Preparing for the Wilton, CT show American Artisan Show

What I have been doing! 

I have so much going on in my life.  I wish that I could say it was all wonderful, but it's all about perspective, isn't it?  Sometimes what we look at as a challenge or a weight, may be used to make us stronger.  You can't push a good man or woman down, they just keep getting stronger!  That is what I tell myself as I endeavor to do what I love.  What the heck am I talking about, I am talking about the challenges of overcoming illness.  We can all relate to it, I am sure.  I have been traveling back and forth to California where I have been seeking treatment and I feel it's working.  Everyday is a test, am I going to trust God??  Yes.  I am.  So unto the painting and the making of art!  This paragraph is mainly to let you know that I have been busy, so busy, and that is why I haven't posted much.  I am learning to do pottery, as I mentioned in an earlier post, but I am continuing to do my painting, too.  I am going to be posting a boatload of pictures so hang tight! 

I am going to post backward, meaning I am going to write about things as I have done them from the present backward.  These things are not for sale until November 1, 2018.  They will ALL be at the Wilton Historical Society's American Artisan show.  

There are NEW SHOW days for this event, and they are starting on a Thursday evening this time.  (This is instead of their traditional Friday opening).  The event is held on their grounds 224 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut.  The preview party is Thursday Evening, the 1st.  It is $125 to attend, but it is a fabulous fundraiser for them.  It's all about meeting their year end needs in order to keep this wonderful place going.  Come on out and be the first to see all the wonderful stuff.  Painters, potters, furniture makers, carvers, weavers, floorcloths, cabinets, treen ware, you name it. 

I had my own card made up!  It's always fun choosing which painting that I want to highlight.  I picked one with warm browns!  I am into brown at the time.  And blue.  Well and green.  Whatever.  I love all color.  

Let me know if you want a card.  I have maybe a dozen left, if that.  Now unto all the art that has been in the making.  Even though I have been a bit distracted with it all, I have managed to get a lot done.  Right now I am working on the snow scene for Wilton.  Snow scenes are always a favorite and they generally sell.  I don't paint as many of them and they are truly one of a kind pieces down to the frame. 

I always have a red house.  I don't know why, I live in a white house, but red is just THE COLOR for the Holiday season! 

Ignore the wire.  

This is the barn!  I love the looks of the mountain and the naked tree.  All that snow!  Bring it on! 

It looks sort of mysterious.  Wait to there are children playing, though, and sleighs and horses!  It will all come together, I promise.  

The frame! 

Many of you know that I have started to learn pottery.  This is a one of a kind piece.  I have ONE.  I am going to bring it.  It is a nice size, too, and it turned out very well (with some help.). LOL 

I love these round guys.  This is a happy colorful piece! 

This may look a little bright, for me, but they aren't finished.  I am going to have a bunch of these fun updated fraktur type pen and ink pieces.  I know it doesn't look like my work, but it is, and they are cool. 

This photographed dark but it looks really nice in person. 

Thats better!  It shows all the color.  My house is either too bright or too dark.  Can anyone relate.  It's either too hot or too cold.  Now I am sounding rather goldilocks like. 

The birdseye frame on this is fabulous.  I hit the goldmine for maple recently.  I bet I have five right now! 

These are really fun, there are actually four of them. 

Although this is painted on board, it will be behind glass.  It's about washing your hair with fish water...yum. 

I had this last year, but I am bringing it again.  I don't mind if it doesn't sell.  I have plenty of walls. 

I love this one.  I have another idea for a large whale, but don't have it started yet.  It's in my head for right now! 

Jonah.  He's been swallowed. 

The only mermaid. (so far). 

There's a lot of interest in this bottom piece. 

These turned out well.  I love them.  I will be happy to keep them, too.  I have a place for both.  Nevertheless, they are coming. 

I haven't decided how I will frame this yet.  For now, it's in a black frame (not pictured) but I don't love it.  It will be reframed.

I have a lot of pottery (well a lot for me).  Having said that, there isn't a lot.  It's all one of a kind.  

Here are some lights that I have made. 

I have more pottery, but for now, this shot will have to do.    I haven't decided if I am going to outright sell them or take an order on the lamps.  I am waiting on shades to arrive and the lamp cap (which I turned) to be fired.  

That's it for now.  I will have more.  I hope that you can make it to my show! 

Thanks or looking. 

Kolene Spicher 

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Rufus Porter Mural in Connecticut by Pennsylvania artist Kolene Spicher

A Restful Place 

This was a very fun project.  The house was magnificent where I painted this mural.  

The first step was to create the finish.  When I say finish, I am talking about the surface and not the end product.  You can see the crackles and dabbling that occurred in the surface.  These marks were deliberate.  

Rufus Porter was known for his stylized trees.  I don't know if his were as crazy as mine, but hey.  I think this tree could exist.  

The flower pot is pretty stylized, as well.  I wanted to create a very primitive atmosphere but I wanted to update it to our current century.  I did this with colors that pop. 

The water was magical.  

Look at that tree!  And those boats! LOOK* at that tiger maple desk.  Everything was gorgeous.  

Speaking of gorgeous... 

I love to paint garden gates.  Do you see the fence along the water?  I think it, too, is magical. 

