Holiday Snow Scene

Home for the Holidays 

I love this frame.  In a way, I am sad to part with it because it had been some of the frames that my mom and dad had given to me (but realize this, it was to paint art that they were given).  In 

loving memory of my mom, I am going to part with it.  Everyone should have a piece 

of her.  SHE WAS THAT AMAZING.  I love that word...amazing. 

This is no where near completed but I wanted to post the

progress because I have been amiss doing this.  

I love the frame. 

The barn really is so cute with its little side window.  I resisted the urge

to put dividers in the windows...sigh.  All my houses have them. 

I will post more as it's finished! 

Kolene 

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Kolene Spicher Mermaid Winter Scene - Part 3

Getting Closer to completion! 

I added a lot more of my fish people and sailors!  I am not quite finished but thought it would be fun to blog about what I did so far.  It's been a busy week with the holidays.  I was hoping to have this completed but it will need to wait till sometime next week! 

I like the red but it's a bit garish for my taste 

One of the things that I will be doing next week is toning the red down.  It's just too bright for my liking.  I have been looking at it for a few days now and think it needs a little less vibrancy.  :) 

What do you think?  Maybe even a different color.  Maybe it's too Christmas??  Here it is in the frame! there was a lot of work that has gone into this.  If the decorator cannot use it, I will let you know.  Maybe it will be available or maybe I will keep it till my next show and enjoy it for some months ahead!

Thanks for looking and happy Thanksgiving and Christmas to you and yours!

Enjoy!

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Victorian Winter Mermaid Town Scene

Snow Taxi 

Snow Taxi 

I have so much fun painting these winter scenes.  While painting this one, I couldn't decide what to call it.  After a little thought, I found myself thinking that they looked like they were "waiting" for someone, almost like UBER or a taxi.  It was then that I came up with my title Snow Taxi! 

Victorian with Fabric liner 

I always think victorian when I am painting snow scenes.  When I was a young girl in the 60s, this frame must have been in vogue because my mother bought a lot of these frames.  She was an artist, too~ SMILE. 

I decided that to properly photograph this painting, I would need to hang it.  This was one that I thought I had sold, but the customer wanted me to frame it in a lemon gold frame.  Because I didn't have one this size, we agreed that I would paint something different for her, making this now available for purchase.  

Here is a HEAD on shot.  Sorry about the flash. 

I have a lot of hard wood flooring in this house.  I think that I will let the picture up because it just looks really good!  I am going to list the painting on ETSY if you are interested.  

29 1/2 X 33 1/2 SIZE 

As you can see this is very big.  It would fit over a bed nicely or inside a door.  I have mine hung inside my front door.  With the holidays coming, why not buy a prop!!! 

There are a few condition issues with the frame but it doesn't affect the look of this piece one bit.  The painting itself is recessed behind the glass which is antique and wavy! 

This is not visible at a distance 

Like many things in life, when you look at them from a distance, you miss all the details.  That is definitely true of this frame.    There is so much going on that you don't really notice a chip out here and then.  Plus it adds to the over all look of the piece, I think! 

Here's a closeup of the canvas.  I spend a lot of time making it look OLD! 

Thanks for taking the time to view this.  I know it was a long one! 

She is saying SEE YOU, and catch the next taxi! 

Have a merry Christmas! 

Enjoy

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Step 1 of Winter Scape painting by Kolene Spicher

The Development of a Winter Scene Painting 

(If you live in the Wilton, Connecticut area, this painting is being developed for a show at the Wilton Historical Society on November 6-8, 2015 ~ read about it at www.americanartisanshow.com)

**There are two shows going on simultaneous to one another this November 6-8, 2015 weekend.  They are both in the same genre and share the same collector base.  I am at the show affiliated with the WILTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY on Danbury Road, Wilton CT.  This is their 30th year.  

I don't have any real direction for this painting as of yet.  It will end up falling into a category that might be in-between my mermaid scenes and that Rufus Porter look.  I cannot decide if I will include mermaids or just have it about people.  I don't have any clear cut direction as of yet!  I am just painting.  This is day 2.  

I painted in a few people in the background! 

The houses get larger as they come to the forefront.  I happen to really love the contrast of red houses with snowfall. 

I always paint from top to bottom and back to front! 

Today, I plan on sketching in and painting the sleigh.  I always have a sleigh.  Normally, I have ice skaters, too.  We shall see!  Tune back tomorrow to see the unfolding of this piece! 

Although you might not realize it, This is a larger painting.  I am not sure that this translates in the photographs.  LOTS MORE TO DO! 

ENJOY!

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Mermaid Winter Scene

The Presents 

It is better to Give than to Receive

In The spirit of giving… 

I always have a great time painting these winter scenes.  In many ways, winter is my favorite time of the year.  I just love Christmas.  

Things that stand out to me are as follows!

Love the bright colors! 

These little figures are not very big, and I painted as much detail in as was possible for me.  I like the idea of being 'together' with people that I love.  I love horses and riding in a sleigh.  To me this says "HOLIDAY" and Christmas!! 

