"Dancers" 6" X 6" Mixed Media

Dancers by April M Rimpo

Dancers

Mixed Media

6" X 6" X 1.5" wood cradle

$100 shipped within U.S.

Available to Purchase Now

In Dancers I decided to create a mixed media painting starting from a sheet of watercolor I had prepared during the January 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I hadn't included any of my fused glass in a painting in a long time but I was feeling a need for a change of pace, so I fired up my small kiln and created a few items that I thought I could used on some small mixed media paintings. 

The fused glass included here is of a woman dancing with a child. When I started the painting I wasn't sure where I was headed for a background, thinking some non-objected abstract should work well. However, toward the beginning of the painting I noticed I had unintentionally created the shape of the tall woman on the left and decided immediately that she too should be dancing with a little girl. I added some strokes to give the feel of motion and swirling skirts. 

The next day I decided I needed to emphasize the torsos and immediately thought to add some sheet music collage elements, similar to what I did in my "Rhythm" series. So the collage elements were added along with some darker strokes to continue to emphasize the flow and shape of the woman and child.

I always like to add some linear elements to a painting that has a lot of curves to break up the flow and introduce places to stop your eye from wandering aimlessly. Adding some dots I felt would beckon back to the sheet music.  Now that the painting is done it seems to me the woman might be playing an instrument with a bow. I'll let you decide.  

Enjoy this playful painting.

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.

Singular Sensations at CAC: Art for $200 or less

This year is Columbia Art Center's 20th Singular Sensations Holiday Art exhibition. All work is priced at $200 or less, perfect for gift giving. Opening Reception on Dec 7th, 6 - 8 PM.  The exhibit runs through Dec 14th.

I selected three glass pieces and three paintings for the event.  The paintings all have deep wood cradles that can sit on any surface and can be displayed stacked upon each other.  They are perfect for small spot, on book shelves, end tables...  You get the idea.

 

Deco Rooster

Acrylic mounted on
2" Deep Wood Cradle

Morning Song

Acrylic on Aquabord with
2" Deep Wood Cradle

Egrets' Haven

Acrylic on Aquabord with
2" Deep Wood Cradle

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 2017 All Rights Reserved. You may share my work with attribution, but all other uses are prohibited.  

American Glass Now: 2017 at the Washington National Cathedral

On Saturday, June 17th, I visited the American Glass Guild's exhibit titled, American Glass Now: 2017 held at the Washington National Cathedral. I attended with my husband and a long-time friend who is a fellow glass enthusiast. 

I haven't created many fused glass pieces in the last couple years, so I was surprised to learn how popular painted glass currently is in the American Glass Guild.  Several pieces were painted glass and few combined fused glass and painted glass techniques. The assortment of pieces both in subject and technique were fun to see.

Of course the National Cathedral is a place of wonder as well. Wonderfully carved limestone, flying buttresses, and gothic spires galore. We also strolled through the Bishop's Garden to round out the day.

This exhibit runs through September 8, 2017.

The artists with work on display include: Alice Johnson, Troy Moody, Kathy Barnard, Linda Lichtman, Nancy Nicholson, Tim Carey, Ellen Mandelbam, Richard Prigg, Marie Foucalt-Phipps, Staphane Ruault, Mary Clerkin Higgins, Sean Merchant, and Amy Valuck.

To learn more about the American Glass Guild visit
www.americanglassguild.org.

Washington National Cathedral
visit www.cathedral.org for visiting hours.

In the image at right are the pieces by Tim Carey (upper left), Marie Foucault-Phipps (right), and Kathy Barnard (lower left.)

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.

Let there be trees! A variety of mixed media: ink, fused glass and more

Standing Tall II by April M Rimpo

I'm not quite sure what got in me, but I suddenly did a flurry of tree paintings. All a bit different in style while I try out a variety of approaches.  This first painting was done starting on rice paper that was crinkled then dipped lightly into a solution of water and India Ink with just a touch of oil. The goal is to pick up some of the ink on the creases in the rice paper.  The rice paper is flattened and attached to watercolor paper. Once dry I went back with watercolor and fluid acrylic to add color variations.

Standing Tall II

Ink, Watercolor and Acrylic on Rice Paper

Mounted on 14" X 11" X2" deep cradle, Wood Panel
Protected with Acrylic Varnish 
$425

Included in the 2018 Celebration of the Arts Silent Auction

Three Trees by April M Rimpo

Three Trees is a mixed media painting using Acrylic and fused glass elements that I created in my kiln.  In this case my inspiration came from the glass pieces, which have a variety of colored stripes. The colors in the glass became the palette for the painting. The angles of the stripes were echoed in the painting as well.

Three Trees

Mixed Media with Fused Glass

Mounted on 5" X 7" X 1.5" deep cradled, wood panel

$90

Under the Canopy by April M Rimpo

In Under the Canopy I wanted the world under the tree canopy to be a bit indistinct and mystical. A few dragonflies are present, some created in fused glass and some created by building up an acrylic gel "painting" to add depth to the painted dragonflies. Several colors are layered to create the mystery of the woods. As in my earlier Standing Tall painting, the roots are visible penetrating the ground like we are looking at a cross section of the forest.

Under the Canopy

Mixed Media with Fused Glass

16" X 12" Mounted on 1/8" Aquabord 

Varnished, Unframed
$375

I'd love to hear which of these you like best and why. Feedback is a wonderful thing.

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.

