We’re delighted to announce Connecticut based, American furniture artist Olivia Lacy, aka Pigeon & Pip as Annie Sloan’s newest Painter in Residence. Immediately identifiable thanks to her whimsical, theatrical staging; Olivia has brought imagination and surrealism to the art of furniture painting. Follow her journey as she demonstrates how to use Chalk Paint™ to bring a sprinkling of magic to your furniture and home.

Polly Coulson is closing 2020 with some remarkable painted pieces produced at her home in Sydney, Australia. Chosen as Annie’s Painter in Residence for her contemporary quirky cool and playful use of colour, this UK born upcycling maven has tonnes of stylish ideas to inspire you to take your furniture painting to the next level.

UK based Chloe Kempster is the brains and brush behind ‘Maisie’s House’. Simple styling allows the Fine Art details of this one-woman creative powerhouse’s painted furniture to really shine. Nothing is more persuasive an argument in favour of upcycling old instead of buying new than Chloe’s stunning, artistic, witty painted pieces. This is furniture art in its purest form; and it’s driven by a passion for sustainability, a desire to leave the world a better more beautiful place with each commission, and pure creative impetus! Catch Chloe on BBC show Money For Nothing, on her highly inspirational Instagram account, or right here as part of the Painters in Residence programme.

Charlie Anne Massey, better known as Girl in Blue Designs, first picked up a Chalk Paint™ brush whilst pregnant with her daughter and finding herself with a little spare time. What started as a hobby has now turned into a fully-fledged business for Charlie, who sources second-hand furniture in her home state of Georgia, USA to upcycle with Chalk Paint™ and sell on her Etsy shop. Her residency was all about ombrés, distresses, layering, and more.

Australian sister-in-law duo Fanny and Jemma of ‘shed eleven’ 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 paint furniture, largely commissions, from a shed in Jemma’s garden, at house Number 11 – where shed eleven was born!

From a country sheep farm in a small region in New Zealand, Jeanie Simpson explores the art of up-cycling furniture and homeware using Chalk Paint™. Jeanie has always had a strong interest in art and design – something that she draws on heavily for inspiration in her pieces which are all meticulously researched. Jeanie is also passionate about re-using tired, unloved furniture from the past because of the better quality workmanship and materials, and the sense of history not seen in modern pieces.

With four DIY books under her belt, Hester is an expert in her field. Originally from the Netherlands, Hester is now based in the seaside town of Ramsgate in the UK, where she has lived for the last 14 years with her partner, her daughter Kiki and her dog, Kermit. Hester says “I’ve been making things all my life; my mum taught me how to work with fabric and my dad showed me woodwork and power tools.” Her residency included upcycles, hacks, and heaps of Nordic style.

Based in Canada, Hungarian-born Ildiko Horvath has been creating wonderful work with Annie Sloan’s paint and products over recent years. She has no formal training as either an artist or interior designer (she used to be a piano teacher in Hungary!) but has had her home featured on HGTV and in House and Home Magazine. She is the master of the ombré technique, gradually blending colours from one to the other and creating a gorgeously rich and sumptuous patina.