"Springtime" watercolor 18" X 14"

Springtime by April M. Rimpo

Springtime

Watercolor

18"X14" image

Framed in brush silver frame

$875

Available at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

Phone: 410-461- 4505
Email: info@HorseSpiritArtsGallery.com 
Open: Open 6 days a week, check their website for hours

Each spring Howard County Maryland, where I live, holds a number of events to support Blossoms of Hope. This cause supports the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center at Howard County General Hospital. This painting was done for an exhibit called Haiku for Hope and will be presented with an associated haiku written by a local poet. The child in the foreground links back to the haiku written by Poppy Herrin. Springtime won an Honorable Mention Award at this exhibit.

This painting was one of those selected for banners that were displayed as part of a special ceremony held on National Arbor Day at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia, Maryland. The banners used for the ceremony have also been used at the Howard County Welcome Center in Ellicott City.  

Howard County has planted over 1600 Kwanzan cherry trees throughout the county.  The Kwanzan cherry trees bloom about two weeks later than the Sakura trees that surround the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC allowing you to enjoy the beautiful blossoms for a longer period of time.  You can read more about the Blossoms of Hope events at http://www.visithowardcounty.com/blossoms-of-hope, where you can also find a map where the trees have been planted.

Given the opportunity for a banner I wanted a painting that celebrated the cherry blossoms and had a strong graphic line that would lend itself well to the banners.  I use this style in some of my paintings and I like the simplification of shapes with the line work.  Of course a strong value pattern (darks and lights) is essential for a banner format which is perfect for the way I like to work in watercolor.  

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.

Day 18 of the #jan30in30 Challenge - Devotion III

Devotion III, 8" X 8" fluid acrylic by April M Rimpo

The line work is an important element in this series. I want the lines to form an interesting pattern on their own while tying together the other elements of the painting.  When the four paintings are compiled into a quadriptych these lines need to work together, so I spent some time designing them.

Since I am working in fluid acrylics you can't apply them then take them off and put them somewhere else.  I took a clear sheet of acetate and placed it over the paintings and tried out some different line patterns.  Since acetate is slick I could just wipe off what did not work until I was happy with the design. If you paint with transparent pigments and you don't own any clear acetate I highly encourage you get some. You can get these at a variety of sources, I believe I got mine from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff (Team Plastics Polyester Film). They are available in a variety of sizes.  I bought the largest size, 20" X 25" so they would cover a large area at once.

Thanks to Leslie Saeta for sponsoring the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Follow the link to see all the paintings created as part of this challenge.  It has certainly gotten my creating juices flowing.  #jan30in30

Day 17 of the #jan30in30 Challenge - Devotion II

Devotion II, 8" X 8" fluid acrylic by April M Rimpo

Yesterday I promised to reveal the meanings related to the chakra associated with violet. This chakra is stimulated in "the third eye" which is the center of the forehead.  I found various meanings, including clairvoyance, psychic senses, selflessness, and devotion.

Rather than sharing more of my thinking, I'd like to hear what you see and feel when looking at this painting.

Thanks to Leslie Saeta for sponsoring the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Follow the link to see all the paintings created as part of this challenge.  It has certainly gotten my creating juices flowing.  #jan30in30