"Undercover" a 4"X4" stackable-art painting

Undercover by April M Rimpo

Undercover

Fluid Acrylic on Watercolor Paper varnished and mounted on

4" X 4" X 2" deep Cradled Wood Panel

$55 includes shipping within the United States

SOLD through April's Spreesy Store

Much of yesterday's snow has melted and the streets are clear. All the birds and animals are out and about. I'm sure nests are being built, spring cleaning of sorts for our feathered friends. The more timid animal life is peeking out and checking the air with ever twitching noses.  This little bunny, partially under the cover of the woods, hasn't quite decided whether to venture further or not.

"Deer with Fawn" a 4" X 4" stackable-art painting

Deer with Fawn by April M Rimpo

Deer with Fawn

Fluid Acrylic on Watercolor Paper varnished and mounted on

4" X 4" X 2" deep Cradled Wood Panel

$50

Available at Columbia Art Center Gallery Store
6100 Foreland Garth, Columbia, MD
410-730-0075

6:45 PM EDT today is the Vernal Equinox when it becomes officially Spring. It actually felt like Spring a few days ago. The warm temperatures had a few people out with no jacket and I even saw a few of the more rugged sort wearing shorts. I chose the light sweater, which I found unnecessary as the day progressed.  All was well.  It seemed light the birds in our yard were chirping a happy song, the leaf buds on the trees seemed just a tiny bit larger. A pair of hawks that live in our trees appeared to be beginning the nesting process.  I even saw a vulture (not my favorite bird nor a lovely image of Spring) doing a fancy dance with his wings held out for another vulture trying very hard to attract her attention.   I thought at last, Spring is here.  It seemed like doing this little painting of a deer with her fawn was perfect to celebrate. Fawns are normally born in Maryland toward the end of Spring in May or June, but for me the fawns are one of the symbols of Spring.

So despite the fact that the weather decided to give us one more winter day, starting us out with more snow, I am still going to celebrate Spring. Although we do have about 1" of snow coating the trees it is beginning to turn to rain and I am still hopeful that by 6:45 PM EDT they trees will again be bare.  

Happy Spring, everyone!

ISEA 1st Annual Members Virtual Exhibit

Inspiration by April M Rimpo

Last year I joined the International Society of Experimental Artists, entered and was accepted into their 23rd International Experimental Artists Exhibition. At that time I had just started pouring fluid acrylic and my painting Moving Up had been the result of my first poured painting. 

While doing that and other poured paintings I noticed that the painting started out as a very interesting abstract and gradually built to the image I wanted to portray.

This year, during the 30 Paintings in 30 days Challenge, I decided to create  some non-objective paintings as the starting point for a series of yoga poses that I planned to paint.  I used large sheets (40 X 50") when doing the pours so I could have a lot of variety to chose from when I later cut these sheets apart to make 8 X 8" wrapped "canvases" for the sections of the yoga poses.  My goal during the pouring was just to make some interest patterns and color combinations. I had not yet drawn the poses, so there was no masking intended to preserve areas for the final paintings.

After the backgrounds were done and I had drawn the poses, I selected sections of the non-objective, poured sheets that I thought I could use for the yoga poses.  When selecting the 8"X8" sections I looked for lighter areas that could be formed into the person and textures that would help accentuate the pose.  The next step was to draw the post across the segments and then add paint to help emphasize the human shape while still leaving each abstract segment as abstract as possible.  Until the four segments of "Inspiration", shown at left, were put together, it was difficult to see the figure. Even assembled it takes some looking to find her form in the painting.

Being quite happy with my result I decided to enter this pose (there are a total of six poses made up of 21 8" X 8" panels) into the ISEA Member Virtual Exhibition. I was so happy is was accepted into the exhibit. 

To see all the other experimental paintings by going to the ISEA website. I think the work is quite fascinating in this exhibit.  Do take some time to read the descriptions provided by each artist explaining why the piece was experimental for them, since being experimental is a personal experience.  I am so glad their is a group like this that honors each artist's personal experimentation. Two of my artist friends also have work in this virtual exhibit.  Please be sure to check out the paintings by Sue Marrazzo and Marilyn LeMay Patterson.  Sue Marrazzo also has a blog, so if you want to see more of her artwork check that out here.