"Wash Day", 14.5" X 34"

Wash Day 14.5" X 34" watercolor by April M. Rimpo

I know we are not supposed to have favorite children, but my painting Wash Day always makes me smile.  It is definitely my favorite Guatemala painting.  As you can tell from the perspective,  I saw the group of women washing their clothes in the lake from a boat.  One man was watching from the shore (whom I decided to remove from the scene) and a few children were playing while their moms did the washing.  I felt a sense of camaraderie among the women; this was wash day and they all were there.  I loved the reflections of their skirts in the water.   I'd seen women washing clothes in other places throughout Guatemala and when we had visited St Lucia years prior.  I want to tell the story of Guatemala and this is an integral part of it.

My goal in the painting was to capture the shape of the women and the bright sun spots on their clothes to ensure they were clearly distinguishable and the focus of the painting.  I used a loose approach so the women were integrated with the water.  I own a lovely painting Don Andrews did of three rodeo men where the men meld with the scene.  I felt this approach would work wonderfully for the mood I wanted in Wash Day, so I kept Don Andrew's painting in my studio to remind me of my goal.  I also kept in mind Ted Nuttal's approach of applying very light washes and then adding dots and dabs of paint, which you pull out to soften edges and integrate the color into the scene.  This technique worked beautifully to bring the color from the women's skirts into the water.  I was delighted with the results and hope you enjoy it as well.

Wash Day

14.5" X 34" image

23" x 42" brushed silver frame

$1200 includes shipping within the United States

Limited Edition Giclee Print available in 21" x 40.5" off white mat

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE

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