"Time to Breath" 20" X 10" Watercolor by April M Rimpo

Time to Breathe © April M. Rimpo

Time to Breathe

Watercolor

20" X 10" painting

Premiering at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery September 12, 2021

Inspiration occurs from something as simple as a reflection in the water. The teal hull of the boat is what made me stop and notice this scene. We were walking through the outskirts of a beautiful town by the shore to meet some friends when the reflection caught my eye. I stopped in my tracks and started to take photographs from a few different angles. I primarily wanted the capture the sailboat and its reflection but including the surrounds provided a backdrop essential to set the stage. When getting ready to paint the scene I decided to add the light streaking through the clouds to add drama to the sky and provide an interesting cross pattern where the mast and rigging intersected with the light. Capturing the quiet spirit of the place was essential to me. I hope you get lost in the beauty of the place.

Check out my video on this painting. It starts with me describing my design then transitions to a time-lapse video of the painting process.

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her weekly 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. Oh, and please be sure to click on the link in a second email to verify your interest in joining my newsletter. Without the verification you will be left in a limbo state where you will not receive my emails and I can't complete the verification on your behalf. If you receive a response that you are already subscribed, email me to confirm and I can send you a different link to update your profile and get the verification email resent to you.

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.

Pelican Yoga" a 32" X 32" Watercolor

Pelican Yoga, 32" X 32" watercolor (c) April M Rimpo

Pelican Yoga

Watercolor

32" X 32" painting

Mounted and Varnished in a 34” X 34” silver frame

Pelicans show off their flexibility and balance when preening their feathers after a morning swim.  I took countless photos that day waiting to capture one where they were all standing upright, then it dawned on me that their crazy poses were the real story of this painting. The subtle variation in color in their feathers went unnoticed until I started to paint them. Take some time to really enjoy the soft pastel shades of their plumage.

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

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.

Water Sprite 24" X 24" watercolor

Water Sprite a 24" X 24" watercolor by April M Rimpo

Water Sprite

Watercolor

24" X 24"

Water Sprite is a tribute to a friend who loves fish. I know this because she bought a painting I did of fish and explained how much she enjoys them. She clarified that she did not mean she liked eating them. When she told me this, my thoughts immediately turned to doing a painting of her swimming with fish with a smile from ear-to-ear.  

Shortly before this conversation I had started a series of paintings with a goal accentual the inner story of a person. The story may be something few people or know or well known. Sometimes these inner stories are my reaction to the person, in other words, how I feel about them. So does that make it my inner story about the person?  Maybe not, but my point is that these are not traditional portrait but something deeper.  I hope you enjoy this painting and the others in this series. 

Water Sprite was selected for the Northwest Watercolor Society's Waterworks Unchained exhibition. An online exhibit to be on display April 28 - September 12.

Other paintings in this series include:

• Wondering
• Transitions: A Self Portrait

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.

"Arriving Home" and "On the Canal" Celebrating Venice

Celebrating Venice

Arriving Home by April M Rimpo

Arriving Home

Watercolor and Fluid Acrylic

32" X 24" painting in

39" X 31" frame with white mat

Available for Purchase - Learn more here

On the Canal by April M Rimpo

On the Canal

Watercolor

17" X 14" painting in 

25" X 22" wood frame

Available for Purchase  - Learn more here

Click here to Contact April

Please consider joining April's friends and collectors by signing up for her twice-monthly email. You will learn more about April's art inspirations, tips about her painting process, or art business tidbits. April also shares when her art is in exhibits and where. 

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.

By the Sea

I can't think of the phrase, "By the Sea," without this tune flashing through my mind.

"By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea!

You and me, you and me, oh how happy we'll be!"

Excerpt from "By the Beautiful Sea" from the musical "For Me and My Gal"
(Harold Atleridge / Harry Carrol) (1914)

I find paintings can work the same way. During the creation of a painting I feel like I am transported back to the place that inspired it. It always makes me smile when someone sees one of my paintings and tells me about a memory they feel when they see it.  It is the greatest thing that someone can tell me. 

