"Art Fest" 21" X 12" Fluid Acrylic

Art Fest by April M Rimpo

Art Fest

Fluid Acrylic

21" X 12" image

I've attended a lot of art festivals and they often are filled with tents where each artist shows their wares.  This one was a bit different since it was held next to a park surrounded by a wrought iron fence.  Each artist hung or leaned their works against the fence or set up an easel or table to work further from the fence.  It seemed a bit more intimate this way. The sun fell through the surrounding trees creating interesting patterns on the walkways, but still providing enough light to let you see the artwork. Since I enjoy painting people and bicycles, and this artist arrived on a bike, I just had to include him in my celebration of an Art Fest.

A nice memory that came back to me after completing this painting was how I once participated in an art fest at a lovely botanical garden where we also hung our art on the fence.  I love how art can bring back memories. 

Please share your festival experiences with me in a comment. Have you ever hung art on a fence?  Did it rain during a festival and you were grateful to be under a tent?  

Click here to Contact April

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

"Ready to Roll", 22" X 22" and "Delivery Trike", 19.5" X 27.5"

Delivery Trike by April M. Rimpo

Delivery Trike

watercolor
19.5" X 27.5" image
27" X 35" brushed silver framed
$1250

On Exhibit at Laurel Art Guild's 48th Annual Open Juried Exhibition from
March 10 - 31. The Opening Reception will be held March 12, from 2 - 4 PM.

Delivery Trike is part of my bicycle series, although in this case an adult size tricycle.  I had seen this trike at a park at least 15 years ago and immediately thought there would someday be a painting. I’m not sure if it is something about the geometric contrast between the wheels and spokes with the overgrown plants behind the trike, or the contrast with the bright linear rectangles of the crates on the back platform.  Regardless of the original attraction I think it is both of these characteristics that continued to summon me to the original photograph. 

I remember being amused by the thought of a large delivery tricycle and thought others would equally be amused.  It felt like a throw-back to another era and  the overgrown plants behind the trike told me it had not been used for a long time.  It now felt more like a decoration, but I believe at one time it was a very useful vehicle. I hope my rendition will make people think back to earlier times when our ingenuity brought about vehicles like this to help us do our work and the elegance of such solutions.

Other bicycle paintings can be seen in these blog posts:

• Missing You
• Department Store

Prints are available in my online shop.

One other bicycle painting that I have not described in a blog is shown below.  Ready to Roll was a playful piece where geometric squares and triangles were played against the circular wheels of the bike and curve of the handle bars.

Ready to Roll by April M. Rimpo

 

Ready to Roll

watercolor and gouache

22" X 22" image

28" X 28" brushed silver frame

$995

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.

Movement Series

I have been painting bicycle and bicyclist for a while.  In my latest paintings my intent is to emphasize motion, speed, and energy. 

In both paintings I enjoyed letting the background flow into the image of the bicyclist.  In Movement I the background becomes part of the shirt and the race number attached just below his back.

Movement I by April M Rimpo

Movement I

Fluid Acrylic

25" X 18" Varnished Gallery Wrapped Paper

In Movement II the background shapes can be seen running into her flesh tones, helping to ground her in the scene.

Movement II by April M Rimpo

Movement II

Fluid Acrylic

25" X 18" Varnished Gallery Wrapped Paper

You can see both Movement and Movement II on my website under Art > Cyclists Gallery

For your favorite cyclist, consider this.

Set of giclee prints on watercolor of 

Movement I and Movement II 

Each print is 16" (h) X 12" (w)
$150 for the set, includes shipping within USA
Contact April if Interested in a print set.

Movement was selected by juror Carole Pickel for the 8th Annual International Society of Acrylic Painters Open International Online Show.  See the exhibit here.  It was one of 60 paintings selected from a field of 300.

It has also been selected for North Light Books' AcrylicWork5: Bold Values, to be released in 2018. 

Other paintings in April's Movement Series include:

• Race
• Cycling
• Movement III

April's Movement series shown at right 

in an Office Environment

Copyright April M Rimpo 2015 All Rights Reserved. You may share my work with attribution and a link to this source site, but all other uses are prohibited.

