"Trapped" 36" X 36" fluid acrylic & watercolor

Trapped by April M Rimpo

Trapped

fluid acrylic & watercolor mounted on

36" x 36" X 2.5" deep cradle Cherry Wood

$3110

Available through April's Website

Trapped was born "in my list of must do paintings" when leaving New York City through the Holland Tunnel a couple years ago.  My husband was driving and I was delighted by the reflections of lights in the ceiling and walls of the tunnel. Now you might be wondering, if this was a happy moment enjoying the lights, then why is the titled Trapped?  Well, although the initial moment when entering the tunnel was a happy one, my reaction once I get inside tunnels that are under bodies of water is angst.  I really dislike tunnels under water.  Maybe there have been too many movies about water flooding these kinds of tunnels that works on me.  Generally in the movies this occurs after some bad guy sets off an explosive (not a natural disaster), but none the less these movies have gotten into my psyche.

When invited by the Columbia Art Center to participate in an exhibit titled "Things that Scare Me" I thought of the pictures I had taken and decided it was time to do my Holland Tunnel painting.  Part of me says I shouldn't call this painting Trapped since it was the beauty of the reflections that really made me want to paint this.  While getting ready to paint this I decided to emphasize the dark "hole" at the end of the tunnel, but wanted to contrast it with the beautiful subtle colors in the concrete and tunnel walls. The calming colors surrounding the dark hole make me smile when I look at the painting.  Maybe this painting will end up being therapeutic and help me get over this phobia.  

Other urban paintings by April include:

• Smart Car Choices
• Freight Yard

Contact April here

Interested in learning more about April's art inspirations, tips about her painting process, or art business tidbits? Want to know when her art is in exhibits? Consider joining her friends and collectors by signing up for her twice-monthly email.

Rimpo 2016 All Rights Reserved. You may share my work with attribution and a link to this source site, but all other uses are prohibited.

"Venice III" watercolor 14" X 28"

Venice III by April M Rimpo

Venice III captures Venice life using textures to provide the feel of the buildings, while maintaining the softness of the water in the canal.  As many of you know I love to use an orange/blue complementary color scheme.  Venice III screamed for those colors since those are common colors in Venice.  I just love the blue striped poles scattered along the canal where gondolas, water taxis, and other boats can tie up to let off their passengers.  This painting received an Honorable Mention award.

Venice III

watercolor

14" X 28" image

22.5" X 36.5" golden wood frame

$975 within the United States *

Donated to the Howard County College President's Gala 2017 - Scholarship Fund fundraiser.

To see a sequence of images showing the creation of this painting go to Building a Painting

Other European landscapes by April include:

• At One with their Gondolas
• Ponte Vecchio
• Vineyard Life
• Morning in Provence

* Contact April regarding purchase outside the United States

"Flowers to Remember" 24" X 36"varnished watercolor on Aquabord

Flowers to Remember by April M Rimpo

Flowers to Remember

varnished watercolor on Aquabord

24" X 36"

SOLD

The people in Guatemala have wonderful traditions surround All Saints Day.  It is a day to celebrate their family members who have passed.  They flood into their cemeteries and spend the day together with family living and dead.  The fly kites with messages for those passed tied to the tails.  Flowers are everywhere. Streets are decorated with beautiful floral "paintings". This woman is carrying a bundle of flowers on her head as she heads into a cemetery.  The women in the background are selling flowers.  I was lucky enough to be in Antigua, Guatemala over All Saints Day to see these traditions.  Some traditions I have captured in paintings are others will certainly make their way into paintings over time.

My painting Messengers is another painting about these traditions.

*Contact April regarding shipping costs outside the United States

"Intertwined" 45" X 45" acylic on gallery wrapped paper

Intertwined by April M Rimpo - SOLD

Since I generally paint semi-abstract or realistic scenes of people and places, when I venture out in new directions I can't help but see things in my non-objective work.  I think it's a bit like looking at clouds and seeing people or animals. Or maybe something like when people from long ago gazed at star formation and found pictures that became named constellations.

I don't know if humans have some reason that causes them to look for the familiar?  I find it fascinating how when shown random objects we seem to want to make some kind of order to them.  Even the Rorschach psychological test created by Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach used ink blots to try to evaluate people's thinking processes.

I won't share what I see in my own painting so as not to bias your experience, but it would be interesting to me to hear what if anything you see in Intertwined.  Enjoy!  I hope this painting brings you as much joy as I had creating it.

"Looking Up" 36" X 40" acrylic and watercolor

Looking Up by April M Rimpo

So you've seen several of my paintings looking down on city streets so now it's time to take some time and enjoy the beautiful scenes above our heads.  Almost 18 months ago I was headed to one of the local art centers and happened to park on the street.  While walking up the hill toward the center I happened to look up.  It was a gorgeous fall day, the leaves had changed and I happened to have my camera with me.  Since the stars had aligned I took a photograph, as I am likely to do when I see something that catches my eye.  I had decided I wanted this to be a large painting to help convey my feeling when I saw the trees.  They were this magnificent stand above my head saying hello as they swayed in the breeze.  So hello from the trees; I hope they make you smile too. 

Looking Up

Fluid Acrylic and Watercolor on Paper

Varnished and Framed

36" X 40"

SOLD

Interested in learning more about April's art inspirations, tips about her painting process, or art business tidbits? Want to know when her art is in exhibits? Consider joining her friends and collectors by signing up for her twice-monthly email.

Copyright April M Rimpo 2014 All Rights Reserved. You may share my work with attribution, but all other uses are prohibited.