So I've decided not to share my story about the paintings in this blog post and ask that you share yours with me. Please leave a comment.

Fishing Day by April M Rimpo

Fishing Day

24" X 18" Fluid Acrylic

Available for Purchase - Learn More Here

Dockside by April M Rimpo

Dockside

5" X 31" Fluid Acrylic painting

8.5" X 34.5" wood frame that has a bit of a weathered-board appearance.

Available for Purchase - Learn more here

Masts on High by April M Rimpo

Masts on High
14" X 10" Watercolor

Available to Purchase - Learn more here

Below you can see how including paintings around a consistent theme can enhance a room.  

Click here to Contact April

Please consider joining April's friends and collectors by signing up for her twice-monthly email. You will learn more about April's art inspirations, tips about her painting process, or art business tidbits. April also shares when her art is in exhibits and where. 

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.

"Reflections IV" in Secolari at the Columbia Mall

Reflections IV

Fluid Acrylic on Canvas

30" X 10"
$525

 Reflections IV intermixes a water garden with reflections of the sky in the lily pond. Capturing the deep blues of the sky and the ethereal clouds add mystery to the surface of the water. For me the sky enhanced the subtle tints of colors in the lily pads. 

You can enjoy this piece at Secolari's, where it is available for purchase. 

• ADDRESS
  10300 Little Patuxent Parkway
  Columbia | MD 21044
• PHONE
  (443) 367-0010
• EMAIL
  info@secolarievoo.com
• HOURS
  Mon - Sat / 10 AM - 9 PM
  Sun / 11 AM - 6 PM
• Contant April 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.

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
#ellicottcityart

"Dockside" 5" X 31" fluid acrylic

Dockside by April M Rimpo

Dockside

Fluid Acrylic

8.5" X 34.5" with wood frame

Available for Purchase - Learn More Here

There are certain types of scenes that become part of who we are. Places that are calm and serene and memories of special times. This is one of those for me. The location doesn't seem to matter. For me this scene brings back memories from my childhood when we visited an aunt and uncle who had a place in Rhode Island near a dock. It also brings back memories of trips to the coast of Maine, Annapolis, Maryland, Santa Cruz, and Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound. 

It's not that all of these places look exactly the same, but they all have docks and piers and a calming, relaxing effect on me. The sailboats bring back memories of sailing with a cousin in very small sailboat barely big enough for two. 

Do you have great memories of places on the water? I'd love to hear them. 

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.

Inspirations through Travel : Near and Far

I'm often asked where I get my inspirations for my paintings and whether I ever struggle with what to paint.  Ideas for paintings have never been a problem for me because I am so fascinated by the world around me. Landscapes, Cityscapes, and figures captured during everyday observation help tell the story of a place.  I have learned that I love sharing these stories.  Even if you see a very different story in my painting, that is great too. My story may have been my inspiration, but your story is what really matters. 

Recently I became aware of Jen Reviews' blog that includes the 100 Best Things to Do in Maryland.  Reading the list I thought the places I've visited might be an interesting example of the variety of places that compel me to paint. Don't miss the link to Jen Reviews' link near the end of this post.

Egrets' Haven by April M Rimpo
7" X 5" Acrylic on Aquabord

Some have been as far away as New Zealand, Guatemala, France, Norway, and others right here in Maryland, where I live.  My little painting on Aquabord, titled Egrets' Haven was inspired by a visit to, Assateague State Park, which is quite close to Ocean City, Maryland.

You've likely hear of Assateague because of the wild horses that live there. I was lucky to get photographs of the horses while there and am sure that one of these days they will appear in a painting.

Tall Ship Gloria by April M Rimpo

Even this painting of the Colombian tall ship, Gloria, was inspired here in Maryland at the Baltimore Inner Harbor, during Sailibration, an event held annually to commemorate the War of 1812. More than 40 tall ships visit the Inner Harbor to participate in the celebration. In the lower left of this painting, near the bow of the ship, you get a sense of the crowds that come to visit these beautiful ships each year.