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.

 #bicycles #hocoartist #hocoarts #bikerace #cyclists

"Thoroughfare" 12" X 20" fluid acrylic

Thoroughfare by April M Rimpo

Available for purchase - Learn more here

When I hear the term bicycle-friendly, the first place I think of is Amsterdam. The cyclists truly rule there.  Thoroughfare, celebrates an underpass that runs under Rijksmuseum; this scene depicts the entrance to the underpass. Early in its history this underpass was open to motor traffic, but is now only for cyclists. As you can see, it is heavily used. During a major renovation, completed in 2013, there was a plan to convert the underpass to a major entry for the museum, but the cyclists won that battle and the underpass remains.

If you travel to downtown Amsterdam, nearer the ferry boats that cross the IJ, you find so much bicycle traffic moving quite fast, that pedestrians need to pay more attention crossing the bike routes than crossing streets. 

This contrasts with a huge bicycle route built in London that remains nearly empty, even during peak travel times.  I guess the Brits are not quite ready for that option.

I have noticed when traveling into Washington DC on the DC Metro, that the bicycle routes that parallel the tracks are always busy, even in cold weather. Clearly cycling here is less than in Amsterdam, but much more plentiful than you'll see in London.  

You can see more "Traffic Jam" paintings at these links:

• Traffic Jam at the Concert - Concert goes waiting on the ticket takers
• Rush Hour - Enjoy the view when trying to get home
• Traffic Jam III - Cyclists backed up at a crossing
• Full to the Limit - An overloaded canal
• Traffic Jam II - No spot at the port for the incoming boat
• Traffic Jam - Sometimes it doesn't take much
• Country Tour - Cars waiting on a bike race
• Trapped - Traffic congestion in a tunnel

* The image wraps around the edge thus requiring no frame. The painting is varnished to protect it from the elements and damage from UV light.

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.

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.

#NBS17 #bicycles #BicycleFriendlyFriday #aprilrimpo #amrart #hocoarts #hocoartist

"Plant Your Bike Here" 8" X 8" fluid acrylic

Plant Your Bike Here by April M Rimpo

Plant Your Bike Here

Fluid Acrylic

8" X 8"
mounted on 1.5" deep wood panel

SOLD through HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

info@horsespiritartsgallery.com 

410-461-3505 

I know I really have a thing about bicycles. I find the shapes of bikes fascinating to look at. Although no cyclists are here in this stand of parked bicycles, the sense of speed portrayed by riding cyclists also fascinates me.  So for my cyclist fans out there, I present Plant Your Bike Here. I can't imagine a more beautiful place to park and walk around town than this little spot in Bruges, Belgium.  Although inspired by my trip to Bruges this scene could be nearly anywhere. 

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

#hocoarts #aprilrimpoart #hocoartist #dcart #NBS17 #cyclists #bicycles

Solo Exhibit at Glenview Mansion: Modes of Transportation

A Clutter of  Kayaks by April M Rimpo

I am delighted that my solo exhibit at Glenview Mansion is almost here. It opens on August 2nd, with a reception from 1:30 - 3:30PM. The theme of my exhibit is "Modes of Transportation."  You will find paintings of cars, trains, ships, sailboats, kayaks, dugout boats, motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles, and streetcars; something for everyone. I've been fascinated with painting urban and street scenes for some time and many, but not all, of these paintings fall in that category. A Clutter of Kayaks is a serene painting of several kayakers spending the day on the water. There is also a look at the fate of a car, abandoned by its owner in a field, in More Beautiful with Age. Shipping Port and Freight Yard are two very different views at how we transport goods in and around the United States.

Shipping Port by April M Rimpo

I've become quite hooked on painting cyclists, so you'll see quite a few bicycle paintings in the exhibit. Morning Commute celebrates a group of daily cyclists who ride regardless of weather.  Movement II features a woman who rode in the bicycle race that is routed through our town twice a year.

