In episode 2.015 of Twin Peaks, Nadine Butler Hurley crashes through her bedroom door to discover her husband Ed in bed with Norma Jennings. We catch glimpses of artwork on the wall including two paint-by-number artwork originally released in 1957.
NADINE HURLEY CRASHES THROUGH THE BEDROOM DOOR
We first see the pain-by-number artwork after Nadine tears off the bedroom door. She is holding her second place trophy as she stands looking at Ed and Norma. I originally discovered these items when I identified a Figment plush from EPCOT Center on the bedroom floor.
We get a better look at the artwork as Nadine prepares to leave the bedroom. This is the only time we’ll see this artwork in the series, and there is no mention of it in the script.
CRAFT MASTER – NEW ARTIST SERIES 18
This artwork was easy to locate thanks to the online Paint By Numbers Museum (there really is a fan site for everyone on the World Wide Web).
I originally searched “paint by numbers girl with bird” and uncovered a match on Pinterest which link to a match on Etsy which sold in 2013.
Confirming that the artwork was indeed paint-by-numbers, I search for “paint by numbers girl holding cat” and found an eBay auction which sold for $51.97. A search for “vintage paint by numbers girl holding animals 1960s” lead me to the Paint By Numbers museum where I easily found more information about these paintings.
The paintings were part of a kit – New Artist Series 18 – from 1966 kit by Craft Master Corporation from Toledo, Ohio. According to the Toledo Blade, Craft Master was purchased by General Mills in 1967 and became a part of the company’s Fun Group. General Mills’ company website confirmed this fact:
General Mills went on a buying spree from 1961 to 1969, purchasing 37 companies – mostly nonfood companies. Its formidable toy business began 1965 with the acquisition of Rainbow Crafts, makers of Play-Doh modeling compound. It bought Kenner Products in 1967, and Parker Brothers, makers of the board game Monopoly, in 1968. The toy division was divested in the mid-1980s.
I didn’t realize that General Mills owned the company that made all of the Star Wars action figures I played with as a kid (there’s a second Disney connection – kind of).
The earliest newspaper ad I found was from December 12, 1957 in the Lancaster New Era. The Craft Master New Artist Series 18 was being sold with the Artist Series 10, 12 and a Black Magic Set.
The two pictures of the girl holding the bird and kitten were part of the “Family Pets” series in this kit. According to the packaging, the kit contained a “variety of picture subjects for all painters.”
Each kit contained 2 pre-sketched 10″ x 14″ mounted painting panels, 18 containers of pre-mixed artist oil colors, artist brushes, and complete instructions.
It looks like this set was sold until at least 1968 based on a K-Mart advertisement from the Waco News Tribune on September 12 that year.
Here’s a close up look at the painting from Etsy. The final result of each painting would be different depending on the skill of the artist. It’s difficult to say who painted the images in the episode. One assumes Nadine but most likely the crew found the paintings at a thrift shop and added them to the set.
Here’s a look at another examples from the Paint by Numbers Museum website. Notice how the girl holding the kitty picture looks quite different (what is up with her eye?!).
All said, these painting continue the Mid-century stylings found throughout most of Twin Peaks. I would love to find the screen-used originals but I fear they are long gone like a turkey in the corn.
