Random...

Taking random shots of my studio today. Anyone need some art for their walls? If you see something you like or want some information on let me know and I'll get back to you asap! By the way, that mid-section of a cedar tree (red and purple painting) is the middle piece of a triptych. It would be very striking if someone has a tall wall to hang it!

Ghost Story - SOLD

Ghost Story / 20"x20" / acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas 

To see more of my abstract work, please see my page at Saatchi.

Last week someone asked me what "gallery wrapped" canvas was. I took this photo at my studio today to show everyone who is wondering the same thing. So the thinner canvas on the left is a standard stretcher frame and the thick one on the right is a "gallery wrapped" canvas.

Dissident

This painting came about after watching an interview with Ai Weiwei (pronounced: I wayway) by Jian Ghomeshi of CBC. It is a very powerful thirteen minutes. Do you know Ai Weiwei? Chances are if you don't know his name, you would know some of his art. He was the artistic consultant for the stunningly beautiful Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Anyway, Jian Ghomeshi of "Q" (best arts and culture programming ever! I'm such a fan) spoke with him in his studio in Beijing and it is captivating stuff. After watching his fascinating interview I was deeply moved. And I wanted to paint a response. Mixed into this painting are thoughts of chaos, the innocence of children, being monitored...even Weiwei's shirt (if you watch the interview you'll make the connection ; )
Note: Weiwei has been in the news a fair bit lately as the Art Gallery Of Ontario is holding a retrospective of his work. The show runs till October 27th, 2013. I'll blog about it after I see it!

work in progress

So this is what I'm working on now. Who knows what it will look like in the next couple of days. It's already had a few lives : )

The Breath Thief by Kim Rempel

As far as I am concerned, a painting speaks for itself. What is the use of giving explanations, when all is said and done? A painter has only one language.
~Pablo Picasso
My newest painting, The Breath Thief, was tougher than tough. It morphed continually and took multiple twists and turns. I wish I had taken progress shots! I'm in this phase where I can't wait to get to my studio and paint, paint, paint. I'm dreaming of shapes and colour.

Too see more of my abstract paintings, please view my portfolio on Saatchi.
acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas / 16"x 20"x 1.75" / $560

Now on Saatchi! +The heart's a strongbox

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary. ~Pablo Picasso

I am very excited to announce that my work is now on Saatchi Online. Please, please check it out!

http://www.saatchionline.com/rempel

And if you have any friends who love art or are looking to buy, I would be grateful if you shared!

Here is my latest painting, "The heart's a strongbox". I know abstract work isn't everyone's cup of tea but I appreciate your comments. It's something I feel so excited about. I actually get a rush when I'm in front of my easel, applying paint. And that's a great thing to feel.

acrylic on canvas / 12"x12"x.5"/ $240 plus shipping

The thing about childhood

If anyone ever has any questions about my paintings (process or what-have-you) ask away! Sometimes I err on the side of brevity but I am more than happy to do Q&As. I can really chat when I get on a roll : )
"The thing about childhood" is 24"x30" / acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas.

La petite mort

I was going to name this "Hotel Sex" but decided la petite mort sounded better : )
acrylic / 16"x20" / $495 + shipping.

Working like a demon...

So I'm working away at a series and thought I'd share what my studio is looking like these days. A couple you may recognize from a few months ago - others have not been shown yet. These paintings are in various stages of completion. Things keep morphing and I can honestly say that after a serious period of frustration I'm feeling a renewal. Thanks to the peeps who kept me from chucking everything out the window ; )

Last Plein Air class THIS Saturday!

This Saturday is the last plein air class for the year at The Good Earth in Beamsville Ontario. Do you want to give it a go? All levels from absolute beginners to experienced painters are WELCOME! The day runs from 10-4 with a beautiful lunch, glass of wine, dessert and coffee at 1. As much or little instruction as you'd like throughout the day. Beautiful grounds. Please contact The Good Earth to register!

