The Arts and Culture Programme at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust ‘Above and Beyond’ has received £2,495 from a Piano Shop Bath inspired design project.
Some months ago the Piano Shop Bath allocated a Broadwood Upright piano, rather than it being a simple donation through a piano sale, it became an art project due to the enthusiastic design efforts of the very talented inventor, writer and painter Annie Sloan. This was coupled with the textile artistry of Charlotte Macmillan who uniquely decorated a matching piano stool to provide a totally unique artistically decorated piano and stool combination.
The piano was acquired by a client in Bristol during September 2020, and as a result the proceedings for the total sale have been donated to ‘Above and Beyond’ www.aboveandbeyond.org.uk – @aboveandbeyondcharity
Annie painted this restored Broadwood piano for her friends at The Piano Shop in Bath and, as she says, “it was one of the most joyful painting experiences of recent years, I was given free rein to be truly experimental and painterly; my starting point was my Linen Union fabric in Provence and Aubusson Blue (seen covering the stool) which anchors the scheme perfectly”.
Annie added, “As many of you may know, I truly believe in the therapeutic value in the arts – painting, music and creative pursuits can bring calm, strength and much needed relief during times of great struggle. The Piano Shop has already donated 11 pianos to local hospitals to fund these cause and I am honoured to be in anyway involved with this endeavour”.
Annie Sloan is painter, writer and inventor of @ChalkPaint®, supporting fabulous indie shops globally.
Click the link to learn more about Annie – www.anniesloan.com
Accompanying the piano was a specially designed matching stool by textile artist Charlotte Macmillan. We are very grateful to Charlotte for kindly designing and donating this beautiful fabric for this project. Please see Charlotte’s website for further examples of her great work www.thecollagist.co.uk
Thank you Annie and Charlotte for your wonderful contribution.