A-Z of Crafts

 

P--Painting (by numbers)

We have made it to " P".

Today we are going to go back in
time. A time that was a little slower,
a little less hectic and a little less
demanding. That would have been
my childhood.
Growing up in the seventies was a
great time to be a kid (my opinion)
I remember Paint by Number Kits
being sold at TG&Y. (a dime store)
My Mom loved them! We spent a
whole summer painting them. Some-
times my friends would join in and 
when the black velvet ones came out,
oh boy. A must have!

As I am sure you know and remember,
these kits came with a canvas stamped
with numbers and outlines. Paint pots
and a brush were included.
Each number coincided with a specific
color. ie: 1=Red, 2=Pink.

Max S. Klein invented, developed and
marketed these kits in 1950. He was
the owner and engineer of the Palmer
Paint Company with Dan Robbins a
commercial artist out of Detroit,
Michigan. In 1993, following he death
Max's daughter donated to the
Smithsonian Museum the Palmer Paint
Co archives. The # 554 collection is
available the public and staff for research 
and exhibition purposes.
From April 2001 to January 2002
the museum had an exhibit that revisited
the hobby from the artists and
entrepreneurs who created the kits. Plus
those who painted them and hung them
in their homes.

Seen as mindless hobby for some critics
but others saw the hobby as a way to
introduce many to a form of painting.

There has been a revival of sorts with
this hobby over the last few years. It has
not taken the craft world by storm but
I think those who have purchased a kit
recently probably did so as a child with
good memories to go along with it.

Anyone paint by numbers??

Q is up tomorrow.


~Keep on Dreaming~