New Work

This is my latest piece. It is large: 24"x36" I believe (forgot to measure ; ). Title to come. I really enjoyed building the layers, finding rhythms, laying down colour, scrubbing...all of it. Below is a detail. Oh - and Happy September! Hope everyone's well and enjoying fresh starts. Cheers.

"Jewels" to debut on ArtBomb Sunday, September 1st!

Jewels / acrylic on canvas / 24"x30" 

"Jewels" will be up for auction on ArtBomb THIS Sunday, September 1st. If you'd like to check out ArtBomb or to get their daily art selections delivered to your inbox you can go to their site here. They will be launching ArtBomb New York Sunday as well. If you wouldn't mind sharing this with anyone you think would be interested, I'd appreciate it greatly!

Work in progress + retooling

Detail, work in progress

Hello! So I've had a bit of a break lately - not vacation, just a lot of thinking and decision-making into what direction to take things. Paths. Retooling. FOCUSING. I'm going to be putting the bulk of my energy into abstract painting. To keep my painting muscles limber I'll be doing a few other things along the way, but primarily abstract it will be.
This is a detail of a piece I'm working on currently (my favourite part - the part that's working! lol).

ArtBomb debut!

Today my painting "Autumn" is on ArtBomb. Yay! Each day ArtBomb delivers a new selection of art to your inbox. Check it out! I've taken some screen shots here but you can go to their site and explore.

"Terrain" Opening at Gallery M

 Merryn, owner of Gallery M and I at the opening of "Terrain".

It was a lovely night - thank you Gallery M! The show runs till the beginning of October so if you can, please stop in. There are lots of wonderful works.

In the pink

This is the other plein air painting I forgot to post. Evening sunset, thick shrubbery/woodland...such a pretty time of the evening.
16"x20" on gallery wrapped canvas / acrylic / $425

Evening sun

This is a plein air painting I did a couple of months ago and forgot to post (along with another I'll post tomorrow). I was drawn to some back lighting of the sun pouring out through a parting in the trees. This piece is 16x20 on gallery wrapped canvas.

Plein air workshop at The Good Earth

Friday was a plein air painting day at The Good Earth (Beamsville, Ontario) Eating, drinking, and painting! We had a full class of 8 and everyone produced great work. The flower beds were in full bloom, the vineyards leafy, and even the food was a work of art (photo below). Thanks to everyone who came out and enjoyed the experience. I really enjoyed spending the day with you!

Refuelling with a delicious lunch. And there was lavender creme brulee with blackberries on the side for dessert. Yum! 

Below is the gorgeous work - that they gave me permission to post - that everyone did (well, minus two who had to leave early). Fabulous!

L.Daly

J. Ponesse

T. Karwalajtys

This was my lunch. It tasted as good as it looks : )

Iris Paper Folding

So once in a while I post about creative endeavours other than painting and drawing. I thought I'd do it today. This week a dear friend of mine - who is super creative and whose skills seem to know no bounds - invited me and the kids over and taught us how to do iris folding. And this is what we made. A little tidbit she mentioned to us: it's called iris as in the iris of your eye. And that centre bit is traditionally a piece of shiny, special paper - the magic bit. I must tell you that the cards images below were made by people from 11 years +. You can do it! Just search it online and have fun : )

 

Reverie - SOLD

Today I completed this painting I'd had tucked away for a couple of months. I just hadn't known how to finish it, but this morning it all came together. I've posted this quote before but I just love it, so here it is again:
Crucially for me, I learned that appreciating Abstract Expressionist art begins with surrender, by allowing a painting to possess you. Once this occurs, you stop looking for symbols or messages or meanings and experience instead rhythm, energy, power, grace.

~Iris Nowell, Painters Eleven: The Wild Ones of Canadian Art. Published by Douglas & McIntyre

Hopewell Cape

This is my finished painting of Hopewell Cape (home of the Hopewell Rocks). This is a spot we toured on our holiday in New Brunswick. It is at the Bay of Fundy which has the highest tides in the world. It's spectacular to be walking on the ocean floor when the tide is out. And doesn't it have the best name?

