From West Texas Roots to Sustainable Design The Artistic Journey of Alkemis Paint Co-Founder Price Latimer

Price Latimer, a multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur, has cultivated a career that bridges the gap between high-concept fine art and functional sustainable design. As the co-founder of Alkemis Paint, Latimer has leveraged a lifetime of aesthetic immersion—from the rugged canyons of the Texas Panhandle to the avant-garde galleries of New York City and Los Angeles—to redefine the role of color in the built environment. Her journey reflects a broader movement within the design industry toward "wellness-focused" materials, where the environmental impact of a product is considered as critical as its visual appeal.

Early Influences and Academic Foundation

Latimer’s aesthetic sensibility was forged in Amarillo, Texas, where she grew up in close proximity to the Amarillo Museum of Art. This institution served as her primary classroom, exposing her to the works of 20th-century luminaries such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Larry Bell, and Louise Nevelson. These early encounters with modernism and minimalism provided a foundation for her understanding of form, light, and space. Latimer has frequently cited these childhood visits as the catalyst for her lifelong obsession with the permanent collection of the museum, which she viewed for hours at a time before she could even walk.

To formalize her education, Latimer attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where she earned a bachelor’s degree. RISD is widely regarded as one of the world’s premier art and design institutions, known for an intensive curriculum that emphasizes both technical mastery and conceptual rigor. Her time at RISD allowed her to refine her creative voice before entering the professional art world in New York City.

Professional Evolution: From Neo-Conceptualism to Hospitality

In New York, Latimer worked for Peter Halley, a prominent neo-conceptual artist known for his "geometric abstraction" and his role in the "Neo-Geo" movement of the 1980s. Working in Halley’s studio and contributing to his publication, Index magazine, Latimer was immersed in a culture of intellectual provocation and creative collaboration. This period was instrumental in shaping her understanding of how art can be disseminated through various media, from large-scale canvases to the printed page.

Following her tenure in New York, Latimer relocated to Los Angeles, a city that offered a different set of creative opportunities. She initially navigated the local gallery circuit before pivoting toward the hospitality and furniture industries. In an unconventional career move, she co-founded a pizza restaurant, taking on the role of Chief Creative Officer. This experience provided her with a practical understanding of branding, spatial design, and the "customer experience"—skills that would later prove invaluable in her entrepreneurial ventures.

Latimer’s transition into the furniture sector came through a consultancy role with Kartell, the iconic Italian manufacturer known for its innovative use of plastics and collaborations with designers like Philippe Starck and Patricia Urquiola. At Kartell, Latimer worked directly with architects and interior designers to specify furniture for diverse projects, ranging from corporate offices to high-end hospitality developments. This role deepened her knowledge of the global design supply chain and the technical requirements of large-scale interior projects.

The Founding of Alkemis Paint: A Mission for Sustainability

In 2021, Latimer returned to her roots in color and art by co-founding Alkemis Paint alongside Maya Crowne. The company was born out of a desire to address the environmental and health shortcomings of the traditional paint industry. Conventional interior paints are often a significant source of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which can contribute to indoor air pollution and long-term health issues. Furthermore, the reliance on petrochemical-based binders poses a threat to aquatic ecosystems when these products enter waterways.

Alkemis Paint distinguishes itself through a proprietary formulation that utilizes clear quartz and natural pigments. By replacing synthetic chemicals with mineral-based ingredients, the company offers a product that is both "breathable" and ecologically responsible. This approach aligns with a growing segment of the architecture and design industry that prioritizes "healthy materials" and "circular economy" principles. According to industry reports, the global green building materials market is projected to reach over $500 billion by 2030, driven by both consumer demand and stricter environmental regulations.

Aesthetic Milestones: The "Friday Five" Influences

Latimer’s creative philosophy is informed by a diverse array of cultural and natural touchstones. Her "Friday Five" selections highlight the intersection of performance art, land art, and environmentalism.

1. The Legacy of Leigh Bowery

Latimer identifies the late Leigh Bowery as a primary influence. Bowery, a central figure in the 1980s London club scene, was a performance artist and designer who used his own body as a canvas. His work challenged conventional notions of beauty, gender, and sexuality. For Latimer, Bowery’s ability to blur the lines between life and art is a constant source of inspiration. The recent retrospective at the Tate Modern showcased Bowery’s "Looks" and his collaborations with Lucian Freud, reinforcing his status as a cultural provocateur whose influence persists in contemporary fashion and performance.

