Why Wise Owl Paint?
Why Wise Owl Paint? First, let me tell you a bit about myself. I’m Karen Chouinard. I’m an awkward, nature-loving, big-hearted, animal rescuing, treasure-seeking, free spirit, grounded in science and forever in the pursuit of knowledge. I’m a mom, like so many of you reading along. I have two awesome, creative girls, they are hilarious and growing up way too fast. I mean, slow down!
I’m also a huge nerd for science; ask anyone, it’s no secret. As an environmental scientist, I see the big picture and it’s so important to me that the basis of everything we do at Wise Owl Paint™ is immersed and innovated by Science.
I mentioned earlier being a treasure seeker. To me and my sentimental old soul, treasure can be so many things. It could be an old milk bottle I found in the town I’m from, with a family namesake on the label, or a 1925 neglected vanity that I stumbled upon that reminds me of my grandma’s when I was a little girl. The point is, you get to decide what is meaningful and why. Like most furniture painters and restorers, I share a sentimentality with the castaway treasures I find. There’s something beautiful about finding those hidden gems that somehow take you back to a different time in history. The creative process soothes my soul. It allows time for a meditative calm in my otherwise busy hectic day. I’ve said it for years now, I’m saying it again now, PAINT IS THERAPY. #PaintIsTherapy
Let’s talk about how I started Wise Owl Paint™. It was 8 years ago roughly, I was staying home more with my girls and I needed a hobby, something for me. That’s when I tried a big brand of chalk-style paint. I bought everything recommended that I'd need to create a lasting finish. Well, long story short, I was disappointed. The finish I worked so hard on (spent a lot of money on too) didn’t last 2 days.
If you get grossed out easily, skip a couple of lines down (I’m about to be really straightforward and open). The story is, my cat threw up on my freshly chalk-style painted kitchen table, obviously not ideal. I wiped up the mess immediately, but the paint simply wiped off. Not to mention that I struggled with migraines from using this name-brand paint that wasn’t created with health in mind. I felt like I wasted time and money. Good thing I’m a problem solver! I knew there had to be a way to make a more durable and health-conscious paint. I decided not to sit around and wait for someone else to create it.
One thing you should know about me, I dream big. After my paint project debacle, I set my sights on creating the highest quality furniture paint available. I tested paint formulas in my kitchen, using my chemistry experience along with a ridiculous amount of research. Cultivating and refining for that super lux, top-of-the-line quality. Once I fine-tuned Wise Owl Chalk Synthesis Paint, my best friend, Erin, came on to help immediately. In a blink of an eye, Wise Owl Paint™ was miraculously off to the races. We would have our paint made to specifications and delivered to us so we could ship it. Yes, you read that right! We shipped every order for years in a small room, surrounded by a big dream and a lot of determination.
Wise Owl Paint™ is made in Michigan. Our manufacturing team is green certified and aligns with our values of making the earth a better place. With the help of our chemists, we are able to create the highest quality paint that is made from scratch. That last sentence is so very important, lets read that again - our paint is Made From Scratch. What does that mean? The ingredients that go into making paint become what’s known as “part of the grind". Every component in our paints is incorporated at the same time. Which produces a smoother and more stable product. If you have ever used paint with chunks of minerals sitting at the bottom of the can, you weren’t using paint that was made from scratch. It’s not something most manufacturers do but to us, making our paint from scratch is more than worth the effort. A huge advantage for us is having control of the quality of ingredients going into our paint.
Quality is paramount to us at Wise Owl Paint™, there will be no skimping! To me, to Wise Owl Paint™, the price of happy, healthy painters is worth every penny. We will always choose quality over profits. What that translates to is a paint that doesn’t cause headaches or respiratory distress. We want to serve as a benchmark for a standard of excellence. Wise Owl Paint™ is dedicated to putting only the best, the easiest to use, and the safest paints out into the world.
We are more than pretty colors, there’s science and a whole lot of love wrapped up in each can. Erin and I always say “Who you do business with matters” and we hope you feel the same.
Paint the World Beautiful My Friends!!