The idea is that they are traveling to see a MERMAID SHOW! Fun. 

Let's not forget those in need.  For so many of us, Christmas may not be a time where gifts and money abound.  I really liked the message of giving to those in need.  Check out the red bucket's message.  

To be candid, I took that "Alms for the Poor" message from Robin Hood.  Ha.  My boys LOVE that story. 

I am working on this and a LOT of other paintings for my upcoming show in Doylestown, PA.  It is called the Bedminster Show and is held at Delaware Valley College.  Here's the information: 

Enjoy! 

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Snow Scene

Wishing you a Snowy Christmas! 

ETSY LISTING

https://www.etsy.com/listing/206772499/kolene-spicher-original?

A small portion of my latest snow scene RIGHT SIDE 

I am guessing if you have opened this page, you like folk art.  I happen to love it, too, along with a lot of other styles. The other day I got it into my mind that I wanted to try to make A NEW  greeting card for Christmas.  I wasn't using my head though, on this one, because the format was all wrong for a Christmas Card.  I am going to sell this on my ETSY store KOLENESPICHER.  Please look it up!

A small section of the LEFT side of this painting 

As I was saying, the FRAME is sort of an odd size.  It would be perfect for a whale.  I happened to fall in love with it, however, because someone a long time ago hand-grained it.    I sold myself on it thinking that I could make it work--Wrong!  It  doesn't work for a greeting card.

I love the happiness of the faces and how they are looking at each other from across the painting.

I am afraid that my Apple Iphone camera is starting to fade away.  The pictures are not good quality.  This is a little blurry which is why I included the top two pictures first.

The size on this is 15 3/4" x 7 3/4" (almost 8" really)

The style of this really just goes with the whole primitive thing.  My house is a combination of high style, antique, primitive, and Restoration Hardware.  Don't knock it, it really looks sort of cool--even after all these years.  It reflects the various stages of collecting that I have undergone in the 27 years that I have been married.  

Here's a great shot of the frame, as I said, this was hand-grained very long ago.  I would put this at nearly 100 years old (the frame).  It might be 1920s.  Its really a guess.

Currently, I have it hanging beside my VERY FIRST SNOW SCENE.  This was a series that you can still buy through Spicher and Co. 

www.SpicherandCo.com 

https://www.spicherandco.com/home.php?cat=944

This was all 13! I STILL  have the original of ONE FOR ME AND ONE FOR SISTER
That is the snow scene in the photo above that is pictured
with the grained piece from long ago. 

And that's how it goes!! 

Enjoy! 

Kolene Spicher 

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Winter Scene

A Very Festive Snow Scene

** Update! These cards are available on KOLENESPICHER ETSY page.  I have very limited quantities left.   https://www.etsy.com/listing/165393819/ship-painting-tabletop-beautiful-vintage

Fifteen years ago, back in 1995, my husband and I decided that we would print some cards.  I had about 21 different styles.  It was a very exciting time for me because I was just getting started in the whole art world and was really new to the idea of printing anything. We opened our doors in 1992.   I started with paintings, of course, that were one-of-a-kind and then branched out from there.  This was one of the first that I decided to print.  I remember TO THIS DAY the show that I sold the painting at in Valley Forge.  It feels like so long ago, but as fast as time flies, I guess it's only 15 years.

We found a box in our warehouse with about 30-35 packs of various card designs, and I thought I'd keep a few packs of 5 and sell the rest on my Etsy. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165393819/ship-painting-tabletop-beautiful-vintage

You can check it out if you are interested in buying some of what remains.  There are 15 packs as of today, and I am selling them for $15 a 5 pack.  

They are bundled in 5s with one envelope per card. 

Thanks for looking.  I have some die cut teacup cards and a few die cut house cards, too.  I will post them later-smile :)

I paint in many styles, as some of you have come to know, on February 10, 2014, I posted a different type of winter scene.  It is sort of fun to compare the different styles.  One is much more whimsical then the other.  I still like the older style, it's just fun to mix things up a bit!

Enjoy!

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Central Park In The Dark

CENTRAL  PARK  IN  THE  DARK

ICE  SKATING beside THE GAPSTOW BRIDGE

NEW YORK, NY 

Available now on Etsy!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/205552600/holiday-winterscape-in-manhattens?

This is the final picture representing this painting at its most complete stage.  If you look at my blog from a few days ago, you can really see the difference.  I antiqued the edges and intend to either put it in a simple black frame or a 19th century gold leaf filigree type frame.  I also have the frame pictured on a previous post a few days ago.  

The colors in this painting--such as blue, yellow, red, etc.--very much stand out.  I don't know if it comes thru on the photo but the blues are vibrant.  The reds are warm and rich, and the yellows that are spread throughout the painting are as sporadic as the snowflakes that are falling with no specific pattern or logic. 

 

This painting represents the beginning of what will be posted as I start to stock up for my show in Buck's County, PA.  I will post something about this show maybe tomorrow.  It is in September 2014.

Thanks so much for following the progress of this painting. 

Enjoy! 

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