Movement II by April M Rimpo

I admire people who ride bicycles. I've always been more than a little bit uncoordinated, to the point that, when I turn my head to look for cars, my bike drifts in the direction I look.  It's a problem I have not been able to break, so I admit I don't ride my bike anymore.  The narrow streets in the area where I live feel too dangerous given my "skills." I have, however, learned about the growth of bike trails across America that give me hope that I will be able to ride again. The American League of Bicyclists is a great organization that I have been following recently.  Maybe they will inspire me to get back on the saddle.

The paintings shown here are just a few that you will find in this exhibit. I hope to see you there. The photograph of me with my new custom Custom Candy Bar wrappers is one more reason to attend the reception.  I'll have some of these candy bars with me, so come check out the exhibit.  Someone suggested I make these for each art event I participate with different images of my art;  I thought it was an interesting idea. Let me know if you would collect them.

Hershey Bars with Custom Candy Label of April
with Freight Yard.  Wrapper from www.candywrapperstore.com 

Three other artists also have exhibits at Glenview this month.  They are: Shelley Marie "Naturally Unnatural" mixed media, Caroly Johnson "Illuminations" photography, and Kalin and Thweatt paintings and sculpture. 

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

Country Tour - more bikes

Country Tour, 20" X 36" varnished acrylic on paper, varnished

Country Tour

fluid acrylic

20" X 26" image

shipped within the United States*

Available to purchase here

Every year there is a bike race that is routed through our town.  Many years I had errands to run on the day of the race and was unable to get photographs of the racers.  This year I put the race on my calendar so I could be sure I'd have time to get some new reference material.  I took countless photographs that day; I believe I watched the race from the arrival of the earliest riders to the last to make it through town.  I combined three of my photographs to develop this design and took liberties with the colors of the buildings but believe I stayed true to the spirit of the day.

The riders were the inspiration, but including the police who helped direct traffic and the volunteer with the flag who helped direct the riders through the turn were important elements of the occasion.  

You can see some of April's other bike paintings by following the links below:

• Aerial Bikes II - (SOLD)
• Bike Ride
• Bike Trip I and II
• Bicycle Series
• Missing You

You can see more "Traffic Jam" paintings at these links:

• Traffic Jam at the Concert - Concert goes waiting on the ticket takers (SOLD)
• Rush Hour - Enjoy the view when trying to get home
• Traffic Jam III - Cyclists backed up at a crossing (SOLD)
• Full to the Limit - An overloaded canal (SOLD)
• Thoroughfare - Amsterdam: More bikes and trikes than you can believe
• On the Fjord - No spot at the port for the incoming boat
• Traffic Jam - Sometimes it doesn't take much  (SOLD)
• Trapped - Traffic congestion in a tunnel

* For purchase outside the United States, contact April regarding shipping costs

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.

Bike Trip I and II - color options

Bike Trip I by April M Rimpo

Bike Trip II by April M Rimpo

I used two versions of the same composition to explore color options. In the first I wanted to use the three primary colors red, blue and yellow for the color scheme, believing this triad would help emphasize the bikes on the back of the SUV and augment the playfulness of the concept behind the painting. When composing this painting I had also considered a color scheme of just blue and yellow.

After the first version was done I thought I should go ahead and try the second color scheme.  I found the yellows in the painting really brightened up the scheme and it felt happier to me than the original. Normally blues are associated with calm and quiet moods and since there are more blues than yellows I didn't expect this result.  I think the lighter background and yellows end up making this a warm and cheery painting.  Perhaps it is because yellow is sometimes described as the most visible color, so even though I used much less yellow than blue it still draws us in and makes the scene happy, which was my original goal.

Bike Trip II

Fluid Acrylic and Watercolor

12" X 14" gallery wrapped and varnished

$375

Available for Purchase Here

The title Bike Trip was a play on words, so I feel the happy effect of the colors I chose in version II augment the playfulness I intended.  Let me know which painting appeals most to you and why.  I'd like to understand other interpretations of these two versions of the same design.

