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!

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Rufus Porter Style Wall Panel, Post 4 - FINISHED

The final touches 

The "Period Look" lies in the detail 

Check out the Grained Edge! 

I love the idea of graining.  The graining on the edge of my painting has an old world look that is folky and fun. 

The entire painting's edge has been hand-grained and measures in at  36 X 80 inches.  This has transformed my living room. 

While this is some of my more primitive painting in style, it is by far not the easiest.  Working with a six foot panel can be cumbersome but every step of this was fun for me.  

This is probably my favorite section of the panel.  I love how the edges, sides, and the faux crack, front and center, turned out.  The plaster look of this was deliberate.  If you don't know who Rufus Porter was from the 19th century, I encourage you to google him because that is the look that was attempting  to achieve.  

 

As I said in an earlier post, I included the bright pink/red tone in the flowers (see above) to bring it into the 21st century.  This truly is a one of a kind painting.  It is also the largest that I have done in many years.  

The whimsical trees are free style and suggest a non-academic artist, again the look I was going for. 

The tones are soft yet jewel in color without being garish.  

I think this sets my linen couch off to a T.  The tiger maple graining is complimented by my tiger maple end tables. 

Faux Tiger Maple with a hint of folk. 

I call the black spot/line "FOLKY"

Thanks for looking today.  With all the competition for time these days, I consider it an honor that you would take the time to read my blog and follow the development of this painting 

ENJOY! 

I am willing to sell this painting even though it is part of my living room.  Message me with information on this.  The shipping will be covered my myself.  I am hoping to sell it locally, smile. 

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Holiday Mermaid "Facebook Early American Folk Arts and Trades Marketplace" Painting, Post 2

The Pencil Drawing Details of my Musical Mermaid

along with some watercolor.  

Before detail 

After the composition drawn into the painting 

I decided that I was NOT going to use the Folk Festival in the title.  SO the mermaid below is sort of obsolete.  The composition otherwise is fine.  I am going to change her hat, too.   

Before the details.  Take a look at this white frame, though, so beautiful.  I think
it is perfect for a snow scene 

Don't forget that this painting will be entered into the Facebook Early American Folk Arts and Trades Marketplace online exhibit.  If you copy and paste this link, you can be part of this event.  You will not want to delay, however, because you must be included in this GROUP in order to look at and purchase the work that will be exhibiting.   Here is the link: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1213533635380525/

I have started to watercolor 

As you can see, there were some steps left out of this.  For the sake of time, I needed to just skip the unnecessary details.  There are too many photos to cram into this entry, so stay tuned for Blog Entry No. 3.  

Enjoy! 

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Kolene Spicher Mermaid Winter Scene Fish Fly

It was a real Fish Fly 

Part 1 - Developing a mermaid winter landscape 

Fish Fly will have this feel but different  story 

I am one of those people that sometimes works when I sleep.  I really get a lot of ideas at night when I should be sleeping ~ OVER ACTIVE MIND SYNDROME.  I am KIDDING. Well, not about not sleeping but about the silly syndrome.   Don't message me either that this  SYNDROME exists and that I have it, please.  I have enough on my plate~LOL. 

Last night, I had a great idea.  I am going to paint a mermaid scene about the Seattle Fish Market.  Although, this is not really a new thought to me, the composition for this painting began to unfold.  

At times, I just have to get a marker out and start scribbling.  Here is what I came up with.  Keep in mind, there is a reason why we call these things "Rough Drafts."  

I liked the sled so I had to put that idea back to good use.  

While at the High Point Furniture Market Antique show, I came across some FABULOUS water guilded gold-leafed frames.

Lemon water leafed frame 

They were a bit pricey, but having this frame on my Fishmonger/fish fly painting will really be worth it.  Wait to you see this finished.  I have a customer in mind for it already, who lives in the Seattle area.  

This will be added somewhere, too.
He was a real FISH MONGER!  

In case you don't know what a fishmonger is by internet definition, Wikipedia defines it as someone throwing a fish that has been purchased but has NOT yet been wrapped.  At the Seattle Pike Place Fish Market (founded in 1930), this is a habit that accidently made this market world famous.  IF you have not been there, it is well worth a visit.  The first STARBUCKs started there, too.  

Back in the 30s, it started its humble beginnings as an open air market at the corners of Pike Street and Pike Place.  I think that would be a neat painting, too.  This shall be painting No. 2 (maybe).  I will see how this one is received.  Keeping things flexible, here!

When I was there, I did not actually see anyone throw a fish, rumor has it that they sometimes throw plastic ones into the crowd to 'shake things up.'  That would give me a heart attack, probably. Anyone who knows me would agree~very high strung.  

Here is where I stopped with this painting.  I will post some additional shots next week when it is FINISHED! 

Sort of similar in coloration to the opening photo.  The little black spot in the ice is the fishing hole!  

Thanks for looking!  Have a wonderful rest of the week and Enjoy your holiday preparations.  We are blessed to live in this great country! 

ENJOY

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Springtime

SPRINGTIME COMES TO THE WOODS

Springtime comes to the woods

Good day to you!  Thanks for visiting my blog site.  Today, I wish to talk about a little painting I did a good while ago.  I am happy to say I found 10 very nice sized paintings in a crate in our warehouse.  This one dates to probably 1995 ~ maybe.  How did it end up in a crate, you might be thinking?

Well, many of you that know me realize that I have had a very long battle with Ovarian Cancer.  I have been in and out of the hospital a lot of the last 23 years.  Each time I go 'in' everything sort of comes to a screeching halt in my studio.  Things get put away and I rest.  I rest for a long time.  Each time I have been sick, it has been for the same thing, Cancer.  I hate it cancer and what it does to people's lives but God promises to be with us, and I have with God's help beat it every time.  I am so thankful, too.  

As I said in an earlier post, we have been cleaning house.  Along with dozens of packs of cards found, there were also some early paintings of mine.  This one is one of them.  I am going to list it on my KOLENESPICHER Etsy acct. if you wish to purchase it.  People that have bought paintings with this hand grain frame may be interested.  I can't get these frames any longer very easily.  

The title is on the right (sorry about the shadow) "Springtime comes to the woods"

What is really sweet about this painting is that it is about NEW BEGINNINGS.   Just like spring is in the beginning of life each year and signifies life,  Nature sheds its garment of death and in turn sprouts new life.  The little house that is attached to the log cabin has a newborn baby in the window with a caption written in the grass Baby in the Picture Window!

How about the little Peeps!! 

The man carrying the water has a caption that reads Bringing water to Bathe my Babies! 

Celebrating the new Baby 

The whole painting is really about the new baby but it is also about New Beginnings.  I know because that was what I was thinking about and hoping for when I painted it!! 

This frame was hand-grained

I have sold many, many landscape paintings with this very frame on them.  The warm glows of the 'faux' wood just blend and compliment my work.  I was really thrilled to find this!!  I should get cards made out of it.  They wouldn't be like the other cards because I would need to do very limited quantities.  Wouldn't this be a darling baby thank you card?? 

Resting before the rain

This cow is doing what we all like to do…REST.  Let's all rest a  just little today!

Don't forget to check out my ETSY store.  I am listed under KOLENESPICHER.  I will be listing this painting!  Check it out! For a week, I am offering 10 percent off for orders over $100. 

Finally, here's a closeup very large! 

Enjoy the beautiful Springtime in the Northeast (if you are here!)  It is so wonderful outside today! 

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