Girl with Mask

The Removable Mask 

A Primitive Silhouette

**Update ~ Look at March 1, 2015 for a change to this painting

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222659217/kolene-spicher-original-painting-of-a?ref=shop_home_active_1

Last Week I painted a watercolor of a little girl.  I put it on Etsy.  I kept looking at it and got an excellent idea.  I am in love with silhouettes, so I decided to paint one and put it over her face.  It's okay, she didn't care. 

I attached these prongs to the back of the silhouette that are inserted into little slits that were made with an Exacto Knife at the top of her dress where the frills are located.  

Her head is slightly oversized, which is folky and primitive and just fine with me.  I had to give her a big head to cover the portrait beneath. 

One of my favorite things about being an artist is that I can change anything up.  I can paint the  moon black and the sky light.  When you create, you take something that is nothing and make it into something.  Or something like that. 

I think she's sweet both ways and I have only ever done this one time before in 25 years.  I was having my house photographed a few years ago, some of you may remember, for Country Living.  I had a wall of silhouettes and needed just one more… So, I tore a painting apart of a man and turned it into a silhouette. 

This is what you see if you pull her mask off! 

Here's a sweet little grouping that shows the piece more in full.  Remember, this is a ONE of a KIND original.

This is for sale on Etsy! Please check my store out.  It is named KOLENESPICHER.  

Enjoy! 

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Reproduction antique silhouettes

Decorating with 'Smalls' Around Your Home

https://www.etsy.com/listing/208706887/darling-period-looking-silhouette-of-a?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/208697816/reproduction-antique-silhouette-of-a?

It's fun buying and decorating for your home.  Sometimes, however, you want a piece of someone's artwork but you just honestly do not have the space to hang ONE MORE THING!  Here's a simple solution! 

Artwork on bookshelves!! 

Placing artwork on bookshelves is a clever way to layer what you own.  I love old books and have collected  many of them JUST FOR THE PRETTY JACKETS.  I have no intention right now of reading them, I just love the way they look.  I love the silhouettes sitting on the shelves, too, it makes the shelf look complete.

I found this old antique envelope from FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE 

I thought that it would be neat to paint something on this old envelope.  I was pleased with the result.  These little silhouettes are available thru Spicher and Co. who will direct you to a distributer in your area.  OR you can go to my ETSY page KOLENESPICHER Where I currently have two slightly used ones for sale.  

Enjoy and Thanks for looking! 

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YOUNG BOY Silhouette

Birds of the World

A Silhouette of a Young Boy

Love the Plaid Pants

I have  a following of people that collect my silhouettes.  I am glad that they enjoy them and am happy to continue to add to their collection as I expand my own abilities.  The background of this did not photograph true (and I apologize for this), it is much too yellow.  I kept it, however because the other colors are fairly true.

This is a little too much the other direction, it's not warm enough. 

Things that really stand out to me about this when I look at it are the collar, eyelashes,  and wispy hair. The transparent collar is very 'correct' and was frequently done this way in old silhouettes.   The plaid pants are an added plus and I painted this not realizing how much I would love the plaid when it was finished.  This was one that I didn't sell and ended up in my own personal collection.  Here is where it is currently hanging. I love how the plaid looks with the girl's red dress on the left.

It is at the top, second one down! 

This particular shot is at the entrance of my home.  I like seeing the girl with the big hat as I come in the front door (see Friday's post) and I LOVE the antique silhouettes that run up the wall.  Mine is the only reproduction there.  I fell in love with antique silhouettes many years ago and have bought a lot of them from Nantucket Country in  Massachusettes.  You should google her store!

closeup! 

I painted this frame.  It was painted on top of an old antique frame that needed a facelift.  The graining was done with my pointer finger!

I like to sign the backs of my paintings.  I love pretty handwriting!  Look for this silhouette on my Etsy store, I am going to part with it.  It's time!  The size is 7 3/8x5" wide.  It will be $210. My etsy store is KOLENESPICHER. 

ENJOY! 

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Young child Silhouette in Miniature format

Young Girl Silhouette with hand rubbed finish 

Painted in that 18th and 19th Century Style 

I love her pretty red dress. (Just shy of 5 inches) 

I love to paint little pictures.  The only downside to painting smalls is that it really takes a good amount of time...  I make a mess and spill things and typically spend as much time on something small as I do a larger piece.  Why do I do it then??  Well, it is because there are many collectors of artwork that hesitate to spend a lot of money on someone they do not know.  I wish to expand my market; therefore, I am willing to do a few smaller pieces to get the customer.  It's all fun!  

This little piece was really a newer frame that I picked up somewhere and isn't all that old.  I like it sitting on a bookshelf, but I also think it would be sweet to hang. It just blends in nicely with my furnishings.  

There's a slight glare on this picture, but you get the idea! 

The overall dimensions are 3 1/2 x 4 1/2"

To give you a good idea of the scale of this picture, it easily fits into the palm of my hand!

In case it's not clear, she is holding a bird! 

Check out the Hand-rubbed finish

The color in the above example is not entirely accurate, the original is more like an almond color that is gently toasted! 

I have an Etsy page.  I have been very lazy about posting to it.  I have only one picture on it.  Today, I decided to post another~WOW.  This little portrait.  If you are interested in her, I have made it affordable.  Remember, she is all hand painted and finished, ready to go, immediately! Think birthday or belated mother's day or even father's day.

*Today, I am doing something a little different!  If you like my page on FB and 'share' this link to your Facebook, I am going to have a giveaway.  The silhouette print below is the prize! (NOT the small round one).  The size of the square giveaway print is square 7"x9".  This is a $50 value.  One person will be selected at the end of the week!  

**The winner was Katie G.  Yay, Katie! May 16, 2014 

Also don't forget to check out my etsy page!!  I have the round one up right now! 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/189468523/18th-century-reproduction-young-child

Enjoy! 

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This Little Pig (Cochon) went to Market ~ Another set of Silhouettes!

This little Pig went to Market, and this little pig stayed home…. 

Pigs for your Kitchen! 

I am running out of ideas for these chairs!  I think that I may be done.  Well, there may be 2 more silhouettes that I paint, I am not sure if I will feel like more or not.  Anyways, here are my last two.  These bring back memories of my Mom and Dad playing with my little toes when I was a girl.  They would wiggle them and say this nursery rhyme.

This Little Piggy went to Market (English and penciled on the background) 

In French below it says A cochon est pour le Marche, which hopefully translates into A PIG FOR THE MARKET.  Again, I said in the last post, my French is not good and neither is my English at times.  I love the drape and the interest that it brings to the painting.  The simple pen and ink execution of the chair is brought up to a different level by the wrap.  It sort of makes the pig more important, I think.

The frame is old and the glass wavy, just the way I like it.  

French ~  THIS LITTLE PIG IS A RUNT 

Obviously, this is the Little Piggy that stayed home.  Again, Antique frame with old wavy glass.

Finally, here are all the silhouettes that I have completed so far!  Each one has its own special chair.  Do you have a special chair?  Would you like a painting done of yourself on your special chair?  JUST KIDDING.

BTW, when these were painted I had "cochon" spelled "cochen."  I have fixed this.  I hope that there are not more mistakes in this pile below! 

These will be made available thru Spicher and Co., Like us on Facebook!  If you would be interested in any of the paintings that I have shown here, please feel free to contact me! 

Enjoy!

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