The wall adjoining the mural was painted a complementary color.  The warm tones in her furnishings really made this jump off the wall.  You really can get a great look without painting all four walls.  

Thanks for taking the time to look at this.  CURRENTLY, I am painting pottery to match this look!  I will be taking it and artwork, that is one of a kind and framed, to the #wiltonhistoricalsociety show that takes place the first weekend in November 2018.  

Here's a glimpse! 

Enjoy! 

Kolene E. Spicher 

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Bird Mermaid Platter by Kolene Spicher

Showing off her bird-catching skills 

A Kolene Spicher Mermaid Pottery Piece 

Hand Building Pottery 

I have made some progress with my platter since I last posted.  The colors on this piece are beginning to POP as the clay is drying out in preparation to Bisque Firing.  

The edge of this piece was designed to look like coral.  I think it has this look, too, but I don't know for certain what this will look like once it is Bisque Fired. 

I decided to add the curtain because it gives it a good pop of color.  The water is textured and many shades of BLUE will stick out once fired. 

I am really loving this whole process.  I am going to be making many more of this sort of thing.  As I learn more about the clay, I am leaning more toward the hand-building process.  I am also learning to throw on the wheel, too.  

ENJOY! 

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Sailboat portrait by Pennsylvania Artist Kolene Spicher

My Happy Place 

A portrait of a 19th century Schooner

Inspired by my antique Diorama  

Water that is full of color and light 

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the water.  It makes me happy EVERY TIME.  I love to paint water and sky and boats--anything nautical!! Ahoy!

The Antique Diorama 

About 5 years ago, I purchased this very cool Diorama.  It was actually made by an elderly gentleman from the Baltimore, MD area back in the late 19th century, early 20th.  I loved it.  Everyday, I look at this and think, "Wouldn't that be a smart looking ship painting!"  So here we are, fast forward five years, and it is finished.  Hey, it could've taken 10 years.

On my beautiful mantle and look at that Spicher Vintage Vinyl on the floor! 

The schooner is painted smaller than the frame could accept but I actually liked it the way it was and decided to frame it in a way that accented the beautiful sky and fluffy clouds.  The frame compliments the period in that it is grained.  The finish on the frame is smooth and the gold liner is still intact.  I love it.  

Before the American Flag 

I was going to leave it without the American flag (pictured above)  but like the other nautical pieces that I have painted, I just couldn't stand to not identify what country this came from.  The flag tells the viewer the origin and that is important.

The sky and the water were brightened up some in this picture 

It's hard to know when to stop and so like many of my pieces, I will wait to actually frame it and place it behind glass.  I am forever changing 'finished' stuff.  The number of paintings I paid to have put together only to later tear apart is more than I care to share.

I love the light in the water 

My Happy Place 

Thanks for looking at this and other pieces that I have completed.  I only do one show a year anymore, the rest of my work is wholesale and painted specifically for Spicher and Co.

This and others will be taken to the Wilton Historical Society Show in New England on
November 3-5, 2017.

Check the show out here!

artisans/http://wiltonhistorical.org/events/american-artisan-show/american-artisan-show-2016-artisans/http://wiltonhistorical.org/events/american-artisan-show/american-artisan-show-2016-artisans/

Enjoy! 

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Folky Black Lab portrait

Watching over me! 

Everyone loves a sweet dog portrait.  While this is just a non-specific dog, it was actually stylized after a dog named Patriot.  Years ago, I saw an antique painting at a friend's house 

of a  big dog with a house in the background and a tiny little fence 

going around the pup (as if it could ever hold the dog in!). 

Upper left side in Green letters is the title
WATCHING OVER ME

This painting is reminiscent of some of my landscapes.  If you know my work, you'll recognize the technique and coloration.

On the right side, above his left leg reads
A DOG NAMED PATRIOT, and above that
TRUE LOVE

ANYONE who owns a dog will tell you that you just LOVE them so much.  They truly are extensions of our families.

LOOK at that face.  

Here's a shot from a distance.  Being from PA, I happen to love primitive.  The graining on this is just fun.  It is sort of crazy looking, and I love it.

Vintage VINYL on the floor by Spicher and Co! 

I placed the painting around the house at different lighting so that I could get the very best pictures!

The little dog on the left was an antique that was restored.  This poor puppy is missing some feet! 

I love the colors of this painting.  I love the brightness of the grass contrasted with the blackness of the dog.  In real life, this dog is getting up there in years.  The owner of Patriot wants to preserve its memory, so maybe they'll be another dog portrait coming!  Stay tuned.

The flag was sort of tongue in cheek because the Dog's name is PATRIOT!  I am a true patriot!  

Thanks for looking.  I am going to be mailing out some cards (see below) for my customers as a form of SAVE THE DATE.  I have a show that I have begun to paint for that is located in Wilton, CT.  It's a long way off but not for someone who does one-of-a-kind work.  Each painting is truly unique and different from the next, down to the framing!  If you want to be added to my mailing list, please message me!  You can find me on FB, why not LIKE my page??  That way you'll see all the new stuff that I post!  

My Mailer!  

Here's some more info on the show coming up in November 2-3, 2017.
http://wiltonhistorical.org/events/american-artisan-show/

Sorry this is a little blurry!!  

Thanks for taking time out of your day to look at my blog!  

ENJOY!  

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