My Feature Online Show - Telling Stories - May/June 2020

Telling Stories - Feature Show by HorseSpirit Arts Gallery of art by April M Rimpo

May 17 - June 12, 2020

Click Here to see a Preview of my Online Show - under 3 minutes

Click Here for a Detailed Look at Each Painting (12.5 Minutes)

This feature show transitioned from HorseSpirit Art Gallery's physical gallery at Historic Savage Mills to an Online Show at the link provided above.  April reveals several new paintings in this show. You'll see some new themes in April's work but all with a story to share. She'd love to hear what story you see in her work as that enriches the work for all.

In April's art she uses Color and Light to Tell Stories of Life.  Some are stories that capture history, show reveal the effects of time, others are a quiet spot where you can get lost in a calm and dreamy world. She has also included some small work of clouds that return April to her childhood when she would lie in the grass with a friend and they'd tell each other what they saw in the clouds.  

These is a small series that portrays seasons of the year. Rather than just capture the iconic symbols of each season April included birds that she sees at the bird feeders her husband set up in the backyard of their home. In these paintings the birds are all placed on the same mailboxes but their setting changes in each, transporting you from garden, to lake, to farm country, and a snowing drift. 

Most of the work is watercolor that has been mounted, varnished, and either framed or gallery wrapped around stretcher bars.  A few of the pieces are fluid acrylics that are also painted on watercolor paper.  Six of the pieces were painting on Aquabord, a trademarked clay surface available from Ampersand Supplies. These too are varnished providing a very modern display with no glazing.  Two of the watercolors use traditional framing under Plexiglas and a white mat. 

If the 3 minute video peaks your interest, please consider joining Online sessions on the HorseSpirt Arts Gallery's Facebook Page

• Opening: May 17 2 PM EDT - Tune in to see Robin Holliday interview April
• Facebook Live Artist Talk: Friday, May 29 at 7 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

April will also present a Facebook Live demonstration -  painting Magnificent Skies 

• May 23, 2 - 4 PM EDT

Also feel free to comment on this post with any questions you may have about the art shown in the video.

Questions can also be directed to HorseSpirit Arts Gallery at:

301.490.2001        info@horsespiritartsgallery.com 

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her twice-monthly email. April segments her newsletter so you can select topics you'd like to hear about when you sign up. For those who Select the General Interest topic you will receive emails about twice-monthly. If you are only interested in classes, then the emails will be much less frequent discussing upcoming classes and how to register. Thank you for your support of April M Rimpo Art.

Contact April and see more of her art on her website

Music License:

Schubert - Piano Trio In B Flat (2nd Movement) performed by Apollo Symphony Orchestra 
License Agreement with SHUTTERSTOCK MUSIC CANADA ULC, doing business as PremiumBeat.com

Artwork 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.

Graceful Draping 10" X 10" watercolor on Aquabord

Graceful Draping, Watercolor on Aquabord, by April M Rimpo

Graceful Draping
Watercolor on Aquabord™

10" X 10"
in 11" X 11" black floater frame

Available through HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

To be featured in an Online Feature Show May 17 - June 7, 2020

There’s a house not far from where I live that comes alive in the summer as an old Wisteria that nearly encases the front porch blooms. It’s a magnificent sight that takes my breath away.  Several times I pulled to the side of the road so I could take photographs from a variety of angles.  I’ve struggled with how to do it justice, so in this 10” X 10” painting on Ampersand™  Aquabord™  I decide just to paint one small corner of the porch so I could share these beautiful blooms. Some day I’ll be brave and take a much larger view, but for now I’m delighted with Graceful Draping and hope you love it too.

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her twice-monthly email. April segments her newsletter so you can select topics you'd like to hear about when you sign up. For those who Select the General Interest topic you will receive emails about twice-monthly. If you are only interested in classes, then the emails will be much less frequent discussing upcoming classes and how to register. Select as many topics as sound of interest. Thank you for your support of April M Rimpo Art.

Contact April and see more of her art on her website

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.

