John P. Lasater IV: My Year of Rembrandt Tour

Royal Talens ambassadors in front of the Rembrandt House Museum

It’s hard to imagine a better art destination than Amsterdam (and its proximity to Paris), so when I was invited to attend the 2019 “Year of Rembrandt” ambassador gathering put on by Royal Talens in Amsterdam and Apeldoorn, it was a no-brainer.

On the first day, the group of twelve artists were given tours of the Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt’s home, and the canals of Amsterdam, accompanied by representatives of the art company. Each of the artists were from a different country, and language should have been a barrier, but the ties that bind artists are strong and all had a good time.

Also on that day, we were treated with the best of Dutch cooking at the Rijksmuseum and later at the Bilderberg Hotel in Apeldoorn.

The second day was a different experience as executives from Royal Talens gave us a tour of the manufacturing facility. We saw where the products were packaged, and witnessed the raw materials and the processes that ensure quality and consistency. I think the soles of our shoes might have carried ground ultramarine in them for a few days. Everyone wanted to dip their hands into that bag of blue.

The most telling experience to me that day, was when the quality team asked for real feedback on the Royal Talens product. They want to be the best, and several things like that showed it. Two or three of the team members took artists aside and queried them, and this was happening on and off all day.

Royal Talens ambassadors at the Royal Talens factory

The afternoon was capped off by a high wine, and another wonderful Dutch meal. While we partook, the CEO gave us a presentation on his experience in the wine industry, which was a nice bonus.

The entire two-day experience was orchestrated by the hostess Katja Van Strijk, a very positive, fun and intelligent representative of the Royal Talens company. She rocks!

Many new friendships were made, bonded by the love of art, and funny as it is, the need for help in getting around in a foreign country.

For the second half of my trip, I traveled to Paris and spent two days in the Louvre, one in the Orsay, and back to Amsterdam for one more day in the Rijksmuseum.

Now I’m in the studio and loaded with inspiration and knowledge for the coming months and years. Thank you Royal Talens North America for making this trip possible. I love my Rembrandt Artist Oils.