Peggy’s Cove

Peggy's CoveSize: 1000 pieces, 1 missing
Dimensions: 68 cm x 49 cm
Manufacturer: Dowdle Folk Art, IRM./ART. 981261
Original: painting
Box: photo
Artist: Eric Dowdle – Renowned folk artist Eric Dowdle captivates people of all ages with the wit, charm, and detail which is portrayed in his artwork. His quirky and infectious personality is represented in his collection of hundreds of scenes from the United States, and around the world. These paintings are highly valued by collectors and are distributed as high-quality prints, puzzles, and gifts.

Eric began painting in his early twenties and after just one year of college decided to part ways to “make something happen!” Making things happen is exactly what Eric has done and continues to do. Painting, exploring, and working day and night to expand his collection of distinctive folk art paintings is his passion.

As he has traveled the world to do research for his paintings, Eric has been exposed to numerous peoples and cultures. Since 2012, he has shared these experiences on the radio program “Traveling with Eric Dowdle” which is found weekly on Sirius XM 143. Eric and his team are currently in production for the television series “Painting the Town with Eric Dowdle” which premiered on public television in 2015. [Eric Dowdle site]

Puzzle: Lovely puzzle, brought to me by a friend. Wonderful to do in the early hours of the morning when the less-than-two-week-old baby decides to welcome the sunrise instead of sleeping. Beautiful rendition of Peggy’s Cove.

Lots of possible places to start – the sky with the clouds, the ater, the green, yellow, and blue panels on houses, the orange roofs, the rocks, the lighthouse. Irregularly-shaped pieces add a bit of a challenge to otherwise quite an easy puzzle.

“See the world through the eyes of Eric Dowdle. His unique ability to capture the essence of the cities and places he paints has delighted people of all ages. His quirky, funny and infectious personality is represented in his art and he’s known worldwide for his unique style. When you travel along with Eric, the artist and personality extraordinaire, you feel like you were transported to that location as he shares all that he experienced in that destination through his art. By the time you complete the puzzle, you are left with a warm and friendly view of the city that he portrays in each painting.” [Puzzle box]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Spring Field

Spring Field
Size:  1000 pieces, 7 missing
Dimensions: 68 cm x 48 cm
Manufacturer: Mega Puzzles, No. 51152 ABN, A 20084 PP
Artist: Rudy Reichardt
Original: painting
Puzzle: A lovely serene scene of a countryside in autumn. Calm blue water reflecting the sky, the covered bridge, the sky and bright tree leaves border, and the boat are distinct regions that make a good start for the assembly. Good lighting is a bonus for the subtler transitions of colour among the trees and grass.

Puzzle: Into the Wind by Sally Caldwell Fisher

Sally Caldwell Fisher - Into the Wind, med

Size: 234 pieces
Dimensions: 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm
Producer
: TDC Puzzles, Item #7180
Artist: Sally Caldwell Fisher
Package: photo

Puzzle: “The World’s Smallest Jigsaw Puzzle. This puzzle has 234 of the smallest pieces ever to be die-cut. Tweezers are included to help you with this ultimate puzzle challenge. Good Luck!” [Puzzle box]

Similar to the Times Square puzzle, this puzzle had pieces that were too small to fit well and make the assembly enjoyable, but I liked it more due to the beauty of the image itself. I have assembled the colourful sails first followed by their reflections. The rest of the water was easy to complete due to ripples indicating direction, and the white of the clouds helped with the completion of the sky.

Puzzle: Buca Francesco by Viktor Shvaiko

Buca Francesco, med

Size: 504 pieces
Dimensions: 45.7 cm x 27.3 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox pieces. Company unknown – I do not have the box anymore. If you have this information, please do share. There were 4 puzzles in the box: Autumn in Paris, Buca Francesco, Rue Lafayette Paris, and Sunset Blaze – all by the same artist.
Artist: Viktor Shvaiko

Puzzle: Lovely puzzle with beautiful imagery and well-fitting Sure-Lox pieces. The easiest places to start are the sky, the water, the boats, and the vertical guides of building borders and corners where the colour contrast is the greatest. The bridge, the yellow building walls, the lilac flower in the top right quarter, the balconies, the table and chair backs, the lanterns and their reflections, and the banister with the flower planters can be put together next, leaving the arches, the windows, and the interior of the Buca Francesco building to fill in.

Puzzle: The Oceanwaves Quiltscape by Rebecca Barker

Rebecca Barker - The Oceanwaves Quiltscape, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 69 cm x 51 cm
Producer: Ceaco, 2003,3307-2

Puzzle: A bright vibrant puzzle, easily done due to multiple horizontal dividers with colour variations, and the geometrical patterns. The horizon line, the boats, the big turquoise wave, and the line separating the surf and sand create several distinct regions. From there on, filling out the rest is trivial.

Notes: “Rebecca has a deep appreciation of country living and antique quilts which clearly inspires the subjects she paints today. Her paintings feature quilts accompanied by foreground or background scenes which formally illustrate the traditional names of the quilt patterns.

Rebecca’s current series is titled “Quiltscapes”. Rebecca paints her Quiltscapes in acrylic on board (masonite). The patterns come from quilt history books and she regularly attends quilt shows. Her style is realistic with clean, clear colors and a sensitivity to composition and texture.

The Oceanwaves Quiltscape: This quilt pattern has the feel of the sea right in its folds. It is one of the first authentic all pieced quilt patterns which is comprised of many small triangles. It was created around the mid or late 1800’s. Origin unknown.

“My work is meant to honor the beauty of old time quilts and their patterns.” [Rebecca Barker]” [Puzzle box]

Puzzle: Portofino Coast by James Coleman

James Coleman - Portofino Coast, med

Size:  750 pieces
Dimensions: 59.7 cm x 39.4 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox
Artist:
James Coleman
Painting: http://www.progressiveart.com/coleman/coleman_portofino_coast.shtml

Notes: Portofino is an Italian fishing village, and upmarket resort famous for its picturesque harbour and historical association with celebrity visitors. It is a comune located in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is crowded round its small harbour, is closely associated with Paraggi Beach, which is a few minutes up the coast. According to Pliny the Elder, Portofino was founded by the Romans and named Portus Delphini, or Port of the Dolphin, because of the large number of dolphins that inhabited the Tigullian Gulf. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Port of Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark


Size
: 1000 pieces
Producer: Puzzle World
Notes: Nyhavn is a 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse, it is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Serving as a “heritage harbour”, the canal has many historical wooden ships.

Nyhavn was constructed by King Christian V from 1670-73, dug by Swedish war prisoners from the Dano-Swedish War 1658–1660. It is a gateway from the sea to the old inner city at Kongens Nytorv (King’s Square), where ships handled cargo and fishermens’ catch. It was notorious for beer, sailors, and prostitution. Danish author Hans Christian Andersen lived at Nyhavn 18 for some years. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Boats on water by Paul Rezendes


Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 40.64cm x 40.64cm
Producer:  Hasbro, MB Puzzle, Big Ben series
Artist:
Paul Rezendes
“In order to capture the essence and beauty of nature, there must be an intimacy with it, not as an object, but as a process that is forever changing. The more you learn to see nature, to observe it with the quality of attention that is crucial to seeing, the more one is able to create works of art.” – Paul Rezendes from: Wetlands: The Web of Life [Paul Rezendes site]
Notes:
Thanks to Hasbro, once again there is no information on the puzzle box about what place the puzzle is depicting. The only information I was able to find is the photographer’s name.

Paul Rezendes