"Two Birds in a Bush" a 8" X 8" fluid acrylic

Two Birds in a Bush by April M Rimpo, 8" X 8" fluid acrylic

I love watching birds in our yard. Golden finch males are always easy to spot since their golden yellow bodies just can't be camouflaged. For many years our Morning Glories manage to survive the winter and by mid-Summer are entwined on a trellis in our front yard.  Their variegated blooms from Lavender-Rose to deep purple always make me smile. Most mornings I look out first thing to see how many blooms are opening that day and hope I'll remember to look again mid-day when they truly are at their glory. 

Forgive me while I  have some fun twisting an old saying; You could have One painting in hand and "Two Birds in a Bush." 

This title came about when I asked my friends on Instagram and Facebook to offer suggestions for a title. I received over twenty responses, many of which will likely become titles of other paintings.  Your creativity was so appreciated.  I laughed when I read "Two Birds in a Bush" harkening back to the expression about cherishing what you have rather than risk losing it by trying to attain something better. That thought actually seems quite in line with my feeling about the moment I captured. For me this painting represents the beauty of nature and something to cherished.

Available at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery
8600 Foundry St Suite 2063, Savage, MD 20763
Phone: (301) 490-2001

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her twice-monthly email. April segments her newsletter so you can select topics you'd like to hear about when you sign up. For those who Select the General Interest topic you will receive emails about twice-monthly. If you are only interested in classes, then the emails will be much less frequent discussing upcoming classes and how to register. Select as many topics as sound of interest. Thank you for your support of April M Rimpo Art.

Contact April and see more of her art on her website

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.

"Floral Wonderland" 8"X10" Fluid Acrylic

Floral Wonderland by April M Rimpo

8" X 10" Fluid Acrylic on Canvas

SOLD

This lovely garden could have been anywhere, but it happened to be located in the Buckingham Palace Gardens. I was so drawn to these flowers while photographing them, I missed the Buckingham guard riding their horses along the road in the background. I didn't notice them until I was home and started to work through the design of the painting.

Since the color combinations the gardener selected is what drew me to the scene, I decided to discard the men on their horses and focus on the color. To recreate the thrill I felt looking at this garden, I used triad leaf green, cobalt violet, and cadmium red light(hue) for the lighter shades; and a dark triad of a blend of Quinacridone Burnt Orange and Phthalo Blue for the dark green, Dioxazine Purple for the dark purple, and Permanent Alizarin Red for the dark red.  A few touches of Quinacridone gold complement the lavender and purple hues.

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.

Art on Exhibit at RE/MAX Advantage in Baltimore

April's Artwork Installed in RE/MAX Advantage Realty

Recently a friend recommended my work to the owners of RE/MAX Advantage Realty in Baltimore. After seeing their modern facility near the Baltimore Harbor I thought my art would be a great fit and I was happy to hear they agreed. Effective today I'm the third artist to have a solo exhibit in their facility. 

We're in the planning stages for a reception, so when the date is decided I'll be sure to add that information to this blog post. For now enjoy photographs from the installation. If you find yourself visiting the Baltimore Harbor, or an event at Pier VI, you are nearly there. Stroll down to the corner of E Pratt Street and S President Street and take a look. I've included original watercolors, fluid acrylics, and giclee prints in the show. If you see something you'd like to purchase, contact me. I'll be coordinating all sales.

Prints from April's Tapestry at the Mall Series

By the Stream by April M Rimpo

View in Break Room

Freight Yard by April M Rimpo

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

"Lilies" 6'X6" Fluid Acrylic

Lilies by April M Rimpo

Lilies

Fluid Acrylic on Aquabord

6" X 6"

$60 unframed, plus $8 shipping

Contact April Regarding Purchase

I've been working on a fairly large painting that is pretty detailed and complex, so in between sessions working on that I decided to do this little 6"X6" floral. Aquabord is an interesting surface to paint on.  When working with fluid paints you really have to build up layers gradually on this surface, but the end result is always luminous. Since I wanted a very loosely done floral it was tricky working back into the dry surface and still keeping mostly soft edges. When done it was varnished to protect the surface. 

It is currently unframed and for sale at MAA Gallery as one of my bin pieces. 

