Sommers End Originals

***Custom Artwork * Murals * Portraits * Calligraphy***

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Welcome to Sommers End!

(Main page last updated Sept 2021)

michele@sommersend.com

540-660-2716

My name is Michele D. (Erickson) Sommers, and I live in Front Royal, Virginia. I am an artist who does murals, portraits, calligraphy and original works on pretty much any surface, including canvas, velvet and even some animal skulls. If it sits still long enough, I'll paint on it! I am willing to travel, and of course works on canvas can be shipped anywhere. You can also find me on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/sommersend

Please feel free to take a look around. Check back often, as I will be adding images over time, and as new projects are completed. Thank you for stopping by!

If you see something that interests you, please feel free to contact me, no obligation.
Prints can be made if you are interested, just let me know. I use Fine Art America to process my prints on a variety of surfaces.

I have some older paintings on the Works in Progress page, if you want to see the stages of some of my previous ones...

I have a fan page on Facebook, where I try to post my most recent work. Feel free to check it out! www.facebook.com/sommersend

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Michele D (Erickson) Sommers lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her Husband Arthur, a dog, various cats, and many fish. Her inspiration comes from nature and animals, which she enjoys incorporating into her work whenever possible. Feel free to browse her website, and sign her guestbook while you're here. Check her Facebook page often (www.facebook.com/sommersend), as she does try to keep the page updated with new projects!

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I'm a little bad (ok, terrible!) about keeping this website updated...my newer work is posted on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sommersend).

Sommers End Originals

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Pet Portraits Galore!

I am mostly painting pet portraits these days for an online company. It's fairly anonymous, which is allowing me to try things I wouldn't with a client who has expectations. I'm exploring a looser style and using color in places I normally don't... getting LOTS of practice, to boot! This gig keeps me busy, as I do anywhere from 10-20 of these little canvases a week! These are 6x6 inches, acrylic, and they make nice little groupings when you have multiple pets.

One surface I tried to avoid at all costs... vehicles! The saving grace was that this is our car,

and the spoiler was ruined anyway, so hubby agreed to let me "play" with it... Before and after:

And since MY Mustang was lonely, I found her a friend:

Then, hubby wanted a mascot, too...

VELVET, BABY!

Another unusual surface to paint on... VELVET! Nope, no Elvis here, just this Wicked Tiger!

WICKED TIGER, acrylic on velvet (SOLD)

VELVET LION acrylic on velvet (sold)

Speaking of unusual surfaces, how about deer skulls? I do these custom, on a commission basis, with skulls provided by you. Something a little different for your trophy wall,
and more affordable than a full mount. More information on the Painted Skulls page...

I was sponsored by Gourmet Delights Gifts and Framing to paint a paddle (see the overview and other side) for a river awareness event (external link) in Front Royal several years ago. I won First Place in the Adult Division of the "On the River" paddle contest! (www.canoecapital.org)

3D Painting done on PVC panels, cut out and attached to give it a 3 dimensional look.

Murals
Pacific Northwest

Washington State, October/ November, 2016

Ford's Fish Shack, Ashburn VA
Detail of large mural in a fantastic seafood restaurant, (the first of three locations so far...) after some additions this past summer... The mural changes, pay attention or you might miss something!

Ford's Fish Shack, South Riding (2012)

Second location in the Ford's Trilogy, South Riding Plaza in Chantilly...

Ford's Fish Shack, Leesburg (2017)

The third installment for the Ford's Restaurants, Lansdowne in Leesburg VA. Not much in the way of flat walls at this location for a traditional mural (though we managed to sneak one in), but there was LOTS OF BRICK that needed freshening up in the way of a gray base coat with some white drybrushing to add some weathered appeal :)

A small mural we managed to sneak in :)

The Barn
Stages on the Works In Progress page, overall mural on the Murals page.

Glow paint makes for an interesting glow with the spotlights off (doesn't photograph well, this shows those coyote pups better!)

Painted around a life-sized photo cutout of Mr Eastwood...

.. And gave some deer mounts some scenery. I've been wanting to paint in the bodies of head-and-shoulder mounts for a while now. I love when people let me experiment!

CANVAS WORKS

A Murder of Crows

Acrylic, 12x24

(sold)

Gossip Trio

Acrylic, 14x18

(sold)

Kitty Hawk Pier, painted en plein air, acrylic with real sand thrown in. (sold)

A small companion piece, painted on a shell found at the site:

"Old Timers"

Sept 2020

Acrylic on a beautiful piece of live-edge oak that I was asked (forced, haha) to paint on. Donated to a local archery club for their annual fundraiser.