2. The Geology of Palo Duro Canyon

The second-largest canyon in the United States, Palo Duro Canyon, serves as a geographic and coloristic reference for Latimer. Located in the Texas Panhandle, the canyon features dramatic striations of oxidized red, maroon, and lavender. These natural pigments have directly influenced the Alkemis Paint palette, specifically "color number 53," named Hoodoo. The canyon’s history, stretching back 15,000 years, and its connection to artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, link Latimer’s work to a long lineage of Southwestern landscape interpretation.

3. Land Art and The Lightning Field

Walter de Maria’s The Lightning Field (1977) represents Latimer’s interest in the relationship between art and the environment. Located in a remote area of high desert in New Mexico, the work consists of 400 stainless steel poles arranged in a grid. Latimer describes the experience of visiting the site as meditative, emphasizing the vastness of the landscape and the way the artwork interacts with natural light and atmospheric conditions. This appreciation for site-specific, large-scale intervention informs her approach to spatial design.

4. Scuba Diving and Marine Conservation

A diver since her early teens, Latimer views the underwater world as a "magical alternate reality." This passion for the ocean is inextricably linked to Alkemis Paint’s mission. By advocating for the removal of petrochemicals from the paint manufacturing process, Latimer aims to protect the fragile coral reefs and marine ecosystems she explores. This connection between personal passion and corporate responsibility is a hallmark of her entrepreneurial model.

5. Yoko Ono’s Conceptualism

Latimer cites Yoko Ono’s Cleaning Piece III from the book Acorn as a guiding mantra for a compassionate life. Ono’s work, which often focuses on small, mindful actions and thought experiments, mirrors Latimer’s belief that design should serve a greater purpose than mere decoration. The emphasis on empathy and kindness serves as an ethical framework for her business practices.

Alkemis in Practice: Notable Collaborations

Since its inception, Alkemis Paint has been integrated into several high-profile design projects and exhibitions, demonstrating the versatility of its mineral-based finishes.

• RISD Museum: Returning to her alma mater, Latimer collaborated on the paint palette for the Liz Collins: Motherlode exhibition. The use of Alkemis Paint in an institutional setting highlights the product’s suitability for high-traffic gallery spaces where air quality and color accuracy are paramount.
• Design Miami: Alkemis has served as a partner for Design Miami for three consecutive years. This collaboration involves developing custom palettes that harmonize with the fair’s curatorial themes, situating the brand at the center of the global collectible design market.
• Objects USA 2024: Working with R & Company, Alkemis provided the backdrop for an exhibition of nearly 100 works by American designers. The project featured a complex gradient mural executed by artist Nick Kuszyk, proving that mineral paints can achieve the same level of visual dynamism as traditional synthetics.
• Artistic Collaborations: The brand has been used as a backdrop for the work of ceramicist and activist Roberto Lugo. Lugo’s work, which addresses social justice through the lens of classical pottery, finds a sympathetic partner in Alkemis, a company founded on principles of environmental justice.

Broader Impact and Future Implications

The work of Price Latimer and Alkemis Paint reflects a significant shift in the interior design landscape. As consumers become increasingly aware of the health implications of their living environments, the demand for "non-toxic" and "natural" products has moved from a niche market to the mainstream. Latimer’s background in fine art allows her to navigate this transition with an eye for color and texture that is often missing from purely "eco-friendly" brands.

Furthermore, Latimer’s career trajectory serves as a case study for the modern "slashie"—the artist/entrepreneur/activist. By integrating her personal interests in marine biology, land art, and performance into a commercial enterprise, she has created a brand that resonates on a cultural level. As the design industry continues to grapple with its environmental footprint, figures like Latimer provide a blueprint for how creativity and sustainability can coexist without compromise.

The future of Alkemis Paint likely involves further expansion into the architectural sector, where large-scale specifications can lead to significant reductions in VOC emissions. For Latimer, the goal remains clear: to provide a medium for expression that respects both the artist’s vision and the planet’s health. Through her work, she continues to prove that the "offbeat, weird hidden gems" of the world are often the most profound sources of innovation.