The Colourist Issue 3: Fill your life with fabulous colour

Welcome, to the launch of The Colourist Vol. III! Fill your life with fabulous colour, starting here. This time, I've focussed on blues and greens.

How time flies. It feels like only yesterday that I was announcing the launch of Issue 2, and barely any longer than that when I was introducing you all to the very first edition. But here we are, and what difference a day (year) makes! We've listened, re-calibrated and rejuvenated The Colourist yet again, taking our best bits and building on them. Get set for a Bookazine like no other.

Packed to the gunnels, my third bookazine is based around the colour blue and, in particular, my divine new Chalk Paint® colour, Oxford Navy! That’s the hero of this issue, with sterling support from sidekicks Provence and Florence.

We’ve gathered together diverse pieces from all over, such as the vibrant Truck Art of Pakistan, fabrics from the legend that is Lucienne Day, idiosyncratic Indian glass paintings, Adam Calkin’s fantastical painted house, a piece on the healing power of painting, all that’s magical about Brooklyn, New York, two brand new Chalk Paint® colours never before announced, as well as furniture painters from all over the world. Just one thing unites them… colour. Colour in all its combination from lively and bold, to quiet and gentle.

As well as this and more, we've supplied six more step-by-steps for amazing projects you can recreate at home; from using your two free stencils (!!) to create your own Art Deco looks, to the secrets of frottage and distressing, via fantastical tassel creations and gemstone imitation – all of which can be done using furniture and Chalk Paint® you already have! I have always been especially thrilled by how well the How-Tos at the end of The Colourist have done. I get a real kick from seeing how you take my Inspiration and incorporate it into your own homes, with your own twists and tricks. I can only urge you all to give this issues a try!

You may already know that I’m a bit of a culture vulture. I love looking at pictures and patterns wherever I go, but art galleries and museums are always a brilliant place to start. I’m very lucky to have the wonderful Ashmolean Museum right on my doorstep in Oxford. Established over 300 years ago, its collection was described as a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ at the time, which is a delightful phrase that describes an enclitic collection of rare and interesting finds. I think I also subscribe to this type of collecting – I’m always in the lookout for amusing, thought-provoking pieces for my own home!

It could be said The Colourist is a kind of a modern-day ‘cabinet of curiosities’ in magazine form: you’ll find things to amaze, inspire fascinate, surprise – and maybe even make you want to cry a little – in this issue! And if that hasn't convinced you to pick up a copy, you can see a sneak peek inside here.

Thanks for reading, staying in touch and supporting me through my ventures. I hope to do the same for you. Tag me @AnnieSloanHome on social media with the hashtag #ColouristMag so I can see what you get up to.

Yours,


Annie.

The Colourist issue 2: Embrace the joy of colourful living.

Embrace the joy of colourful living! I'm SO thrilled to share with you the second edition of my bookazine, The Colourist. I am wildly excited - even more so than I was ahead of the release of the first issue - and here's why: Issue 1 was an incredible, free-falling rollercoaster of emotions. I put my heart and soul out into the world, without knowledge of how it would be received. But the fact that I am here, before you all today, announcing the launch of Issue 2 means that all of the hard work, sweat and Chalk Paint® tears was worth it. We made it through folks, and what a success it was! Your kind words about The Colourist, your enthusiasm for the features, and the incredible photographs of your step-by-steps from the back pages are a source of great happiness and pride to me. I just hope you’re ready now to do it all over again! As they say, practice makes perfect and we listened to what you think worked best about Issue 1, what you most loved, and channelled that into Issue 2.

One thing I love about The Colourist is the way we’ve composed each issue around a colour palette which threads itself throughout the Bookazine. This edition, the emphasis is on yellow - mellow, creamy, and earthy on one hand, zesty and singing on the other; an elusive colour that quickly turns into lime, orange or brown. I love to pair it with deep burgundy red and greys, botanical greens and purples, which you’ll see examples of inside.

