COLUMBUS – The Sam and Adele Golden Foundation will open the doors of its SAG Residence Building in July to artists working in the paint medium.

The residency program has been a labor of love that is designed to “help professional artists discover and explore new materials and paints,” said Barbara Golden.

In the first year, the Golden Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, will offer three Exploratory Residency sessions that will last four weeks each.

More than 80 candidates submitted applications which included examples of their work and descriptions of why they wanted to participate in the program. Three artists will live at the residence hall located within a mile of the Golden Artist Colors facility.

The residence hall itself is a 19th century barn that has been completely updated to accommodate the needs of the working artists-in-residence. The building maintains the look and feel of the original structure with portions of oak beams and stone walls still visible both inside and out.

“We wanted to keep the rustic feel, the feeling of being isolated in nature,” said Golden. “There are extensive trails and outdoor areas surrounding the facility as well.”