Represented by HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

Student Brushes by April M Rimpo

Artist at Work by April M Rimpo

I am happy to announce HorseSpirit Arts Gallery is now representing my artwork. They have samples of both my watermedia paintings and my fused glass. HorseSpirit Arts Gallery is located at 8090 Main Street, Ellicott City, Maryland. They are among the first business to reopen since the flood last July. The gallery has been refurbished and is gorgeous.

I am one of 46 artists represented by this gallery.  When you visit the gallery you will find ceramics, fiber and wearable art, glass, jewelry, mixed media, paintings, photography, sculpture, specialty cards, and woodworking. It's a fabulous place to find a perfect gift of art.

Gallaxy I by April M Rimpo

I've included samples of some of my artwork available through the gallery. I hope you find time to visit. 

Latest event at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery:

• Meet the Artists on Sunday, January 22 from 1 to 4 PM

You can reach the gallery at:

 Phone: 410-461- 4505

 Website: http://horsespiritartsgallery.com/ 

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

Semi-Abstract Paintings at Touchstone Gallery in February

Semi-Abstract paintings by April M Rimpo

The February exhibit at Touchstone Gallery in Gallery A is 

"At the Heart of the Matter"  

February 5 - 28, 2016

Getting to the heart of the matter is what Touchstone member artists focus on as they explore photography, collage, drawing, painting, sculpture, and hand pulled prints. Whether the subject is love, color, unusual figural poses, life issues or personal content, viewers will recognize the core of each artist's work in this expansive exhibit.
Opening reception: Friday, February 5 from 6 - 8:30 PM

My contribution to the exhibit is these semi-abstract paintings inspired by music. They are fluid acrylic with collage created on watercolor paper and then mounted on 1.5" deep wood cradled panels. The top left painting included fused glass components. Because of the deep cradles they display these paintings on a table top, book self, or any flat surface.  They can also be stacked on each other for a fun display.

These start as random abstract paintings. As I add other colors images of people appeared to me and I continue to enhance the painting until they become obvious. Collage elements were added to enhance the images. I enjoy this process since the paintings evolve without a great deal of planning. 

Top Left: Dancers, 6" X 6" X 1.5", $85

Top Right: Music, 6" X 6" X 1.5", $85

Bottom: Dancers II, 9" X 12" X 1.5", $250

Available through Touchstone Gallery.
901 NEW YORK AVENUE NW, WASHINGTON DC 20001 202-347-2787
 INFO@TOUCHSTONEGALLERY.COM
OPEN: WEDNESDAY- FRIDAY 11-6, SATURDAY-SUNDAY 12-5

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.

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.

#HoCoArt
#aprilmrimpoart

"Parentheses and Line" Glass Tray - 4 5/8" X 8 1/2"

To date my posts have been about my watermedia paintings, but today I wanted to share with you a new fused glass piece that I just completed.  I first started as a fused glass artist in the early 1990s.  I had done stained glass before, but fused glass was beginning to become popular in the United States so I thought I'd give it a try.  Fused glass is created in a kiln and all except the tiniest kilns were unaffordable at the time, so I purchased a kiln with a 4" X 4" fusing space.  Jewelry was about all you could do with this size kiln, which was not satisfying. So after a few years I stopped fusing glass and didn't resume until 2001 when a fusing studio opened in Beltsville, Maryland.  Vitrum Studios is an amazing studio owned by two great glass artists who not only create great glass themselves but are wonderful teachers.  I've grown my fused glass skills tremendously since 2001.

For the last couple years I've been focusing on watercolor and fluid acrylic, but I felt it was time to start to work in my other favorite transparent medium.  To rejuvenate my skills I've taken some classes at Vitrum Studios this year.  This piece is composed of components I created in one of those classes.  The design of the components and the final composition are my own, which is one of the wonderful things about classes at Vitrum.  They teach you the skills but expect you to bring your own design sensibility and color sense to your art.


"Parentheses and Lines" is a shallow tray measuring 4 5/8" X 8 1/2".  Different colors of glass have different chemical compositions and some react chemically with each other to create color shifts at the intersection.  I made use of this fact in this piece, relying on the reaction between the blue and white glass to create a dark line where they abut. The line is more or less visible depending on the angle you look at the glass.  In the closeup at right the serving tray bends so on the left side you can see the dark line, while on the right only a light gray line is visible.

It is always a surprise when you work with glass to see if what comes out of the kiln looks like you planned or if there are any surprises.  The parentheses shape was a bit of a surprise since I had expected a much more extreme dip in the glass, but I love the result.  Like working in watercolor you have "happy accidents" when working in glass.  Deciding what to do with the accidents is half the fun.  Take a look at some of my other glass art.

Reception for "Traveling the World in Transparent Media"

Yesterday's reception of my solo exhibit at the Columbia Art Center was wonderful. I've included some pictures taken before the doors opened so you can see the art.  These are followed by pictures during the reception. My transparent media included both water media paintings and fused glass.

 

I gave a talk during the reception about the inspiration behind several of the pieces and the connections between the paintings and the fused glass art. These media give me different perspectives on the same subject.  I find that working in one medium inspires creations in the other.

A moment to catch up with some friends

 

First Sale

At left I am with Yolanda Koh who was also having a reception for her Solo exhibit at the Columbia Art Center.  I'd like to thank the Columbia Art Center for providing such a beautiful venue for my exhibit and all the hard work of their staff.