There's lots more colour inspiration for you too - from classical French and Hampton whites, to Baccanalian boho brights from Finland and abundant florals from the perennially popular Rachel Ashwell. There are Chalk Paint® pieces inspired by 20th century art created by Nana Radalescu (one of my Romanian Stockist) along with exclusive photography illustrating the magnificent results of another Stockist’s loving restoration of an old mill nestled deep in the English countryside. I'm also delighted to feature in this issue stunning painted pieces from everybody’s favourite Kiwi, New Zealand based furniture artist Jeanie Simpson. I hope too that you'll enjoy the home tour of my bolt hole in rural France.

This issue I’ve featured not one but two icons of Design: the inimitable, unstoppable fashion designer, Zandra Rhodes, and Anni Albers, the gloriously iconoclastic Bauhaus textile artist who's just been the subject of a retrospective at Tate Modern in London.

I love to travel, and this issue you can join me in São Paulo, Brazil to see the incredible and inspiring street art I discovered when I was there for Christmas with my family, visiting my eldest son Henry. We also go on a city tour of Berlin - I first went there in 1970 as part of the alternative art scene, which thrives to this day.

I could not have imagined, not in my wildest dreams, the success of the step-by-step section at the back of The Colourist. I have delighted in seeing all your interpretations. There’s been masterpieces in Lucy Tiffney’s signature botanical style, geometric boldness á la my son, Felix, ombré blends as taught by Ildiko Horvath, and kitchen transformations inspired by Avery Michaels’ work. This issue, expect more step-by-steps, more reasons to pick up a Chalk Paint® Brush, and more delectable design ideas coming your way! Because that's what The Colourist is about. Sharing my passion for style and colour, and infecting everybody with the confidence to be creative.

It has been a great joy to put this issue together; and I hope you enjoy reading it as much I've enjoyed creating it. Be sure to tag me using #ColouristMag and of course #AnnieSloan and #ChalkPaint when you’ve got your copy and especially if you try out one of the step-by-steps!

Yours,

Annie.

PS There’s also TWO exclusive free stencils designed by yours truly. There’s just so much content I can’t keep track of it all! Click here for a set-by-step on how to use them.

My lastest Painter in Residence, Girl in Blue Designs!

Charlie Anne Massey, better known as Girl in Blue Designs from Georgia, USA, has been on my radar for a few years now, and I’m delighted to cement the relationship by announcing her as my latest Painter in Residence!

No doubt you will have seen some of her pieces shared on my Instagram and Facebook – including once when she won one of my “Win-a-Tin” painting competitions. Charlie’s signature style is expressive, painterly and life-affirming; there’s an exciting, colourful wildness to her work which I find completely exhilarating. I’ve included some of her previous pieces below so that you can see for yourselves! I’ve also spoken to Charlie about her journey from Chalk Paint® novice to confident, capable, Chalk Paint® connoisseur!

“Since I could hold a pencil, I've always needed to create. For years that meant drawing, painting on canvas, and of course dabbling in various other mediums. Never once did it occur to me to try and make a living off of my art. I may have sold a drawing in a random social encounter here and there, but really it was always just something that I did for myself. Some people need to exercise the right side of their brains on a regular basis, and I'm one of those people. It wasn’t until I was 29 and very pregnant that I was introduced to Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan. Once introduced, I just couldn't put that brush down. I painted small, easy to handle pieces that otherwise would end up in the dump. The amazing thing was, that they sold, and rather quickly! I was hooked! Once my daughter was born, I obviously had no time for the brush. Once she was 1-ish though, I began to find little pockets of time to work/play. It escalated from there…"

"…I can’t say that I was an immediate natural as far as painting furniture. Not by a long shot. I had a lot to learn, including the different styles of furniture, which styles of paint-work look good on said type of furniture etc. But when it clicked, it clicked. I started listening to what each piece had to say, noting which styles gained popularity with the few followers I had, and most importantly I learned to bend the rules and have fun…"

"…Within a couple of years, painting furniture with Chalk Paint® was no longer a hobby that provided me with a little supplemental income. It was my yoga, my passion, my art form, and my business! Once I figured out what I was good at and what my audience wanted to see from me, a hobby became the most stress relieving job I've ever had."

Keep your eyes on my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Inspiration Page to see all the pieces this Girl in Blue produces for her residency. I hope you are as excited as I am!

