As promised, this is the second pastel work I spoke of last Sunday. I'm curious to know which one people prefer.
MINI A little blue plum bought today at the farm market. Tangy but not sour. Yum.
It is beginning to smell like autumn. A little early, but that's the kind of summer it's been. Another month and we'll be smelling the grapes in the fields. Love it.
So I started with a lovely little drawing and everything was swimming along nicely. The radish was foreshortened well and everything looked pretty solid. But when I began to paint, I started losing control. I hate that! I tried to put on the brakes but things were getting mucked up. The radish was giving me the most trouble. Damn thing. And I think I should have slanted it the other way for a stronger composition. Thoughts? In the end, I can say...I truly love the blackberries!
These are a few plump and juicy nectarine slices I chopped up and decided to paint. Love the colour of these guys.
Ahh, Niagara peaches (well, technically Vineland). Today I am freezing peaches for the winter ahead. Great on pancakes. I really love the orchards in the region. Where ever you live, support your local growers! I'm happy with this one : ) 
This is a tree I affectionately call the "Lifesaver tree" (like the candy). It has been pruned around the power lines and when it's leaves are in full flourish, they give the illusion of a ring. I love it! It always makes me smile. I've attached a photo of said tree so you know I'm not taking complete artistic license ; )
Mixing it up a bit today. This is a pastel drawing I did a couple of years back (Sundays I take the day off and post a piece from my website). It was a simple set-up of driftwood and a few shells. And I loved doing it. Loose, energetic, a bit abstract. I did two back to back. Next Sunday I will post the other one.
MINI Here is the cherry as promised. I wish they were back dotting the trees. For anyone who has never seen cherry blossoms, and then the fruit growing on the trees - well, it's a lovely sight! 
MINI I was asked to do a Mini of a strawberry and cherry for a blog reader. So here is the strawberry. I hope to do the cherry tomorrow. It was a day of canning beet pickles and mustard pickles with my Mom and talk about colour - the beets were gorgeous! I will have to take a stab at painting our pickled efforts : ) Thanks Mom!
When I was painting this richly coloured watermelon it reminded me of a geode. It is a treasure once you crack the rind!
I was tempted to call this "Daisies on a stinkin' hot humid day" but I resisted. It is a muggy one! Today I was painting at Sue and Craig's place. They are a warm, creative, enthusiastic couple who have told me I am welcome to paint in their garden anytime (did I mention they also have a generous spirit? : ) So today I took them up on it. They have a lot of great subject matter. It was difficult to choose, so I did two (see post below). Thanks guys!
This is the second painting I did at my friends' garden. A real contrast to the hot daisies above. This bloom looked so comfortable nestled in the shade : )
This giant old oak tree was growing on the side of the road. I couldn't stop staring at it. It had all these beautiful, turning branches radiating from it's core. The first thing it brought to mind was a grandmother reaching out to hug everyone. I used a friend's paintbrush (a smaller one designed for house-painting) because I didn't have anything large with me. After spending a fair bit of time drawing the subject. I just flew through the painting. I like its energy.
I went to the garden this morning and the tomatoes were a mess. I had to pick what I could salvage even though they were green. And we got a few carrots and a ton of beans. I have come to the realization that although I love the idea of a vegetable garden, I had a rather romantic view of it all and, well, next summer I think I'll just be buying my veggies from the market. Hats off to all you growers out there!
Today I had fun - it all came together the way I was hoping. Why oh why can't that happen all the time : ) ? I did switch up my brushes - I jumped to my new size 18 flat even though the canvas is only a 6"x6". But it worked. I prefer painting with large brushes but I didn't think I would have the control I needed with a large brush on a smallish canvas. I'll have to keep experimenting. Anyway, yay!
I am looking forward to great things starting September when the kids go back to school. Today I began painting around 9pm with 5 boys to keep me company (a sleep-over at our house : ) I'm not trying to make excuses but some days in summer it's just the nature of things. In September when every day I will have blocks of time to focus and paint, I anticipate making some substantial leaps.
Last night my husband made a trip out to see his Uncle Phil. He grows huge heads of garlic. They're really something to behold - the kind you can't wait to roast and enjoy with some bread and wine.
