Thursday, December 22, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.10

Nicholas in Vienna by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
There's a line from a Christmas song I loved as a child that went: 
~~~I don't know if you believe in Christmas, 
or if you have presents underneath the Christmas tree, 
but if you believe in love, that will be more than enough
For you to come and celebrate with me.~~~
Because for as much pressure as everyone feels, it's really not about presents. And I know the commercialization gets quite crass. So just take a deep breath, treasure those you love and keep them close and count your blessings. I wish all of you warmth in your heart, tenderness in spirit, peace and love. Merry Christmas.
If you're new to this interactive exhibit/game I'm running, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift ; ) If anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the tenth of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!
Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.9

Ceci n'est pas Père Noël by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
This one has a bit of a double joke painted in. And when you know the artist's work, you see it : )) I'll take this moment to wish everyone some peace and joy heading into the next number of days. Go forth with love...
If you're new to this interactive exhibit/game I'm running, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift ; ) If anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the ninth of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!
Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.8

Nick at Auvers by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
I'm pretty sure this is the easiest one to guess. And lots of fun to paint. Ho ho ho.
If you're new to this interactive exhibit/game I'm running, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift ; ) If anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the eighth of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!
Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Monday, December 19, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.7

De stijl van Santa by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
Now before the skeptic in you thinks this is completely random, fear not! Can you see St. Nick? His boots are indicated by the black blocks, that's his gold belt buckle, red coat and hat (with a gold jingle bell) and his green sack of toys.
p.s. just a note to say that I'm leaving for a very special trip this evening. We're heading to... France! Baguettes. Cheese. Wine. Oh la la! Oh yes...and ART (heart pounding, pulse racing : )! I won't be posting while away but I have pre-posted a few entries. And I will draw the winner when we return so keep entering : ) Until then, keep well my friends! See you in January. I'll try and get some good photos of all things artistic and French to share in the New Year : )
If you're new to this interactive exhibit/game I'm running, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift ; ) If anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the seventh of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!
Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian



Sunday, December 18, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.6

Nick in Tahiti by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
Number 6!
If you're new to this interactive exhibit/game I'm running, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift ; ) If anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the sixth of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!
Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian


Saturday, December 17, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.5

St. Nick by Klee Wyck by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
Hmm...if you're stuck on this one, a little googling might help, eh? Painting No.5 of 10. 
If you're new to this interactive exhibit/game I'm running, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift ; ) If anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the fifth of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!

Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Friday, December 16, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.4

Santa's feminine side? by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
Painting No.4 of 10. This one makes me laugh : )
If you're new to this, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift. It's fun. And if anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the fourth of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!

Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Thursday, December 15, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.3

Superstar Santa by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
Painting No.3. Okay my dear viewers: this one is easy-peasy and it was fun to create. I spread acrylic gel on to a photocopied image and pressed it down on painted canvas. When it dried I took a sponge and gently rubbed to wash away the paper. What was left was the greyish image you see on the painting. Then I went in with solid colour and painted the hat, sleeve and glasses. It was the quickest way with the supplies I had on hand to figure out how to mimic the artists process.
If you're new to this, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift. It's fun. And if anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the third of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!

Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.2

Nick in drip by Kim Rempel / acrylic on canvas
Good work everyone - you were correct! Since many of you playing along are fellow artists some of these will come easier to you - but I do have a couple toughies up my sleeve ; ) 
If you're new to this, the blurb below explains it all. Join at any time!
This painting is from a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift. It's fun. And if anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! I thought it would be fun to play online. This is the second of ten. The title holds a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!

Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The St. Nicholas Collection ~ No.1 - SOLD

Christmas Dream by Kim Rempel / acrylic
Other years around the Christmas season I have sporadically posted some of these paintings from a series I did years ago but I have decided that leading up to Christmas I'd post the lot. I am taking some time off for the holidays as things are getting busy and there are a few fun things in store (more on that later : )
This was a series on how I imagined modern masters would have portrayed St. Nicholas had they been commissioned to paint his portrait. When I exhibit this series I run it as an interactive show. I have a sheet that people can fill out with the titles running down one side and the painters down another. Viewers are invited to guess which artist inspired each piece. One winner is drawn from all correct answers and they receive a gift. It's a lot of fun. And if anyone is ever interested in showing it, email me and we'll set it up! 
