Horsham businesswoman helps create wall art for victims of domestic abuse

The group of female furniture artists from across the country, including Horsham-based Michelle Aston, are using Covid-19 as a catalyst for their creations.

Michelle, who runs Pretty Imperfect Furniture from her home in Horsham, has teamed up with Sam Clark, founder of the Facebook group ‘The Female Furniture Painters Club’. along with other club members.

The group has launched a Creative Freedom project aimed at using their combined talents as a force for good during the coronavirus pandemic by supporting a Lincolnshire-based charity known as EDAN for victims of domestic abuse.

Each member of the group has been allocated a space to create a piece for a bedroom, communal space or hallway in the charity’s refuges, using whatever materials they have such as old canvases, reclaimed wood, old frames and glass. A virtual exhibition of the works will be held at a later date.

Michelle launched her Pretty Imperfect Furniture business in January 2019. “It was born from a hobby of up-cycling vintage furniture,” she said.

The business is now growing, and Michelle now takes on commissions as well as sourcing her own furniture from antique auctions before giving it a whole new look.

“I heard about the Creative Freedom project from the Facebook group for female furniture painters and as soon as I heard about it I wanted to do it,” she said.

“I’m not an ‘artist’, so it was good to push myself artistically.

“The great thing about it was the fact we had to use items we had at home as we are in lockdown, due to Covid 19. So I had to be extra creative,

“I also wanted to try a medium that I could apply to my furniture as well. The project is so inspiring and to think we have all got together to produce artwork for a great charity and to brighten up the charity’s refuges is an added bonus.”

A charity spokeswoman said: “We know how difficult this time will be for anyone living in a domestic abuse situation and there is predicted to be a much greater need for help and support from charities like EDAN due to the pandemic.”

See https://www.facebook.com/PrettyImperfectFurniture/

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