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Artist Demo: Furniture, hand-painted.

Hand-painted furniture by Dan and Marlene Coble.

Artist, Dan Coble will demonstrate painting his unique, early-American style furniture at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 5, 2017 at Market Square Shows in Oaks, Pennsylvania.

Hand-painted furniture

The artistry of Dan and Marlene Coble.

Dan Coble and his wife, Marlene, have been making one-of-a-kind paintings on antique, vintage and newly crafted furniture for over forty years. “Our styles are inspired by the rich traditions of paint decoration in America and include grain painting, stencil decoration and free-hand painting”, says Dan.

Grain painting.

Grain painting is an early American form of furniture painting. The couple mirror exotic wood grains like mahogany, tiger maple, and rosewood. “Dry pigments in oil or vinegar are applied over a base color, usually yellow or red”, Dan explains. “Then we use feathers, rags, brushes, combs and other different materials to create textures and patterns of wood.”

Hand-painted furniture by Dan and Marlene Coble.

The variety of pieces hand-painted by Dan and Marlene Coble.

Free-hand painting.

Intricate hand painting is typically found on blanket chests and armoires. “Early furniture decorated with freehand painting reflects the regions where it was created,” says Dan. The freehand decoration is applied with brushes directly to the surface in stylized strokes.

Stenciling.

For stencils stylized designs are cut from paper or acetate, then laid onto the pieces “where paint or bronzing powders are ‘brushed’ through the open areas of the stencil, creating the design,” adds Dan.

Rich details and textures.

“Dan and Marlene’s love of hand-painted furniture is evident in the rich details and textures of each of their meticulously decorated heirloom pieces,” says Kathy Goodrich, president of Market Square Shows. “The artist demonstrations are presented so that buyers at our shows can learn and appreciate the techniques embedded in the historical process that Dan and Marlene continue to genuinely recreate.”    

Dan Coble, furniture painter.

Dan Coble

Dan and Marlene’s combined love of painting and antique furniture have shaped their careers. Educations in art blossomed into visiting antique shops, refinishing and painting furniture for their own home, giving painting lessons, running a business framing and selling antiques, and finally painting furniture full-time. Their own work is inspired by the pieces they have seen in museums, shops and homes over the years. Dan’s grained furniture was featured in Fine Furniture magazine. Learn more about Dan and Marlene Coble at http://www.danandmarlenecoble.com/

Marlene Coble, furniture painter.

Marlene Coble

Market Square’s wholesale show in Valley Forge/Oaks, Pennsylvania will run from February 5-7, 2017 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and will include three wholesale ways to buy – order-writing, artisan gallery, and cash and carry.

Since 1989, Market Square has been managing unique and successful wholesale shows throughout the country. Market Square is well known for shows in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Madison, Wisconsin; Marlborough, Massachusetts; and Springfield, Ohio. For more information about buying and exhibiting at Market Square visit www.marketsquareshows.com or call 717-796-2377.