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

#HoCoArt

#aprilmrimpoart

#acrylic #painting

Solo Exhibit: Exploring Cultures through Color at Bernice Kish Gallery - Update

My solo exhibit at the Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House in Columbia, Maryland runs from May 14th through June 9th.  Whether you want original art or prints either is available.  Forms for order giclee prints are on hand at the gallery. See my article "Giclee Prints Can Provide New Color for Your Office or Home" ,which was published in The Business Monthly, May 2015, Volume 23, Number 5, learn more about giclee prints.

I've included a few images from installation so you can see a bit of the venue as well. In addition there are close ups shots of several paintings.

Installation Day - Getting the spacing just right

Consider yourself invited; I look forward to seeing family, friends, my collectors, and meeting new people who love the arts. Bernice Kish Gallery is located at Slayton House, 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia, Maryland 21044.

Deciding on the artwork to include in a solo exhibit is more difficult than you might think.  The artwork needs to look like it belongs together either through theme, color transitions, style, or some combination of those elements.  

My subject matter is diverse.  I also vary my style based on the subject matter using what best suits what I want to say about the subject. As a result, I felt I had to limit the styles included in this exhibit so I could present you with a variety of subjects. I hope you enjoy the result. 

... and level

I used a common set of pigments for most of my paintings, but you can achieve a wide variety of colors from the same pigments. As a result the colors vary in the paintings I selected, but they are harmonious since they come from the same set of pigments.

I find deciding on the order of the paintings to be great fun, grouping similar subjects together and using color to transition to the next subject. Six paintings are shown here to give you insight into the flow of the exhibit.

In addition to original paintings, a few giclee prints are included in the exhibit. In fact, a couple prints in the exhibit are the same image as an original also in the exhibit. Order forms will be available so you can order prints of most of the original paintings. If you are interested in a different size than listed on the order form you and use the form to request a quotation for a different size. To see the same image in various print formats click here.

Wondering what else is going on in Howard County? Check out TotallyHoco.com. This site includes a wide variety of events. It allows you to filter events by category or explore options for a particular date. I think you'll find it a useful resource.



  #HoCoArt

"Spring by the River" a 24" X 36" fluid acrylic

Spring by the River by April M Rimpo

Spring by the River

24" X 36"

Fluid Acrylic on Paper

Mounted on 2" Deep-cradled, Wood Panel  

Original SOLD

12" X 18" giclee print on watercolor paper - coming soon

To purchase archival prints on watercolor paper or on canvas contact April

Most years the Azaleas are in full bloom by Mother's Day in Maryland. I know that is two months from now, but I am ready. The Azaleas stand proud in my new painting Spring by the River. The white Azaleas are shaded with pale pastel shades of blue, violet, and pink, while the red blossoms vary from orange to hot pink and magenta. I have a bit of a weakness for the white blooms with pink centers.

A fellow artist in our area has a show opening this weekend and I know she has paintings that include scenes from a local Azalea garden. We have not had an awful lot of snow this year, probably a little less than normal, but the cold has everyone I know extremely ready for winter to end. Well I do know a few friends who wish they lived in Maine, you know who you are, and are probably walking around in the 0 - 20 degree Fahrenheit days without a jacket.  

I have Spring fever, as you have noticed in my last several blog posts, so enjoy Spring through my paintings until it finally finds it way to our doorsteps.

Morning Song - Day 14 of the 30 Day Challenge

Surprise! Yesterday I said I would be wrapping up the Energy triptych today, but I felt more like painting a little bird again, so I bring you Morning Song.  Like the Chickadee I produced for Day 11, the Golden Finch is another bird that frequents our yard year long.  In the spring the yellow of he males nearly vibrates with color.  It clearly screams out "notice me!"  About the same time the finches reach the peak of their color our morning glories begin to bloom. What a glorious time Spring is. I wish it were here.

Morning Song by April M Rimpo

Morning Song

Fluid Acrylic on Aquabord

5" X 5" with 2" deep cradle

$95

Available at April's Spreesy Store

See all the art in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.

