Ink blot botany flowers by Kolene Spicher for Spicher and Co.

Ink Blot Botany series for Spicher and Co. 

A while ago I wrote about these prints.  I painted them on old script paper that I found in an antique shop.  I chose a color that was a deep midnight blue and penciled in very lightly the right half side of each paper.  Working very fast, I then brushed in the color heavy  so that it would remain wet long enough to fold the paper in half duplicating the image on the other side.  

If you look carefully, you can see how the left side mirrors the right.  Even my signature is backward.  This was a pretty neat excercise for me to do because the image is not as tight as I normally like to paint.  This turned out very organic and natural feeling.  

Take a look at this picture below.  These are my favorite five prints.  Spicher and Co. won an award with this photograph for the flooring. The Floorcloth look amazing.  This product, which we call VINTAGE VINYL,  was nationally recognized.  I think the colors really look amazing together.  If you are interested in the floor coverings or the ink blot images, call Spicher and Co., and we can connect you with a store in your area.  All images are our own and created by Spicher and Co. and printed and manufactured in America in Carlisle, Pa.  

Here are all the images that we have available.  You can look at them up and close by going to www.spicherandco.com. Like us on FB! Tell us what you like! 

Update - Here's a photograph that was taken of  No. 9 hanging in a farm house in Bucks  County, Pa. 

I love the simplicity of this! 

Thanks for looking!  

Enjoy!

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Moonlight Landscape

Peaceful Night 

This has a french country feel to it

One thing that I love about painting is when I accidentally develop something that is simple with a sophisticated look.  I have achieved that 'look' with this painting.

This is one of the paintings that was left at the end of my last show.  I was happy to load her up and bring her home and live with her for a while.  Having said that, it is still on my wish list to sell it.  But in the meantime, I am trying her out in different areas of my home.  Here she is in the kitchen (above).  I do really like this.  But my bedroom really needs artwork...

 I recently sold the piece of artwork hanging over my bed, I am left with a big blank spot making this painting a MUST for over the bed.  Even if it's for a few weeks, it's better than the alternative…NOTHING. (Pillows available thru Spicher and Co.) 

I love the grass color here.  It's a little of Azo yellow and Jenkins Green mixed together.  

Years ago, I painted a moon face for a child's room (it had a cow jumping over it).  LOL.  While my tastes have somewhat moved on from that, I still sell it because the moon has a sweet face, people still buy the print.  

The gate going across the landscape with the house in the center makes the homesite feel protected and isolated from the world.  We all need a little of that! 

The Pine frame is amazing on this and in very good condition.  The glass is so wavy and antique that I wasn't able to get a straight on shot over the bed because there is too much glare from the bumpy wavy glass.  

Here's a straight on shot, minus the glare: 

This was on a dark floor away from most of the light, although you can see the wavy glass a little in the center. 

I really love this painting and am offering it up for sale later today on my KOLENESPICHER Etsy sight.

The simple house and smoke plumes take on an upscale look.  What's going on in this house, and where is it?  Who lives there?  These are some of the questions that enter my head when I look at it.  Make it your vacation home!  HAH.  No joking, this painting has a very peaceful feel to it and I love it! 

Enjoy! 

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Man with a fake mermaid tail

MERMAN and Mermaid! 

Have you ever stood behind a board that was painted  on the front  side with a hole cut out for your face?  THEN Someone on the other side snaps a picture!  Wa'la you have an instant transformation--a photo, and it's of your sweet face with another body!  That was what I had in mind when I painted this!  

look at his feet! 

This painting happened to be still for sale at the end of the day this last weekend at the Doylestown, PA Show.  It always surprises me the ones that go first.  I would have thought this would have been one of the first ones to go because it's funny, the colors are wonderful on it,  and I love his old swimsuit stripes!

He looks so bored. So why would this poor guy humiliate himself like this? 

YUP

The lemony gold frame that is an antique also happens to be in fantastic condition! 

The 15 cent sign is a little brighter than in reality
but it's so cute

I love the nostalgia of this painting and it would go well with any other of my mermaid paintings or even an ocean scene.  Look at the writing out in the waves!  It begs for you to notice it but doesn't scream for it!  It's very subtle!

Finally here is the painting in its entirety! See how the ocean writing blends in??  Let me know if you want a price for this.  I may put it on Etsy.  We will see!! 

The rope is an old sailor's rope that was probably knotted on a ship.  This rope came from NANTUCKET COUNTRY.  

ENJOY! 