"Bike Ride", 14" X 11" acrylic and watercolor

Bike Ride by April M Rimpo

Bike Ride

fluid acrylic and watercolor

14" X 11" varnished in brushed silver frame

Available to purchase at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery
info@horsespiritartsgallery.com 

410-461-3505 

I am really enjoying my bicycle series paintings. I've been taking photographs of bicyclists every time I see them along the road. In this painting I decided to combine a couple of lone riders into one scene to add some energy to the image.  I also liked the idea of them having someone to ride with.  There is a couple who live near me who ride together nearly every day, but somehow I never have my camera with me when I see them.  I think in a way this painting is a tribute to them.

Since the focus is all about the riders I chose to abstract the background providing only hints at the trees and landscape behind the riders.  While I was in the mood for abstraction I also decided to use colors that would energize the scene.  This painting was done almost exclusively with Dioxazine Purple (ASTM# PV23), Alizarine Crimson (Quinacridone) (PV19),  Gamboge (Hue) (PY97/PY42), and Viridian Green (Hue) (PG7/PW6).  You may wonder where the Viridian Green is hiding.  I used it with the Alizarine Crimson to create the muted maroon shades.  It is amazing how a color can nearly disappear when used in combination with other colors.  Although the two pigments were applied directly to the paper they blended on the paper to make these wonderful shades. Only a few hints of the green remain. A similar approach was used with the Dioxazine Purple and Viridian Green.  So those of you who found this post based on the triad color scheme, be assured the green really was used it just hid itself among the other colors.

After Gallery Wrapping

* Although the flat painting size is 17" X 14" I gallery wrapped this painting ove r a 14" X 12" stretcher bars which results in a painting surface as show at right, with the balance of the painting wrapping around the edges.  It is varnished so it can be hung without a frame or glass.  Let me know what you think.

Note: ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), is a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards. ASTM International defines pigment standards (designated in parentheses above), which includes the pigment's light fastness, transparency, and other characteristics.  Paint manufacturers use these standards allowing artists to identify the actual pigments used in paints, getting beyond the manufacturers name for the paint.

Links to my bicycle and other transportation paintings can be found in the "Smart Car Choices" post.

** Contact April regarding shipping outside the United States

"Aerial Bikes II", 13.5" X 22" gallery wrapped acrylic & watercolor

Aerial Bikes II by April M Rimpo

Aerial Bikes II

acrylic and watercolor

13.5" X 22" varnished gallery wrapped paper*

SOLD

PRINTS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE

More inspiration from aerial photographs I took in New York City resulted in Aerial Bikes II.  I am really happy with the clean lines I achieved in this painting. I decided to do this as a gallery wrapped painting so the image doesn't have to be constrained by a frame.  Since gallery wrapped paintings are varnished there is no need to put the painting under glass. The gallery wrapped edge eliminates any visible staples.

Here is a little on my process for this painting. Because this is a small, non-standard sized painting I decided to use an old frame as the stretcher bar. No need to buy special stretcher bars when other materials are available. The frame is cut to 13.5” X 22”, the final size of the painting.  I varnish the frame, as I would varnish a stretcher bar, and then stretch the paper over this frame. I put the drawing on the paper before wrapping it on the frame. A 1.5” boarder was left around the image which wraps around the frame. Normally I stretch the paper first so I don’t have to worry about the alignment being perfectly square on the frame, but since this is a small painting I believed I could control the stretch.  This approach worked out well.  I do like to experiment with different methods to allow me more flexibility in my work.

First step prior to stretching

While preparing the frame for stretching I went ahead and used very watered down fluid acrylic to splatter the paper, as shown at right. The splatter is an initial textural layer for the building and sidewalk.  A lesser amount of splatter is on the umbrella to unify the painting.   

Four colors of acrylic were used alone and in combination for the splatters: Cerulean Blue, Paynes Gray, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, and Permanent Alizarin Crimson.  These same colors were used throughout the painting.  I used some granular watercolor pigments (Daniel Smith Buff Titanium and Olive Green) in the walk and in the bushes.

* Framing not required on gallery wrapped paintings
** Contact April regarding shipping outside the United States