supply its primary location in Aichstetten, Germany, and its retail store in Munich, the local closure marks a significant loss for Manhattan’s vibrant artist community. Shoppers can still purchase Kremer products online, yet the absence of a physical store means there will no longer be a spot in the U.S. to pick up beloved colors like Côté d’Azur or Meteorite Brown directly off the shelf, sparking inspiration in a way few online purchases can.

To many painters, Kremer’s Chelsea pigment shop represented a dreamland of creativity, but its importance extended beyond painting. Violin and furniture makers, textile artists, and interior designers valued Kremer as a unique supplier of traditional raw materials. Art conservators, including those working for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sourced historical pigments here. My brief employment at Kremer in 2015 had me frequently discussing colors with customers over the phone, trying to convey nuances—explaining that a particular yellow was more of a “duckling” than a “school bus” shade. Roger Carmona, the New York store manager, or another knowledgeable team member often assisted, offering insights on the effects of layering, drying times, and even how climate could affect ingredients like rabbit skin glue. The art of making paint is intricate, demanding both tactile memory and a foundational comprehension of chemistry.

Roger Carmona, who has managed Kremer NY since shortly after he obtained his BFA from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan in 2007, represents the store’s deep connection to the art community. Over the years, he has earned his MFA from Bard College and has become recognized as one of the preeminent paint experts in New York City. Studying under the late Jack Whitten at SVA, Carmona was instrumental in keeping artists informed about the latest pigment inventory and potential material applications.

During my recent visit, I asked Carmona about the customer reactions to the store’s impending closure. He compared it to a funeral receiving line, where patrons expressed their heartfelt condolences as they checked out. The store has seen a surge of online orders since the closure announcement, overwhelming their remaining stock as shelves began to clear. Dr. Georg Kremer, the company founder, was in New York with his wife, Brigitte, assisting with the winding down of the operation. Dr. Kremer approaches his work from a chemist’s perspective, understanding the intrinsic properties of materials to revive lost historical pigment recipes. His journey began in the 1970s when he created a smalt blue pigment for a friend restoring church ceilings in England, ultimately expanding the collection to over 1,500 pigments from sources as diverse as yellow ochre in the Carpathians to lapis lazuli from Asia and South America.

The Kremer NY store first opened its doors in 1989 on the Lower East Side, inspired by Dr. Kremer’s friendship with the artist Harvey Quaytman. Esteemed artists such as Whitten, Helen Frankenthaler, and Brice Marden quickly became loyal patrons. This artistic legacy continued when R.H. Quaytman, Harvey’s daughter, began infusing her work with unique materials like diamond dust and wild indigo. More recently, artist Trevor Paglen collaborated with Kremer to create a pigment from crushed iPhones, showcasing a trend among younger artists who are exploring natural pigments and environmentally sustainable practices.

As news of Kremer’s impending closure spread, loyal customers began expressing their sorrow. A week following the announcement, I traveled from the Hudson Valley to meet my friend Kaitlin Pomerantz, who journeyed from Philadelphia. We gathered at Kremer to reminisce about its significance in our journeys as budding artists—and now, as educators striving to ignite that same passion for paint-making in our students.

In an age where technology increasingly dominates art and education, my students often yearn for a tactile connection to their materials—seeking ways to bridge art with the natural world. This desire often manifests in their projects, where they bring in everyday substances—the likes of rust, turmeric, ashes, and dirt—to create paint. Recently, one student at Vassar College synthesized indigo in chemistry class, which she then transformed into paint for our art session—a poignant reminder of Dr. Kremer’s scientific beginnings and his commitment to enriching the art world.

Reflecting on my own artistic path, I recall grappling with the theme of early American industrialization as I painted. I found clarity when I ventured into the pigment-making process, ordering slate, granite, and indigo pigments from Kremer and even collecting bricks from a nearby repurposed mill to create my own color. It was this journey that refined my painting—and it was Kremer’s teachings that offered insights not just into color manipulation but into the essential connection between physical materials and individual artistic expression. According to Carmona, the art of paint-making resembles culinary skills; throughout my experiences, the long-time staff at Kremer operated like Michelin-starred chefs, masterfully balancing art and science.