Perhaps we can play along online! This is the first one of ten. The title's hold a clue. You can answer back in the "Comments" section and I will draw one winner from everyone who correctly answers all ten. And I will send a gift, cause hey - it's a Christmas game! Feel free to tell your friends and have them play along!

Artists: Vincent vanGogh, Andy Warhol, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, Emily Carr, Frieda Kahlo, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian

Monday, December 12, 2011

Work in progress

What I worked on at Lauries today. This was our last studio day of the year. Thanks so much Laurie. You were inspiring and a wealth of knowledge (not to mention a great source of amusement ; ) I learned a ton. This was another painting on top of an old painting. Right near the end of the day I went a little too crazy with the pattern on her "dress". I am going to paint some of it out tomorrow to reveal a bit more of the flesh. It was a bit better that way.

Friday, December 9, 2011

All is bright - SOLD

Today another wine bottle offering. These are so much fun to paint. A challenge - but that's what keeps things interesting!
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The more the merrier - SOLD

How's this for some colourful snap! Gotta love that cad red.
So thanks for your comments yesterday regarding the antique ornaments painting. I think the one thing I have to do is add a cast shadow from the box onto the table. Then I'll put my brush down. I swear : )
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Antique ornaments

So here is the (almost) final piece. The stages to get here are shown below. As you can see I completely covered anything that was left of the original painting. Yesterday I was toying with the idea of keeping the greenery from the landscape painting in the top section but decided it needed a more graphic approach. I also changed the lettering on the box around. The box had been sitting in the turned over lid, hence the type was upside down but it confused enough people who were looking at it that I thought I'd better change it. I hope I made the right decisions but it's always a bit of a guessing game! This painting is acrylic and I think is about 18"x24".

Monday, December 5, 2011

Antique ornaments, work in progress

Sorry - these photos are from my phone. It's pretty old in cell-phone years and the pics are poor. I was painting with Laurie and we were back at Southworks. I spied a box of old ornaments and set to work painting them on an old landscape. I did get further than I've shown but the pictures are crummy. I'm going to continue working on it tomorrow and will post a nice, sharp photo of my progress.


Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A painter's table, work in progress



This is another reclaimed canvas, but I'm almost out of them ; ) You can see in the first picture I've sketched in my drawing, and so on down the line. It's on top of a still life. Plan on finishing it tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Still life - done!

Finished! This was a ton of fun to paint. Below is a detail in close-up. Now...what to call it?!
acrylic on canvas / 24"x36"

Monday, November 28, 2011

Still life - almost done...

Above and below: details of my favourite parts
Today was another studio day at Laurie's. I carried on with my reclaiming old canvasses series and this is what happened today! I still have a bit more work to do on it which I'll try and get completed tomorrow. But I'm really happy! Let me take you through the process:
Do you remember when I posted this one? Ugh. Well anyway, this is what I started with, but I tipped it on its side.
Next I sketched in my drawing with willow charcoal (I know it's probably hard to see and a little confusing). I love that stuff!  Then I began painting the corner of the table.
This is what it looked like the next time I took a picture. Almost done!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

ARTLOVE: Katalin

He's stealin' my heart / 12"x12"
 Give us peace
 Stars in her eyes
 Secret whispers
Winter song / watercolour / 5"x7"
Well, the market went well! A huge thanks to my family and friends who came out, kept me company, brought me drinks etc... It's so nice to have good friends, yes? (heart)
One of the artists at the market was my friend Katalin. She came to Canada from Hungary in 2000 and I met her a few years later. I really love her work. It has an old-world charm that and her pieces have so much character. LOVE. She has a blog that she posts to when she can but she's pretty busy right now.  Aside from her painting, she works full time, has children, and is expecting!! (yay!)I thought I'd post some of her work here and I invite you to check out/follow her blog to see more of what she does. Gorgeous work Katalin!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

A perfect day at the Market!

