Introducing Painter in Residence Alex Russell Flint

“Hi I’m Alex Russell Flint and I call myself a contemporary realist painter in oils and I came here to west central France when I was 20 to study with an American artist who has his studio nearby and that’s how I ended up here. I live in a former school house in Argenton-Chateau, about 300 km southwest of Paris in the Deux-Sevres (Poitou-Charentes region). It’s a very beautiful village with a river, the Argenton, running through it in a valley. The big old building is perched on a hillside and commands great views and is the first home I’ve ever owned and I’ve fallen in love with interior decoration and Chalk Paint®.

One of Alex's oil paintings - his home and studio provides
 the backdrop to many of his paintings.

And Annie's paint? 

It was the paint I’d been looking for but didn’t know existed. As an artist I was only too aware that when you paint on a specific wall on a building it’s very different to how it looks from a colour chart; but with Chalk Paint® this was never an issue.

It’s just been great being able to slap the paint on stone, wood and metal and create a bespoke finish and colour to fit each room. I love the matte finish on a paint for a wall especially if the walls are quite badly damaged. It’s very forgiving, it doesn’t get highlights on every crack so the very chalky finish is great.

As soon as I met Annie I knew we were on the same page in terms of decorating and trying things out. Annie is passionate about what she does, very down to earth – and as an artist it was nice to ask her how she developed the paint and what inspired her.

What you’ll see from me

My first project is going to be an outdoor bathroom using a 19th century zinc bathtub which I shall make more luxurious adding decking with old oak floorboards and old shutters and create an area overlooking the trees of this valley.

I source all my décor from vide-greniers (boot fairs), brocantes and salons d’antiquaires. I’ve also got some very nice quality curtains but in the wrong colour so I’m going to paint and wax them. That’s just for starters.”

Here’s a sneak peek of projects to come from Alex: