Want to know about Natural Paints?
Ask Lynn - she wrote the book

Late September 2002 sees the launch of The Natural Paint Book co-authored by Green Shop paint expert Lynn Edwards.

The Natural Paint Book bridges the information gap, explaining the constituents and properties of natural and eco-paints. This is the story of how Lynn came to help author this brilliant new book.

If you have browsed through our online catalogue you will be aware that we maintain an impressive selection of informative and inspiring books including a number of good interior decorating books. It is a shame that all but one or two of these focus on the use of mainstream, synthetic decorating materials. Customers often remarked that "somebody should write a book about using natural paints". We hoped that sooner or later just such a book would appear on the market. We never imagined that Lynn would help to write it, but synchronicity and coincidence sometimes takes us down a side-track.

In the spring of 2001, a researcher from London based publishers Kyle Cathie telephoned the Green Shop requesting information about natural paints. She was doing initial research for a new book they wanted to commission. Whilst answering her questions Lynn discovered that they did not yet have an author for the work. By coincidence, Lynn knew a local author who had already written for Kyle Cathie and it seemed that Julia Lawless with her lifetimes grounding in the traditions of aromatherapy, herbalism and holistic living might be interested in taking on the project. Lynn thought she would just help with the with the research. Julia, however, suggested that they should co-author the book.

Lynn says "I didn't think of myself as an expert on natural paints but every question I couldn't answer was an opportunity speak to the real experts at our paint suppliers. Helping to write 'The Natural Paint Book' has certainly broadened my knowledge on the subject."

"We hope the book will answer the questions of all those customers who wanted 'someone to write a book on the subject'."

The Natural Paint Book is available from 10th October and signed copies can be bought from the Green Shop for £16.99

Since completing the manuscript several months ago, interest in natural paint has continued to grow. Conventional paint manufacturers are also responding to consumer demand for safer products and changes in emissions and labelling legislation. Lynn is now embarking on a new project to write a short eco-paint handbook for Bristol based ethical publishers, Eco-logic Books.

Links: publishers Kyle Cathie, back to news headlines