COLART’S TECHNICAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

March 1, 2019 |

Colart

MEMBERS OF THE TEAM

Debbie Bryan, Technical Centre of Excellence advisor

Debbie has extensive knowledge and experience in various categories of artistic application. These include: decorative finishes (stencilling, rag-rolling, scumbling, marbling, trompe l’oeil, sponging, mural), crafting (model-making, jewellery making, paper craft, scraperboard, fabric painting, felting, decoupage, tie-dye, pottery, quilling, design and illustration).

Debbie is a self-taught artist with a passion for oils and water colour. This love for all things creative has developed since she was little. She has been working for Colart for 17 years and developed a deep understanding of products in both use and practical application. She has been involved with quality control, pigment testing, consumer services and her current roll as Technical Centre of Excellence Advisor.

Debbie also had 6 years drama and elocution training which developed her skills at presentation and demonstration.

Mark Cann, Technical Excellence Manager

Mark left school age 16 and went to work for Croda Inks, where he stayed for six years while studying for his A-levels at the London College of Printing.

After leaving Croda, Mark worked for a few years at Hillingdon Hospital in the Theatres. It was here that Mark honed his skills in communication and caring for others, however Mark moved back into the world of surface coatings.

Over the past 40+ years, Mark has worked in various surface coatings industries and has also gained an HNC in chemistry during this time. Almost half of his career has been spent at Colart. He started as an Innovation and Development chemist and more recently, headed up the New TCE department as Technical Excellence Manager.

In his time at Colart Mark has worked on many projects, including, initially, being responsible for the move of Liquitex acrylics from the USA to the UK, as well as working with various artists ranges and different media, Liquitex, W&N and Reeves to mention just a few. As part of his new responsibilities he now gets the chance to build relationships with Artists, Professional organisations and schools.

WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT DOES THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE OFFER?

Between the two of them, Debbie and Mark have a vast knowledge which can be applied to many areas, including demonstrations, training sessions, masterclasses. They also offer their knowledge on technical/ product information, competitor benchmarking, resource library, benchmarking, proof-reading of articles on websites and leaflet information. They are also key for evaluating products, testing them, creating swatch boards, colour wheels, and in answering customer inquiries.

WHO DO THEY WORK WITH?

With their large panel of expertise, Mark and Debbie work with a high number of people across Colart and beyond. Not only do they work closely with the brand teams, Innovation and Development and Digital, they are also instrumental in furthering Colart’s relationship with artists through TFAC, as well as the sales team, retail and consumers. They are also part of the induction process for new starters and link closely with other Colart sites as well as with professional organisations, such as universities, schools and galleries.