It's like falling off a horse I guess. I decided I should do a building of some sort today to make up for yesterday. Because it was one of those days where I was confined to my house, I decided to do something completely out of my head. A little dangerous really because that's not the way I paint. I always paint from life. In retrospect, I could have gone outside and painted my house, so as to get things right. But unfortunately I just thought of that now. So this is what I came up with. Funny, but bits of the garden shed (from yesterday) made it in there. My favourite part is the tree line with the clouds in the background.
Here's a nice juicy tomato on a hot summer day. To be honest, I first tried my hand at my parent's garden shed. It's so charming - I always smile when I see it. Unfortunately, after I finished, I was embarrassed - it looked like my first year college stuff (no offense to first year art students! I emphasize "my" first year : ). So after supper I grabbed a tomato from the bag Mom had sitting on the counter and gave it a go. Maybe the shed fiasco loosened me up - but I rather like this little guy!
Sunday Post: Sundays I take a day off and post a piece (usually larger than the daily paintings) that I have previously painted. Today I am posting Fletcher Creek. It was the first time I had painted water to my satisfaction and I was really happy with the outcome. I also liked the sunlight hitting the rocks. Some days it just all comes together and this was one of those days : ) If you'd like to view other larger pieces, you can check out my website at www.kimrempel.com
Well it's been a busy couple of days. Last night we went to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Fantastic! The rocks and minerals exhibit was a feast for the eyes. Lots of sparkle and colour : ) And today we had a great day with visiting family but I managed to get a painting in before everyone arrived. It was misty and just starting to rain. I stepped outside and painted these old pines in our backyard. They are planted close together, and situated among other trees vying for sunlight so they are without needles until the very top. I left that part out, and just focused on the rhythym of the bare branches.
What was I thinking?! Last night I kept mulling over how if I painted this one colour, and that another colour, I'd make great improvements over yesterday's piece. So I did another. There are things I like more in this one - I think the face is a bit cleaner, there's a bit more of a likeness, I like the warmer colours and the addition of the book. But I think yesterday's composition was stronger and the pillow and blanket painted better. Still struggling with how to paint in one stroke what is now taking me thirty. Sigh. Thoughts? Opinions? Advice?
Okay - today I stretched a bit and did a figure painting. I don't remember ever doing one so small - maybe back in my school days? Anyway, I felt a bit rusty. It was tough! I found the preliminary drawing was pretty quick and nice but when I went to paint - argh! All those tones! But...I loved doing it. It was a challenge but it felt good and in the end I was happy that I managed to keep it fairly loose (and human -looking...lol). 
It was the cooling hour, just when the rounded
Red sun sinks down behind the azure hill,
Which then seems as if the whole earth is bounded,
Circling all nature, hush'd, and dim, and still,
With the far mountain-crescent half surrounded
On one side, and the deep sea calm and chill
Upon the other, and the rosy sky
With one star sparkling through it like an eye. ~Lord Byron
6" x 6" x 1.25" / acrylic on canvas / $45
MINI I have this little pottery bowl that I love and I dropped an apricot inside and thought it should be painted. I liked the colour combination. But I think I'm done with apricots for a while now : ) I'm also feeling the need to paint something large again. I want to make big, expressive brush strokes. Hopefully I can get to that this week. I'll post it when I do. It's an interesting exercise: painting on everything from postage stamp-size canvasses to canvasses 3' x 4'. For years I was stuck in only a mid-sized range and I really enjoy the work that is coming from shifting gears. 2.25" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD
MINI More in what is turning into my apricot and plum series. They taste so good and I just love the warm colours. I read online that they're delicious grilled with some butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. May have to try that for dessert tonight! 2.25" x 3.25" / acrylic on canvas / $20 each
Concession 5 was painted on a beautiful summer night with good light casting dramatic shadows. I was out in the country and velvet green fields stretched out before me at every turn."If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance"~ Bern Williams
MINI I think I'd like to do an apricot series. The colour of this fruit is so warm and rich. All those oranges, crimsons and golds. And I love the shape too - plump and round with the curve coming in where you break apart the halves to reveal the pit. There it sits on a dish, just waiting to be eaten (check). Happy long weekend to all the Canadian readers!! 2.25" x 3.25" / acrylic on canvas / SOLD