Tall Ship

Watercolor

23" X 10"

in a 29" X 16" frame with a white mat

Contact April Regarding Purchase

B & O Caboose by April M Rimpo

Historic Ellicott City, sometimes called simply Old Ellicott City, is a quaint town that preserves its history down to the color of paint used on the buildings in town. This painting is a view down Main Street showing the clock by the Train Station Museum, where a B & O caboose is on display. The real caboose no longer rides the rails, but it seemed only fitting to transport it back in history.

B & O Caboose

Original Sold, but
Prints Available at
HorseSpirit Arts Gallery, 8090 Main Street, Ellicott City, Maryland

Spring by the River by April M Rimpo

A little over 20 miles from Ellicott City is the Brighton Dam Azalea Garden in Brookeville, MD 20833. Nestled on a hill adjacent to a reservoir is this garden that comes to life each Spring, just in time for Mother's Day. I visit it every few years to capture the gorgeous blooms in a wide variety of color. 

Spring by the River

Fluid Acrylic

24" X 36"

Original Sold

Prints Available - Contact April

A Clutter of Kayaks by April M Rimpo

Traveling toward Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, you come across many waterways and small parks where you can sit and relax or meet up with friends to kayak on the river.

A Clutter of Kayaks

Fluid Acrylic

20" X 36"

Contact April to Purchase

Summer Breezes by April M Rimpo

Summer Breezes is inspired by the Annapolis City Dock, which is located near the Annapolis capitol building and not far from the Naval Academy.  As the name implies, this is a nice place to sit on a bench to relax and take in the sights.

Summer Breezes

Fluid Acrylic

11" X 14"

Available at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

I hope you enjoyed this small tour, through my eyes and art, of just a few of the places you can visit in Maryland.  

If you are interested in learning about more places to visit, take a look at this Jen Reviews article, 100 Best Things to Do in Maryland.  I've only been to a few of these locations, but agree they deserve to be included.  This list now has me intrigued to explore other regions of Maryland to check out more places to see and enjoy; and just maybe paint. 

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.

"Double Lagoon", a watercolor miniature

Double Lagoon 6.5" x 8.5" wood frame by April M Rimpo

Double Lagoon 1.3" X 3.6" image by April M Rimpo

Double Lagoon

Watercolor

1.3" X 3.6" image

6.5" x8.5" frame

$150

Available at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

8090 Main Street

Ellicott City, MD 

Phone: 410-461- 4505

HorseSpirit Arts Gallery

info@horsespiritartsgallery.com 

410-461-3505

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.

"Summer Breezes" 11" X 14" watercolor and fluid acrylic

Summer Breezes by April M Rimpo

Summer Breezes

Watercolor and Fluid Acrylic

Brushed Silver Frame

Available to purchase on April's website. The standard gallery commission will be provided to HorseSpirit Arts Gallery owners are they work to recover their business following the May 28, 2018 Ellicott City Flood.

Recently included in April's solo exhibit "Contemporary Landscapes" at Columbia Art Center you can now find this painting at HorseSpirt Arts Gallery in Historic Ellicott City, Maryland. 

You might have noticed that Summer Breezes was done in watercolor and fluid acrylic. It started in watercolor only and matured quickly. The result looked too washed out for my liking and sat in my studio for months. Recently, I pulled it out of a stack of unfinished paintings and decided to work on it some more. 

I decided that the first thing I would try was adding a very dilute layer of acrylic over the sky and water. I wanted to see whether bumping up the color intensity of the painting would speak to me. Well it worked. A combination of Cerulean blue and a cobalt violet blend I had been using for another painting made things start happening, so I immediately added some Cadmium Orange (hue) in the water reflections to make those more intense as well.

