Annie at the Bod! Friday 3rd May – Friday 28th June 2024.
Private View in the Divinity School, Bodleian Library, Friday 3rd May, 6-8pm.
Discover Annie Sloan’s new Bodleian Medieval Collection – an exhibition of framed paintings, hand-painted ceramic plates, luxurious velvet cushions and a uniquely painted heraldic chest. The work is on display and available for sale in the Bodleian Library shops in the Old Quad and the Weston Library, along with a paint your own treasures box and a curated range of Annie’s chalk paint colours, wax, metal leaf, and brushes for you to get inspired and try your hand!
Annie’s core palette for this collection was inspired by the richness and brightness of the medieval illustrations she discovered in the library – jewel-like reds, greens, blues and golds that come alive on the page! The artist spent time making sketches before settling on painting a selection of the larger animals like deer, horses and bulls using her own chalk paint colours and Metallic Leaf in Imitation Gold. The intention was not to make copies of the original illustrations but to enlarge the images and make them freer and more expressive, letting them flow across the page.
“I wanted to set them free to wander the world!” AS.
Annie Sloan – ‘From Inspiration to Design’, Saturday 11th May 11.30am – 12.30pm
Join the artist as she reveals the inspiration behind her new Bodleian Medieval Collection and explores how to develop and translate ‘inspiration into design’. The talk will include a practical demonstration on creating a medieval-inspired design using the new Bodleian treasures box and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
Free, booking essential. https://tickets.ox.ac.uk/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=bodnf&c=lecture...
At the Bodleian Libraries, we are keen to explore collaborative projects which enhance the Bodleian’s offer to the public and shine a light on amazing local artists. We are excited to launch our first participation in Oxford Artweeks with an exhibition of works by esteemed artist, colour expert and leader in the field of design, Annie Sloan CBE.
The Bodleian Library is the main research library of the University of Oxford and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It derives its name from its founder, Sir Thomas Bodley and is affectionally known to Oxford scholars as "the Bodley" or "the Bod". The library holds a highly important collection of manuscripts from medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire, second only to the British Library in the UK, and this is where Annie headed for inspiration.
Annie Sloan CBE has been described as one of ‘Britain’s most influential female designers’. Having originally trained as a fine artist she turned to decorative work and went on to publish The Complete Book of Decorative Paint Techniques in 1988 and two years later invented her revolutionary furniture paint, Chalk Paint™. Since then, she has published 26 books on paint effects and Interior Design and is widely considered one of the world’s leading authorities on paint, colour and style.
Along with many artists, Annie has always been fascinated by the incredible beauty of medieval illuminated manuscripts and this love of medieval art was reignited by her recent studies of the bestiaries in the Bodleian Library’s Medieval Collection. These beautifully illustrated volumes of beasts were made popular in the Middle Ages, describing not only the natural history of the animals but also conveying moral lessons on human virtues and vices through the symbolism attached to each beast.
The Bodleian is thrilled to present the fruits of this creative collaboration with an exhibition of Annie’s new body of work inspired by the beauty, stories and humour that she found within the library’s special collection of bestiaries.
Special Events:
‘Annie At The Bod’ Private View in the Divinity School, Bodleian Libraries, Friday 3rd May 2024, 6 - 8 pm.
Annie Sloan talk & demonstration ‘From Inspiration To Design’, Weston Library LectureTheatre, Saturday 11th May 2024, 11.30am - 12.30pm