Let's Celebrate - a snow scene by Pennsylvania Artist Kolene Spicher

Let's Celebrate 

Over the River and Thru the woods 

I know its winter outside, but would someone please tell the weatherman to act right.  It's like 70 and its February.  I went ahead and painted a winter scene (I started it a few weeks ago), but

it's just plain balmy out.  It doesn't feel right. 

This was an order.  

If you are interested in owning a snow scene from me, just message me!  It's that easy. 

Look at that man warming his hands, I hope he doesn't fall into the fire! 

The frame is so very cool.  It came from the Amish.  Here this 80 year old man named Rufus seems to enjoy cutting barns down and recycling the wood.  He even signs some of his frames.  This frame came with a back that had a name written in ballpoint ink, maybe it's the barn this wood came from. 

Is this Grandma? 

I am trying to keep things light, happy, and bright.  This is a winter scene that is about celebrating.  Maybe I feel like being happy because I had some surgery in December and it went well and is all behind me.  I started this right after coming home from the hospital.  What fun. not. but I am thankful.

I don't know if that is grandma, but that is ME down there holding the pumpkin. 

This painting is sort of Grandma Moses like.  There's that word again...grandma. As you can see, I am into polka dots at the moment.  

This gives you an idea of the scale.  Do you like that Cabinet?  That was my dear sweet mother's! 

Thanks for looking today. 

Enjoy 

www.spicherandco.com

If you are interested in seeing more, go to this link! 

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Holiday Mermaid "Facebook Early American Folk Arts and Trades Marketplace" Painting, Post 3

Songs of Cheer and Good Will 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1213533635380525/permalink/1224830087584213/

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

***THIS PAINTING WILL BE OFFERED FOR SALE AT THE ABOVE EVENT OCTOBER 15 AND 15, 2016. 

This is where I left off in my last entry and represents and stopping point for that day. 

I wanted to keep the background and the snow as clean as possible.  The way I spill paint these days, make this nothing short of a small miracle.  LOL.  

What's this painting missing??  I decided that it needed smoke coming out of the chimney and I also sprinkled some snow on the painting!  Can you see it.  Look at her hat.  As I said yesterday, I changed her hat by adding a scarf around the backside of it, bringing it forward to create a bow.  Here was how the drawing started: 

Before the hat was altered.  

While painting it, I decided to add the tie.  It made sense to me, after all, if it is windy, she may lose her hat!

No chance of any hats flying off of this head! 

In this shot, you can see that I both added the smoke and changed the title.  I just like the idea of Cheer and Good will!  That's what Christmas is about.  God's goodwill toward men.   It's worth singing about, wouldn't you say?! 

Don't forget to check out the Facebook event! 

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

Enjoy and thanks for looking! 

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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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Snow Taxi Mermaid Painting photographed in its new home

Snow Taxi is installed in a beautiful New England Home! 

Snow Taxi 

It is not often that I receive beautiful photographs of pieces that I have painted installed in their new home.  I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see this painting hanging in such a beautiful home.  It evokes feelings of thankfulness in me.  

I love this mantle and the color it is painted.  

Can you imagine what the rest of this house must look like?  This green is so soothing and I love her simple decorations that she has on the mantle.

The elegance of the chandelier really compliments this room 

You can tell that this lovely room is probably decorated for the change of each season.  I admire such forethought and careful planning.  

WOW, love the highboy, too.  The platters look so pretty and stand out against the warm brown tones of the piece.  Everything is simply beautiful.  Love it all! 

I am sure that Thanksgiving will be a wonderful event in this home.  Thanks so much for sharing these pictures with me and the lucky audience that happens upon them!  

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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Winter Scene Folkart

It was the Finest Snowfall Ever! 

A Charming winter scene! 

I know it seems a little early to be talking about snowfall, but I was working on this painting and thought that it would be fun to snap a few pictures of it and tell you all about it.  

I think my landscape styles are a little Grandma Moses like! 

She certainly loved her winter scenes!

I think nearly everyone can relate to winter.  Wintertime brings people together like no other time.  We skate, we carol, we sled, we build snowmen, and we work.  I love the way the trees look in the winter.  The form and color is every bit as interesting as in the summer when the trees are covered with leaves.  

Great Memories! 

When I was a young girl, we used to skate on a family friend's pond.  IT WAS SO MUCH FUN and has provided me with some  rich memories that will be with me for my lifetime.  One of my favorite things to watch are the skaters.  Each winter when I go to NYC I love to watch the skaters at Rockefeller Center.  I love the big tree, too! 

 Next to skating, I love to watch the kids build a snowman.  My boys build them all winter long.  Every now and again, someone builds a miniature one and sits it on my windowsill.  It melts before supper~EVERY TIME!

LOVE THE RED SLED! 

Old Time Grained Frame

These old looking frames were actually grained not too long ago.  The dings are deliberate and are meant to give a feel of an antique frame.  I love the color of the sky and the way it contrasts the frame (or rather compliments it).  

Someone has to work! 

This is what a New England or Pennsylvania hillside looks like! 

The red on this house is brighter than the original but I still like it and included it because it stands out.  Mostly everything in this painting "Pops."  I really like this one!  

I am going to list it on my Etsy store KOLENESPICHER.  Check it out! 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/193021372/folky-whimsical-winterscene-with-skaters

Enjoy! 

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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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