My Painted Fireplace Pics

16 years ago

OldAlgebra asked to see pics of my family room fireplace. It's called a kiva fireplace and they've been used here in New Mexico forever, it seems. They're usually built in corners and used to all be made out of thick adobe bricks. Ours are, but many nowadays are made out of other bricks and stuccoed over. We have three of them (MBR, family room and out on our front portal), but this is the only one I've painted . . . so far anyway.

They can be a PIA to decorate around, though. Our ceilings tend to be high and the kiva's chimneys go right up through the ceilings. Their mantels are narrow, which creates problems trying to find something to put on them that doesn't end up looking minuscule with the soaring chimneys!

I felt that our family room kiva was fading into the background of the room and wanted it to instead make a bold architectural statement in the room. Many people out here just paint them a contrasting color, but I didn't want to go that route. I started out with the idea of somehow using petroglyph cave designs on it and this is what I ended up with.

I painted everything by hand. First I sponge painted the chimney the brown you see. I then cut two ordinary kitchen sponges into convex and concave shapes. I used just them to create the smoke design. I then painted the petroglyph symbols on the hearth, by lying on my left side on the (hard, brick) floor, using regular craft paint, a very thin paint brush . . . and a lot of Q-tips to correct my mistakes ;^P

It took me four partial days to paint it all: one for the chimney; one for the petroglyphs; one for the antique wash over it all; I put on a clear protective coat on the fourth morning.

This first pic was taken before I rearranged the family room and replaced the old EC with the new lift console, but it shows the entire kiva:

And here's a close-up of the hearth's petroglyph paintings:

Here's the pic I took of it with my new gourd pot. The color of the kiva is most accurate in this last pic, BTW. I still need to do something with the other side of the mantel. Perhaps move the Indian pot someplace else and leave the two shaman statues with my small black Santa Clara pot at their feet. The painting, "Conejos", is by New Mexico artist J.Waid Griffin. We love his work.

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Anyhoo, that's my kiva fireplace and the story behind my painting it.

Lynn

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Comments (13)

excessfroufrou
16 years ago
You are really quite the artist. The fire place looks like it has been around a hundred years. The whole room is so inviting. I love those chairs, they really add to the mix. Good job!
Syble
oldalgebra
16 years ago
The first thing I thought of when I saw the picture of the entire fireplace was, "How did she get clear up there without doing serious damage to herself?" You're not only talented, you much too brave.

I think the petroglyphs are a great touch, even though you had to loose all feeling on your left side to paint them. (And I liked learning that they're not just called "cave man paintings")

Yeah, I think I'd change out the twiggy stuff on the right of the mantel. Maybe it's because I don't like them so close to the painting on the wall.

It is quite wonderful. Thanks for going to the trouble of posting.
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lynninnewmexico
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, Syble! The chairs are now in my living room, as the family wanted more comfortable tv viewing chairs in the family room. I do love them, though.
Lynn
lynninnewmexico
Original Author
16 years ago
OA, too funny! I used a very tall ladder, but it's a good, sturdy one. I think you're right about removing the twig-stuffed Indian pot. I'll try that this afternoon. Thanks for the suggestion :~)
Lynn
jeannespines
16 years ago
OMgosh, lynn...your kiva is so beautiful! The whole room is so very, very down-to-earth! I could sit in this room & feel very much at home! You have brought the outdoors into your family room. What wonderful artistic ability you have shown in this kiva! Well worth the 4 days of work!

Your new gourd art looks perfect there...and if you are moving the other Indian pot & leaving those beautiful shaman statues there, maybe you could add some gold, bronze or copper (very small) at the feet of the shaman...is there something you have that would tie into this arrangement?

The color of the kiva is so perfect! Your work is wonderful! TFS pics! Jeanne S.
phonegirl
16 years ago
Lynn, it is beautiful and looks like you use it too. the first picture with the fire really warms the soul.

Punk
luckygal
16 years ago
You are very creative Lynn and have achieved such a beautiful result even tho it cost you some effort and short term pain. Well worth it I'm sure. The finish has a waxed appearance which is very attractive.

I've noticed your adobe walls in other pics and wondered if they are painted with regular paint or if you use something special on them. I really like the look.
lynninnewmexico
Original Author
16 years ago
Lucky: all our adobe walls are painted with an eggshell finish in Mt. Rainier White. Nothing expensive or special about them . . . except it's time to paint them all again :~(
The only thing that has a special finish is the hand-troweled hood in our kitchen. It went on brown and cured to a beautiful cream color with a waxy finish when it was dry.

Thanks for all your kind words on the fireplace, Ladies! It was a lot of fun to do . . . despite the discomfort of lying on our hard brick floor for hours, painting all those petroglyphs.
Lynn
hhireno
16 years ago
Hi Lynn,
I don't remember you posting these great pictures over on the HD forum and you should if you haven't already. It looks wonderful! Very impressive.
Jean
kathleen_li
16 years ago
Very nice! Looks very grand...
luvstocraft
16 years ago
Lynn, you are one talented gal. You did a really great job painting your fireplace. It really makes it look like a work of art and warms up the room even more than from just the fire it holds. Job well done!

Luvs
wandaredhead
16 years ago
What a wonderful job...everything about it!!
lynninnewmexico
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the comps on my fireplace. It was initially hard to get started on it, but once I did everything seemed to fall into place.
Jean: I don't recall that I ever showed it over there. I know that I did when I was a regular over on the old Great Impressions forum. Thanks for the compliment :~)
Luvs, thanks, it does make the room warmer, doesn't it? I like it a lot.