"little George Washington" By Kay Ameche - Folk Art Oil

This is an original one of a kind oil on canvas painting by artist Kay Ameche. The painting is signed by the artist and dated 1974. It is in it's original frame and has the artists nameplate on it. It also still has the Gallerie Jurarez tag on it from when it was originally sold. The painting is approximately 8 inches wide by 10 inches long. This amazing piece of folk art depicts the legendary story of George Washington cutting down the cherry tree. It is a beautiful and whimsical piece that people love to look at it because it simply brings a smile to your face. In particular, people love that "Little George" seems to have the body of a young boy but the face of George from the dollar bill with grey hair and all. George also has his little black dog with him. His displeased father, wearing his red coat, angrily asks George to hand over the Hatchet. One can only imagine that his father is about to ask him if he cut down the cherry tree to which young  George will inevitably reply that he cannot tell a lie. The artist, Kay Ameche was often likened to Grandma Moses. She grew up near Chicago, where she was taken out of school at age 8 to help support her large family. Her family relocated to Southern California, where she worked in Hollywood-area hospitals, often caring for entertainment industry celebrities. The idea of painting arose when she envisioned a seascape for her wall and could not find exactly what she wanted. She became a protege of primitive artist Streeter Blair. Her first two paintings sold for $250, and by the early 1990s, they were going for $5,000 to $10,000 each. Ameche's paintings were purchased by many celebrities including Nelson Rockefeller, George Burns, Katharine Hepburn, Elton John and Robert Ludlum. However, her most most famous fans had to be Ronald and Nancy Reagan. The Reagan Library archives list one of her paintings as item #742 in their archives of personal items packed when the Reagan's vacated the White House. In 2016, Christie's sold a Kay Ameche paiting once owned by the Reagans for $5,000.00. That piece, California Republic, is much smaller than the paiting being offered here. The frame and the matting are in good condition with the slight wear one could reasonable expect from a piece that is almost fifty years old. The photos accurately portray everything. All serious offers will be considered. It is incredibly rare to find an original oil painting by Kay Ameche, which makes it difficult to price. Her unsigned and unnumbered prints reguarly retail for over $500.00. This is a great piece for anyone who loves folk art, Americana, Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, George Washington, America.

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