#jan30in30

Revitalization of a Painting

Recently I was going back through old discarded paintings and realized that although I had inserted an ugly, poorly painted moth into the center of a painting of daisies, the balance of the painting was nicely done.  There are nice transitions from light to dark in the background, interesting color blends, and I had done a good job of lifting out the background to add the soft pink petals. Not something worthy of an award, but something that deserved saving.

Many times when I do this I conclude repainting is the only solution.  Occasionally I think I can work on the painting some more and give it new life.  In this case, I decided to crop the painting into several smaller paintings and washed out fragments of the moth that remained toward the edges.  Then I added back in some dark colors to form interesting background shapes and strengthened the contrast between the flowers and background in other areas.

I almost hate to show you the original, since it really is from the "way back machine" and nothing like my current work.  But how do you teach if you don't show the starting point? So here goes...

Original Sunny Daisies circa 2002

Don't ask me what I was thinking when I added the moth. Actually, I may have done this painting after visiting a Garden that had a Butterfly Museum.  I believe I decided the painting should pull from the gardens and the museum.  NOT a good decision, at least not how I executed the moth.  It looks stuck on and misshapen.    

So here is what I have done now.  

Sunny Daisy I

Sunny Daisy I

watercolor

8.5" X 7.5" image

16" X 20" mat

$85 

Sunny Daisy II

Sunny Daisy II

watercolor

4.5" X 6.5" image

8" X 10" wood frame

$100

Sunny Daisy III

Sunny Daisy III

watercolor

4.5" X 6.5" image

8" X 10" wood frame

$100

Exhibit in Frederick, Maryland

I'm proud to announce "Flora, Figures, and Found Objects", an exhibit of The Pleiades Artists, as group of seven women artists from the Baltimore-Washington area.   

The exhibit will be at at Delaplaine Visual Arts and Education Center, 40 South Carroll Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701, from February 1st - 23rd. The reception will be Saturday February 1, 2014 from 3 - 5 pm.

The Pleiades Artists is a group of seven Maryland women whose paintings demonstrate the wide variety of styles and techniques used to produce vibrant images in water media. All members of Pleiades Artists are accomplished watercolorists who are signature members of several local and national organizations. Three of our members teach locally.  Members include Stephanie Lyon, Kathleen Stumpfel, April M Rimpo, Joyce Bell, Yolanda Koh, Susan Avis Murphy, and Janet Belich.   

Read more about the artists here.

Poinsettia Tree, 40" X 37" watercolor and fluid acrylic

Poinsettia Tree by April M. Rimpo

The inspiration for Poinsettia Tree started during a trip to Guatemala where the Poinsettia was a tree with blooms larger than I had ever seen towering way above my head.  I took several photographs trying to capture their magnificence just to discover that the photographs did not come close.  I felt I needed to paint them as they were in my minds eye to make them come to life.

I decided I wanted to capture the size of the tree by working in a much larger format than I normally paint, the image size is 40” X 37”, which meant starting from a roll of elephant size Arches Hot Press.  I selected Hot Press since I wanted to create an organic feel in the background by using an acrylic “batik” approach I had learned from Nicholas Simmons, applying sections of paint and then washing it off before it was fully dry.  This approach creates interesting edges and irregular patches of color.  However, instead of letting the batik dry before applying more paint I immediately applied several other acrylic colors to allow them to blend on the very wet paper. Phthalo Blue and  Dioxazine Purple were used in shadow areas of the foliage while Green Gold and other warmer greens were used in the green areas in the sun. I had applied a film mask over the flowers before I started to paint so the petals were protected from the flowing acrylic paint allowing me to work the background and leaves loosely. Since I feel watercolor is slightly more transparent than fluid acrylic I used watercolor to paint the blossoms of the poinsettia.


Recently I had limited edition archival prints made of this painting. A maximum of 50 prints will be created in each size and substrate listed below. 

Poinsettia Tree

40" x 37" image

48" x 45" bronze tone frame

$2590

Available through HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

410.461.3505 info@horsespiritartsgallery.com 

Interested in a print, contact April.

To see other paintings where I used a combination of fluid acrylic and watercolor look 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.