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Primitive Country Landscape painted by me 20+ years ago

Fun in the Hay 

See this for sale on ETSY: KoleneSpicher ~ https://www.etsy.com/listing/204097079/early-country-farm-scene-by-kolene?

Having Fun in the Hay! 

This is an OLDIE but sweet one.  I painted this back in 1989-90 and it was the very first LARGE landscape that I had ever printed Lithograph style.  I don't believe that they are available any longer at Spicher and Co.  It is very primitive.  It is very Early Kolene, too! 

Love the guy asleep in the Hay 

I was fascinated back then with farmwife.  My husband's family was from western PA and they had a milking farm.  We would go there quite regularly and literally jump 15 feet off of a hay loft onto a pile of hay below that was about 10' wide.  That was back when I had no reservations about anything.  It was pre-lemons, when everything was fun and there weren't sour circumstances or any issues with anything (health).  Life is still so good, and I am thankful~so very thankful.  I still have some tough hiccups but  have learned to embrace them and turn them into "fun in the hay."

One cool thing ~ this print came from my husband's grandmother's home.  It is in virtually perfect condition, and surprisingly, it is an artist proof.  We gave it to them 20 years ago as a gift.  She needed to move and so I re-acquired this print and it is now for sale on ETSY. 

I love this little guy asleep, too and the little dog with his raised paw.  I love the primitive style of the horses.  

One thing that I might have done differently…I would have used a ruler to go around the print so that it was plum and straight.  There's a pencil line, too,  that was used to separate the print from the white and this is a little problematic for my eye.  It is not very straight.  But, alas, I was learning.  Pencil lines were never ever plum for me.  My dad was a carpenter and he loved to point out my crooked lines…SMACK! JK

HERE is where I came up with the title "Fun in the Hay" because these little guys are def having some fun.  You know what, so are the people resting.  Resting is fun!  Take care and thanks for looking at this!

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More Bedminster/Doylestown,PA show Paintings-Portraits and a ship!

This is the grand FINALE! 

Painting Called "Flying Circus" 

This was a fun painting to do.  To be honest with you, it was one that I had 1/2 finished a while back and framed (just to get it out of the way) to keep it from getting bent.  I always intended to tear it apart one day and that day had come!  (Unless someone wanted it in its current unfinished state, which we all know is unlikely).   I tore it apart yesterday and added all the finishing touches.  Having to get up at 4:30 AM to finish it, though, wasn't my ideal choice.  But you know what, I actually enjoyed it now that I am thinking about it.  The house was quiet in anticipation of all that "pre-school drama looking for sneakers, book bags, and lunches" as the kids catch the bus FLYING OUT THE DOOR! 

VERY SIMPLE ANTIQUE BLACK FRAME

VERY MESSY ART ROOM (IF YOU ONLY KNEW…) 

The next painting that I am taking to the show is of a little girl outside.  She is in a very fancy frame and is really sweet.

Love the bird and all birds

More shots of this painting! Now one thing to keep in mind, it is 4:30ish in the morning and this painting should be photographed outside to get all the nuances.  The frame is really perfect in condition.

Remember this guy? 

Well, I decided to reframe him because I found a frame that fits him perfectly.  I love that word but you know nothing is never ever perfect.  There could always be improvements and a better frame out there, but this is the one that I came up with for the show! 

The folds are deliberate

If you can, stop by the show and see all the wonderful works of art that have been created just for this event~THIS WEEKEND IN DOYLESTOWN, PA!!!

Here is a link with directions to the show and show times!! 

http://www.bedminstertraditionalartisanshow.com/directions-to-the-bedminster-traditional-artisans-show-doylestown-pa.htm

Enjoy! 

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Mermaids and Such ~ Bedminster Show in Doylestown Pa, Sept. 20-21, 2014

Mermaids on Cape Cod 

Love this frame and love this painting!  This will be one of my premier pieces that I will show this next weekend! 

Titled, "No After Dark Frolicking" 

What can I say, another mermaid scene.  My show wouldn't be complete without one, either.  So I had to do two.

Sweet Summer Breeze, Moonlight on Cape Cod 

This is a play on the last sentence of  "Moonlight in Vermont".  I kept thinking about that song as I painted it and so I decided to look up the lyrics.  The last sentence was perfect!  I exchanged Cape Cod for Vermont!

MERMAID on a Barrel of RUM 

Remember this one?  I decided that it had to be reframed.  This is a shadow box type frame and is one of a kind-almost. 

You have to see it to understand how neat the frame is.

Here's a shot from the side! 

The colors are more correct on this one than the top pic. 

