Kolene Spicher Custom portrait of a young girl Mermaid

My Lil Daffodil 

A mermaid from Cape Cod. 

 

Silver Leafed Italian hand made frame 

This little angel is my latest custom portrait.  The painting is designed to sit on a shelf or a coffee table.  I call these my #littletreasures.  

I am unsure of her age.  I was told it, but I can't recall.  I think she is around 4. This is a portrait of a combination between these two photographs. 

When painting these smaller pieces, it is hard to maintain the folkiness of the mermaid without going too realistic.  I want this to be fun.  Everyone loves mermaids and Nantucket so that is why she is carrying a daffodil.  There is something about that particular flower.  I call it a flower in a flower...  I happen to know that this little girl is loved and treasured.  That is what she is, A flower in a flower. 

I paint the original on a big sheet of paper and then use the paper as a palette so that I can be sure that the colors are just right! 

The frames I custom order.  They are hand made and have a wonderful hand applied printed paper on the backs.  This will make a fine piece to add to this wonderful Grandma's collection of Folk ART.  Let's keep this wonderful unique style alive.  

Enjoy. 

Tweet

Sea Captain Sailor New England looking gentleman surrounded in seashells

A very fine Captain! 

This guy looks so cool in his blue spectacles.  I have always loved the idea of placing my paintings in a seashell frame.  The problem for me was that I never was able to find a frame!  Problem solved! 

I first played out the shells on top of the painting.  Just for your own information, I found these shells in the Ocean Cit, NJ area while walking along the beach! It's amazing that I didn't lose them, lol. 

After gluing them to the paper, I was ready for the perfect frame.  I found this wonderful lemon gold frame a few years ago and have been holding out for the perfect piece.  This is mostly because I paid a small fortune for the frame. 

Smile. I might just keep it.  

I also antiqued the black paper which doesn't translate here but will translate on the original.  I have to modify the frame to receive the shells.  This will be a chore because it will need to blend well against the antique frame.  No worries, I am up for the task. 

Thanks for looking today!  I don't know when this will be listed for sale.  I might hold on to it for a while just in case I try to do a show in the fall! 

Enjoy. 

KOLENE SPICHER 

Tweet

Kolene Spicher Mermaids Sharing an Umbrella

April Showers bring out the Mermaids! 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/525195437/kolene-spicher-original-painting-one-of?ref=shop_home_active_1

I have always loved Nantucket.  Daffodils burst into bloom each spring on Nantucket.  Thousands of bulbs have been planted over the years and are scattered along the countryside and sidewalks.  Their bright yellow glow brings warm cheer to the coolness of the New England spring.  This weekend above all seems to always catch my attention.    Each year this special event takes place in the month of April.  This year it is April 28-30, 2017.  

My umbrella mermaid painting is lovingly painted in memory of all  my visits to this wonderful island. 

This special frame is an antique and was made in 1908.  I think that it may be french.  No matter what it is, I love it, and these #littletreasures are getting harder to find! 

The frame is small but the impact is big with this gem.   Please see the photo below which pictures the painting next to some of my keys.  You get a good idea of the scale from this.  

In the above picture, the mermaids are drawn in but there were some modifications made on the right mermaid, especially her torso area.  I have kept the picture so that you can see the scale of the painting--small.  

The picture on the bottom right with the shells will be talked about in my next post.  

Can you tell that the shape on the mermaid on the right is better.  She now has her hourglass figure!!  

I love the painting sitting on this stack of books.  You can read more about this along with the price on my ETSY page, KOLENESPICHER.  

Enjoy and thanks for looking today!  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/525195437/kolene-spicher-original-painting-one-of?ref=shop_home_active_1

Kolene Spicher 

Tweet

Kolene Spicher Original Landscape painting, Part 2

Happy Family 

New House, New Dog

I started this painting thinking that I would go all "Watercolor like", but as I painted it, it became transformed into a mixed media sort of thing.   I used paint, pencil, markers, pastels--everything but finger paints.  

The trees, the sky, the flowers are all inspired by old cross stitch samplers from the 1800s.  Living in Pennsylvania, I tend to be drawn to the whole pen and ink fraktur style as well. 

No matter what, I am in love with ships. My heart is always drawn to the water.  I love flowering fruit trees, too, which is what the folky stylized trees, front and center,  are supposed to be depicting.  

Love the bench and the big urn.  In fact, I wish I owned a planter like that!! 

The Bird's Eye frame on this is simply fabulous, the gold liner and the antique glass are all in great condition.  This frame is very gorgeous.  Very. 

The outside dimensions are 30" x 16 1/2"  and looks great from a distance too.  The colors really POP. 

Below you can see the painting hanging over my fireplace mantel.  As you can see this is a substantial painting.  Due to the largeness of this piece, the shipping will be costly.  

Thanks for looking! and POST MESSAGE me with questions.  Happy Family, Happy Spring! 

Tweet

Kolene Spicher Original Landscape with Red House

A Happy Family

Lives near the Water  

I don't know if you can see it, but there is a family drawn into the painting! That will be another day that this will be painted into the piece. 

I love the little garden chair and the flowers that look like an antique sampler.  I plan to add some more flowers.  LOOK AT THAT FRAME!  

This painting also has some great antique glass!  

You can see the family in this picture 

More details will be added to the house as well as the 4 people front and left of center.  

Check back early next week for the conclusion!

Tweet