Those changes were enough so I printed out a new copy of my photo reference and went to work adding in details and intensifying the value contrast throughout the painting. There is nothing like a change in value to add dimension to a painting.

I also pushed the color in a few areas to add life and to provide more color balance throughout the piece. It is surprising how sometimes it only takes a couple hours to really turn around a painting.

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.

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.

"Out for a Cruise" 16"X20" Fluid Acrylic

Out for a Cruise by April M Rimpo

Out for a Cruise

Fluid Acrylic

16" X 20" gallery wrapped painting*

$775

Contact April if you are interested in purchasing this painting.

This painting was inspired by my photograph of a lake in Buckingham Palace Gardens. I was drawn by the elegance and serenity of the setting, but since I chose a color scheme that was much more vibrant the mood of the painting is quite different from my original inspiration.  The black swan became the heart of this painting, standing out against the bright landscape. My use of bright colors and the intentional focus on the swan shifted the title from one about serenity to Out for a Cruise.

I generally work on cold press paper, which has some texture to the surface, but since I wanted hard edged ripples of the water, I selected hot press paper. It has a very smooth surface, which also makes it quite different to work on compared to cold press.  It takes a few layers of paint before I begin to be at ease with hot press paper, but in the end it was the right choice.

* The painting wraps around the edge so no framing is required.

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 #hocoartist #swan #lake #reflectionsinwater #fluidacrylic #aprilrimpo #amrart

Series: Down by the Sea

The Beach, 22" X 10.5" watercolor

by April M. Rimpo

It seems like unconsciously I work in series without really planning to do so.  In looking back at my work I find ships, sailboats, water scenes keep popping up. The latest The Beach is shown at right. This painting received a Second Place award. In this painting the sailboat is secondary to the people musseling on the beach, yet the pathways in the sand and water do bring you back around to the lovely sailboat making me want to sail away.

The Beach

watercolor

22 " X 10.5" image

28 " X 16" brushed silver frame
$650 within the United States *

Available for Purchase Here 

Sailboats are the central focus in several of my paintings over the years.  Race on the Cove was sold from a solo exhibit at the Dorchester Art Center in Cambridge, Maryland back in 2002.

Race on the Cove, watercolor by April M. Rimpo

Even oils that predated my switch to watercolor in 1997 depicted people on the beach, as shown in Kennebunkport below.

Kennebunkport, oil by April M. Rimpo

So what draws me to beach and water scenes?  I think it is the serenity I find by the ocean.  This struck me most dramatically when I visited the Pacific coast in Oregon as a college student.  Unlike the beaches I  experienced on the Atlantic coast as a child, there are very few people; there is nothing but the sound of crashing waves and maybe the frolic of an otter.

The power of nature is very real and poignant; when there I feel totally at peace.  I can sit on the cliffs by myself and just stare for hours.  There are no troubles of the world, there is nothing that I feel I have to do except sit and enjoy.

Clearly in Race on the Cove there is a lot of activity on the water, but as I remember that day there was no throng of people crowding a beach and distracting me from the race.  Again, quiet was the predominant sensation.  Of course, the color of the sails add that splash that I love, so this became another one of those precious moments I cherish. 

I have a few quotations at the bottom of my blog.  One is by John Burk that perfectly characterizes how I feel about many of my paintings.

 "Time spent in a painting is very much like going there again on vacation.  And when the painting is done, I have seen every detail and nuance so thoroughly, that a glance at the completed work is sufficient for a short visit."

Perhaps that is why I paint so many of these types of landscapes.  I know you won't revisit my experience when you look at these paintings, but I hope they do bring back to you some wonderful time you spent by the ocean or on a lake.  I'd love to hear your stories.  They will add a new dimension to my art that I could never enjoy otherwise.

For other water and boat scenes take a look at these other blog posts.  

• Port of Call - NYC
• Tall Ship Gloria
• The Dugouts
• Flores  SOLD
• Wash Day
• At One with Their Gondolas 
• A Day at the Fountain

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, but all other uses are prohibited.