MERMAID MAN

I didn't know what to call him.  He's really a man with a tail on (for the picture).  

This is going to be framed in a shadow box style.  Can you see his feet? The tail comes off!

Look at the name of this painting! 

First dates can really be terrible.  I had one bad one…haha.  This guy looks like he's willing to do what it takes to make his Fish Lady happy!

Love the sign. 

There are more paintings, but they will remain a surprise at the show!  I hope that you can try to come to it.  Google the show.  It has an amazing variety of art for sale.  This show benefits the Bedminster land Conservatory.  The show itself is in Doylestown.  It's next weekend Sept. 20-21, 2014!

Enjoy!

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Anchors - Bedminster Artshow, Bedminster, PA Sept. 20-21, 2014

Anchors Aweigh! 

Love this Anchor

Anchors are really in style right now.  This is a good thing because I plan to keep them if they don't sell.  That's right.  I love them.

I painted 4 of these to all hang together and they will be part of my Spicher and Co., High Point, NC show coming up as well as my Bedminster art show that is this next weekend (See previous posts).  I have the originals framed in these amazing antique frames.

I wish that you could see the backgrounds on these.  I worked FOREVER ON THEM.  This is a mostly true statement.  I really took my time with them.  I love the old gold frames.  I know they aren't simple, but the frames needed something fancy and shiny.  :)  Love them! 

This frame reminds me of rope. 

This frame reminds me of a port hole. 

FISHING

HOOKS ARE SORT OF LIKE ANCHORS, SO I PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER ON ONE POST! 

I HAD A BUNCH OF ADIRONDACK STYLE FRAMES.  This seemed like a good solution for these frames.  I don't even have this style house and want to keep them.  You know if I blog about them again that I got my wish… (I wish that I would sell them).

Gold liner is in perfect condition 

This is not a Criss-Cross frame but looks very adirondack! 

closeup 

Not to sound like a broken record, but these will be at my show next weekend, too! 

Enjoy! 

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Nautical Artwork for Doylestown, PA showing September 20 and 21, 2014

Sea Captains, Whales, and Ships 

Closeup of one of my FAVORITE pieces

I have a friend that had visited Williamsburg recently.  I was inspired by one of her pictures to do this painting.  At first it was all about Williamsburg, but then it sort of morphed into something different~ship Captains!  Can't help it, I just end up on the water every time! 

I had to add the ships and the little telescopes that a typical Sea Captain might carry.  This painting is very much like my earlier work.  When I first got started,  It was all about EARLY and less about whimsy.  I started out doing Frakur, pen and Ink-type drawings, and that was 22 years ago, plus.  I still love this style even after all of these years.  

The frame is veneer and wonderfully simple and in VG condition! 

THE DRAPED ANCHOR PIECE 

I am in love with drapes.  I paint them INTO  many of my pictures.  You all know this if you follow my work even a little bit.  

Here is a rework of a painting that I did last year and kept.  I was staring at it one day and decided that it must be reframed and a drape added.  Really, I changed it so much, that the feel of it is totally different than its original state.  HAHA.  I am allowed to do that! (as much as I want). 

Hope really does anchor us.  It gives us a reason to push forward! 

Again, you cannot see this, but the whole bottom section has all these tiny little cracks.  You can see it a little above the cursive words as on.  I ALSO LOVE THE WATER AND THE COLOR OF THE WATER. 

More Drapes

I loved this frame with the stripes going all along the outer edges.  It reminds me of an old sailor.  It looks like something that he would have done on his ship while waiting for the whales to swim past.  That's what they did…wait.  Think about how often you see and whale.  Even when you go on a whale watch, you are fortunate if you see them.

I love whales.  Maybe it's because I fell in love with Nantucket. 

Check out the floating anchor.  

I have a whole section of this show that is devoted to ANCHORS!  I LOVE THEM, like I love sailors and mermaids.  You cannot see the title of this painting, but it is called  ANCHOR AWAY!  It's a play on words indicating that this whale is not happy where he is anchored.  "Anchor, AWAY!" As if it would go somewhere...

Lastly, here is a shot of the three above all stacked one on top of the other! 

See how wonderfully simple the frames are!?? 

THE FRAMES ALL work so well together.  It took some time to pull this off but now that I have done it this once, I am going to continue to try to frame them all similarly.  My anchors are next to blog about.  They are not simple frames but they look so unique.   I can't wait to blog about them.  

Enjoy, and I hope to see you at my show! Introduce yourself, if you make it! 

KOLENE! 

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