Sharky rain boots / October, 2010

A perfect day at the Christmas HandMade Market!! Don't let the forecast of rain scare you away tomorrow. We'll all be there under one big tent with our wares; food to fill your belly; and wine, coffee and cider to ward off the chill! 11-4, The Good Earth, Beamsville, ON

6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)


Friday, November 25, 2011

Come one, Come all!! Tomorrow is the Market!

Unless you are reading this through the email feed, then...TODAY is the Market! : ) Saturday and Sunday, 11-4pm, free admission. Great food, wine, and ART!!! And so much more. You can see the various vendors and the menu here. Wanna get a head start on your shopping? Come on out! Gifts for everyone on your list.
And just a note about the lack of posts this week. Monday I came down with a rotten head cold so painting kind of suffered.  But I'm on the mend and ready to go for tomorrow!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Untitled

acrylic / 24"x24"
~detail~
So this is the painting I was speaking about yesterday. I was painting over an apple tree I'd done and my initial intention was to cover the greater part of the canvas. As the pose drew to a close, I ran out of time and this is what I'd completed. So I had to leave it. But what I thought was cool was that - by luck - the model's pose, the composition I began, and the shape of the tree in the former painting all converged into one unified painting. The tree looks like it's cradlelling the figure! And the sunlight and leaves are dappled through the flesh. I thought of calling it "Nesting" but I'm open as always to any clever suggestions (Barbara?; ). To me it also conjures up memories of climbing trees, and of how happy and peaceful you feel there. 

Monday, November 21, 2011

Gesture/figure drawing

Today at Laurie's we had a model. It's been so long I thought every drawing was going to look like a mutant but I must say - it was great fun. We started off with 30 second poses (above).
Next we jumped to one minute...
And then...how many minutes was this? Can't recall - I'll blame it on my cold. But anyway, after that we had an extended pose for about an hour and I did a painting. Because it was dark when I got home I couldn't get a good photo (yada, yad, yada) but I will post one tomorrow. It turned out pretty cool - a figure painting over one of my old landscapes. Anyway - till then - ciao!



Sunday, November 20, 2011

ARTLOVE: Kurt Lightner

Untitled by Kurt Lightner, acrylic on panel, 66"x84", 2010
Untitled by Kurt Lightner, acrylic on panel, 55"x72", 2010
Untitled by Kurt Lightner, acrylic on panel, 12"x16", 2010

So one of the great things about the internet is discovering something completely by chance. I was doing a search for art t-shirts (looking for some clever ones that pertain to the profession) when it lead me to site Today in Art which showcased the work of Kurt Lightner. LOVE!! I really don't know much about him other than what his website says. He was born in Ohio and lives and works in New York City. And man, can he paint. Totally thrilling!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

More mini canvasses + an invitation

These will be for sale at The HandMade Christmas Market Nov.26th+27th at The Good Earth, Beamsville, ON (11-4). Luxury Hand-Spun Fibres, Artisan Wood Products and Time Pieces, Fresh Seasonal Arrangements, Leather Goods Natural Bath + Body Products, Jewellery, Hand Bound Books, Pottery, Hand-Sewn Bags + Accessories, Preserves, Designer Clothing, Home Decor,  Estate Honey, Food + Wine, and of course, Original Art! In addition to the mini paintings above, I will also have a huge selection of my 6"x6" daily paintings on sale for $75. A fantastic selection!! Paintings of everything from food to wine to toys to flowers to a trouble light ; ) 

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Mini originals



Today I worked on more mini paintings for the HandMade Christmas Market, November 26th+27th at The Good Earth. Above are "Bust II", "Hansa Yellow" and "Linseed Oil". These are about 2.25"x3.5". I found a few mini easles that look so cool with them! They can also be hung on the wall or used as fridge magnets. These three are acrylic.