Yours,

Annie.

Lem Lem - supporting Oxfam & helping beat poverty!

It’s early Spring as I write this; here in Oxfordshire the gardens are beginning to bloom and the evenings are drawing out with beautiful sunsets. This luxuriance of verdancy puts me in mind of one very special colour: Lem Lem. So good I named it twice!

For those of you who don’t know, Lem Lem is the colour I created in collaboration with Oxfam. Along with some of my team I travelled to Ethiopia last year to see the results of Oxfam’s Seed Project. This initiative empowers women farmers to grow their own crops and sustain themselves and their families. The women I met grow alliums; and the soft green of Lem Lem is inspired by the rolling fields of healthy crops I saw. We call Lem Lem “the colour of hope”

I asked one of the women farmers, "what does green mean to you?" and she immediately said, "growth" and I thought that was fantastic. The women grow the alliums for their seeds which they then sell. One woman with four children under nine had made enough money to buy a house, a cow, an ox, schooling for her children, and a TV (its arrival promoted a party in the village). Even more unprecedented for a woman in this part of Ethiopia, she has been able to set up a bank account of her own. Growth, by anybody's definition.

The development of a new colour is always a huge undertaking and of course there was even more impetus to create something incredible for such an important cause. Click here to watch a video about my trip to Ethiopia and the subsequent development process.

Every time you buy a tin of Lem Lem you are supporting the Seed Project and other worthy causes which help impoverished women and communities around the world.

But what can you paint with Lem Lem? Lem Lem is great for creating a retro 50's look, a contemporary cool vibe, AND works well as part of a vintage floral style. Freshen up your bedroom, bathroom, garden, living room or kitchen with this calm and cool shade. Take a look at the inspiration on my Oxfam page, from Painters in Residence and friends of Chalk Paint®, for a wide range of inspiring ideas. With such beautiful projects, not to mention an inspiring back story about our sisters in underdeveloped communities around the world, there’s no better time to snap up this limited edition colour.

Click here to see one last Lem Lem project - it's a short video of me vs a very orange, very varnished pine bedside table of the type I'm sure you'll all recognise.

Remember: every pot of Lem Lem bought by YOU will raise vital funds for Oxfam, helping people beat poverty worldwide. Click here to purchase a tin of Lem Lem now, or visit your local stockist to buy, and make a difference.

That’s all from me for now – I’ve got some gardening to do and I’m feeling rather inclined to pick up a paintbrush and Lem Lem something myself, having had such a pleasant reminiscence about the incredible women I met in Ethiopia!

Yours,

Annie.

The Annie Sloan Gift Guide for Christmas

Presenting: Annie’s Amazing Gift Guide!

This time of year the Sunday supplements and glossy magazines are awash with Gift Guides. I don’t know about you but I’ve noticed that the suggested presents tend to be stupidly expensive and not particularly thoughtful. A lot of present ideas for women seem to involve diamond encrusted jewellery...I think I speak for everyone when I say that the reason I don't buy diamonds for the women in my life at Christmas is not because I’ve forgotten diamonds exist and I need a gift guide to remind me! *Christmas eye roll*.

I’ve pulled together a selection of my most giftable Chalk Paint® treats; all of which cost less than £30, and all of which will make for thoughtful presents for your loved ones. All diamonds, in their own right!

My Project Packs are the perfect gift because you tailor the contents to the recipient. You choose which two 120ml Chalk Paint® colours to include – enclosed in a beautifully designed box alongside two 120ml tins of Chalk Paint® Wax (again, in the colours of your choice) and one of my small Chalk Paint® Brushes.

Chalk Paint® Brushes are perfect for producing a textured, vintage finish. They’re high quality - strong, yet pliable, with natural split ends which pick up more paint and allow you to paint expressively. When you gift someone a Project Pack all they need to do is roll up their sleeves and start painting! It’s a new hobby, a new piece of furniture, and a new way for them to feel creatively fulfilled! All for under £30 –  which is £4.80 less than it would cost to buy all the contents separately.

