Custom whaling piece by Pennsylvania Artist Kolene Spicher

Let's Take This Show on the Road 

From Nantucket to Staten Island...

This custom piece is painted around my New England Whaling themes that I love to paint.  "Let's Take This Show on the Road," is a one-of-a-kind piece of art featured in an old barn wood frame from Lancaster County.  The side of the frame was signed Rufus Hoover, who is an Amish man in his 80s. 

Three-D look

Across the bottom of this painting are various panels protruding outward that makes my whaling painting have a 3-D look.

I love to paint in this genre.  Take a look at this picture below:   Can you see the 3-D look.  Even my whaling man looks like he is ready to jump off a fin! 

More 3-D 

This whale is part of a show.  It swims to Newport from Nantucket and then to Narragansett and on to Staten Island and points south.  So much fun!

The frame is wonderfully weathered and great periwinkle blue.  The color theme is very current and looks Cottage.  

Huber the Whale 

I have a few other paintings that I am working on currently, including, a mermaid and another ship whaling scene with lots of RED.

Here she is in her ENTIRETY.  I love the red drape across the top!  

Let me know if you have any questions!  

Thanks for looking. 

Kolene Spicher 

Consider attending a show in New England November 3-5, 2017 at the Wilton Historical society.  Go to this link: 

http://wiltonhistorical.org/events/american-artisan-show/

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Whale Scene on Nantucket by Pennsylvania Artist Kolene Spicher

Painting A Custom Whaling Scene for 

Nantucket Country

Nantucket Country Store 

All paintings except what is in the center (unfinished) are either sold or not available.  

I included a few unavailable pieces just so that you can have the correct feel for the coloration.  As I put washes on the water, it will pull more blue (like the mermaid next to it).

Similarities (see below) without completely copying.  Note the color of the water is more blue than reference. 

Yes, this is the middle painting reflecting additional work time throughout the week.  I love the action and light in the water.  I think the playful polka dots add interest to the folky whaling boats. 

Nantucket Whalers 

This painting is the Reference Material for the above Nantucket Country painting
This painting is available as a print ONLY.

I actually have a few paintings to blog about but am behind.  The above painting captures some action that Cam Dutton of Nantucket Country would like to see in her piece.

She wants her painting  to have less green in the water with more blue in the sky, whaling boats more prominent, and whales unobstructed.   This week's whales are more playful and the light house is "Brant Point" on Nantucket instead of an unknown lighthouse. 

Love the Smoke Stacks on the ship.  I am sure those sails in real life would have been brown with soot! 

Caption reads, "This happened on Brant Point." 

I always love to add some writing to my paintings.  I think it adds interest and reflects my playful side.  (See below)

Finally, here is another shot showing more of the painting in its entirety.  This is available thru NANTUCKET COUNTRY, Nantucket, MA.  Message me if you need the number  

Enjoy. 

 

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What goes into a custom piece like a mermaid

The Black Pearl 

I am working on a custom piece for a couple.  This is the painting that they referenced.  I thought today's post could be about what is involved in making a "Custom" painting.  

The first step is to find a frame.  In this situation, the couple is looking for a 'beachy' frame.  What is a beachy frame?  It's a frame that would go well with beach decor!  They are usually white, black, or natural.  

We immediately thought of black.  We have  at  (Spicher and Co.) a simple black moulding that we often will frame nautical pieces in. I have framed original art in this moulding and it looks fab.    In the photo below, it is featuring a folk landscape but imagine a mermaid... 

We also could go white.  In this next picture, you will see a beautiful chipped up white frame that screams beach. 

The scale is wrong on this, but we could have it cut to fit. 

LOOK

This leads me to my next step, choosing a size.  

My suggestion  for mermaids would be to go with something that is 18x24, and this would be painted on paper.  The frame would add even more size to this piece.  The frame is a big part of the art! 

Here are the colors! 

Correct color pallet

The actual black pearl painting is below.  The room is dark that this was photographed in so the colors are sort of muted and dull in the reference piece.  

Colors not accurate

I love this ocean.  Oceans can really reflect many different colors.  We can go dark sea or light.  Check this out! 

Beginning stages of seascape with whales (top)

This is what we start with!  I go bright and each layer subdues and enriches the next.  Till I am done with this, the colors will be wonderfully muted like this mermaid! 

Really, that is the process.  Frame first, which determines the size, and then subject matter, and finally color.  

All you have to do is message me!  

Enjoy. 

Thanks for looking. 

Kolene E. Spicher 

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