Skeleton Krew Collection: Livin' Large

Over the past two years I've been building my Skeleton Krew Collection, with my obsession with Victorian photography I've found that it is rare find when I come across large portraits. With the art show coming in January I am working towards showing all various sizes of paintings, everything from 2 inches to 2 feet. These rare finds are just immaculate, you really get a sense of a mood and I love when they come framed in gesso. Below are some newer and older portraits from my collection that have yet to be painted.

~ I purchased this dark portrait about two months ago, from the Main Street Antique store in Newark, DE. I really love her outfit, she kinda reminds me of a dark gypsy, I'm thinking of painting half her face as a skeleton. Aprox: 1.5' x 2'.

~ I really love this fellow too, have had this portrait for about a year, just fell in love the frame in metal and gold painted gesso frame. I found this portrait to be unusual because of the side profile, I actually found this amazing skull engraving in which I will use as a reference to paint his face. There are even cob webs forming on the inside the glass from age, spooky. Aprox: 2' x 2.5'.

~ This beautiful portrait has amazing pale yellows and blues and dark features. Me having pale blue eyes, I always covet brown eyes matched with dark hair. The frame is black with hints of pink with bat like molding on the edges. Isn't she divine, looks as if heaven is behind her? Aprox: 1.5' x 2'.

~ I must tell you, I found this darling haunting young boy this past weekend at this estate sale, I was coming back from the grocery store and actually made a quick U-turn to go back to the antique store. I always find that these old portraits call me, I'm drawn to them some how by fate. When I saw this child I immediately ran to it and grabbed it off the wall, thinking someone might get there before me. Rarely do I find portraits that I am afraid to touch or take out of the frame. The child looks from the early 1900s and is just beautiful and haunting with his striking pale blue eyes. I dare not paint this boy, for who knows if his soul will be released from the dead, plus he is just too gorgeous to disturb. Aprox: 1' x 1.5'.