Detail Brushes. These are one of my top sellers and they’re a perfect gift for the confirmed Chalk Paint® connoisseur. If you’ve already painted everything in your house – well, why not paint it some more! The Detail Brushes are the perfect shape and size to take the fuss (and the years of art school!) out of perfecting your work. Adding design details is a fun, fashionable, frankly addictive way to refresh your existing painted furniture – graphic shapes will modernise, botanical references add major cool-points, or simply use the point of the brush to apply thin lines to emphasise furniture shape and details such as drawers, cornices or edges of flat surfaces. You’ll be surprised how much impact can be added with small touches of bright complementary colours, and once you start it’s impossible to stop. Many of my brushes cost less than £20 and all make great gifts.

Look. Three reasons to gift The Colourist this Christmas:

1) It’s £9.95.
2) It’s stunningly beautiful.
3) It’s got travel features, it’s got inspiring room makeovers, it’s got step by steps, it’s got history of art, and it’s going to be a joy to leaf through once the dust has settled on Boxing Day.

OK, so that was more than three. But it's hard to only give you three! Ban magazines which tell you to lose weight or buy make up, and buy a Bookazine that gives confidence, inspiration and creativity! I’ll be dishing these out to anybody who’s made me smile, or made my life a little bit easier this year and give them a reason to smile too.

Metallic Touches

Gilding Wax is my real secret weapon. Like the Detail Brushes this is a Chalk Paint® sidekick which requires virtually no technical ability to use. Also like the Detail Brushes you’ll get immediate impact, so if you’re looking to revitalise a room in ten minutes or less: look no further! Gilding Wax is available in five stunning metallic shades at only £6.95 each. Choose from Warm Gold, Bright Gold, Bright Silver, Dark Silver and Copper – or collect them all! Apply to foliage, pine cones and other natural found objects to create beautiful Christmas decorations.


Sanding Pads

Another superb stocking filler! “But Chalk Paint® can be applied to virtually every service with no sanding, and no priming, Annie” I hear you cry! And you’re right. These Sanding Pads have been designed not for the initial stages of your creative endeavours, but for further down the line. Use my Sanding Pads in three grades of abrasiveness to create stunning rustic looks. Paint your furniture and sand back to create an authentic French feel. Start with the coarsest pad all over, then use the finest Sanding Pad in focused sections for best results.



So concludes my Christmas Gift Guide. No diamonds here – but hopefully some helpful gems! All the prices listed are UK RRP, so I'm sorry if that's not the currency you use, but I hope this still helps with your shopping. For more festive furniture and creative inspiration, join me on Instagram and Facebook!

Yours,

Annie.

My latest Painter in Residence: Jemma & Fanny of shed eleven!

It’s a fond farewell to Jeanie Simpson, who created some truly fantastic pieces during her time as Painter in Residence, and a big warm hello to two more Australasians! You really do love colour down under!

Jemma (left) and Fanny (right) of shed eleven are sisters-in-law who live in the leafy North Shore area of Sydney, Australia. Fanny was born in Ivory Coast, Africa, and Jemma in Papua New Guinea. They both describe nomadic childhoods which developed into a shared love of travel in adulthood. They credit their identities as “citizens of the world” as having bestowed a rich and multicultural tapestry of inspiration from which to draw in their creative endeavours. 

shed eleven was established when Fanny moved from Singapore to Sydney and the pair began working on their largely commission-based business together. Their base became the shed in Jemma’s garden, at house Number 11 – and shed eleven was born! Like all the best furniture painters, Jemma and Fanny establish a real relationship with their clients and with the individual pieces of furniture they work on. Expect to see a smorgasbord of styles from this dynamic duo. 

Jemma and Fanny first came to my attention from half a world away after I saw their work on Instagram. Their linen cupboard (pictured above) won one of my regular Win-a-Tin competitions; which just goes to show the value in taking these opportunities to share your work and the importance of hashtag-ing so that here in Oxford we can find you – wherever you’re based. 

From rustic to mid-century modern via France, China and the coast, peruse some of my favourite shed eleven pieces below - and get ready for more eclectic examples on my Instagram and Facebook over the coming weeks!

Yours,

Annie.