20"x24" / acrylic on canvas / $585

Alien Picnic

Done! And I'm really happy. Sometimes they turn out the way you hope they will : )

14"x18" / acrylic on canvas / $440

Plein Air Painting Day. Eat, Drink and Paint!

Hi everyone. Just a note to let you know that NEXT Friday, August 9, is a plein air painting day at the fabulous Good Earth Food and Wine Co. 

From their website:

Join us for our third series of open air painting sessions with gardens, vineyards, orchards, farm life and interesting architecture as your backdrop.

Featuring individual instruction and lots of time for painting, artists of all skill levels will relish this series.

After a couple of hours of work, you’ll break for a delightfully inspired lunch at The Good Earth Bistro. The session fee includes your entrée, a glass of wine, dessert and coffee or tea (in addition to instruction). Once you’ve recharged your batteries, you can head back to your masterpiece with renewed enthusiasm. (please bring your own materials)

Cost is $90 including HST and gratuity. The day runs from 10-4. Please contact The Good Earth to register.

Holiday sketches + Goodbye Mr. Colville

My Hopewell Cape painting is *almost* finished. Just a little left on the sky. I will show you tomorrow! In the meantime, I thought I'd share a couple quick sketches I did when we were camping. The operative word being quick. I left all my paints at home but brought a sketch pad and a medium black marker. Below are my favourite two.
Also - when we were away I got news of Alex Colville's passing. He lived in Nova Scotia (where we were when I heard). The local paper ran a good story on his career. His work is breathtaking and his was the first art book I ever owned! Please check out his website here. Another thing I greatly admire about him... he had a deep love affair with his wife and muse of 70 years, Rhoda Colville. She passed away about 6 1/2 months ago. Rest in peace ♥

The rocks by the sea in Port Joli, Nova Scotia. My favourite sketch. My husband and kids were playing in the water, examining jellyfish and other marvels while I drew.

This sketch is a little wonky, but I like it because a) it's a box of Corn Pops on the picnic table (the one time a year the kids get to pick their poison...lol) and
b) there was a big tree right behind the table which is part of the joy/charm of camping, oui?

Hopewell Cape: work in progress

Isn't it a wonderful name? Hopewell Cape. This is a new piece I began today. It is derived from a photo I took at Hopewell Cape, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tides in the world. It's quite a stunning landscape.
I also worked on the abstract I posted yesterday... getting there...getting there....

Work in progress

Hi everyone! I'm back from holidays. We went camping in the Canadian east coast (New Brunswick & Nova Scotia) and then came home through the States, spending a few days in the Adirondack mountains. I'm happy, rested and refreshed : ) The outdoors: wood smoke, pine air....mmm!
Anyway, it's back to work. Today I began this painting. Right now I'm at the point where I need to stare at it a bit and I'm not sure which direction I'm going to take it. There are a couple chunks of this piece I'm really interested in - not sure if I should paint out what's around them or not? Decisions!

Cedar clump study and Mount Baker WIP

This is a study I did on location. The mosquitoes were nasty so I painted through my bug jacket hood screen. I had to slather my hands with bug spray and they still got bit. Not one of the finer bits I enjoy about plein air painting but I can still say it was a beautiful spot.
"Cedar clump" 9"x12" / acrylic on gessoed masonite / $165
Below is a painting my son did yesterday. It is from a photo his aunt took of Mount Baker in Washington at sunset. He is still toying with the colour of the sun hitting the mountain but personally I wouldn't change it! We all have to follow our own vision though.
Mount Baker Sunset / 6"x8" / acrylic on archival canvas board

Closer

When I am with you, the only place I want to be is closer. ~ author unknown

So, romance is alive and well : ) My daughter went to Paris last week and her boyfriend brought her this beautiful bouquet of roses. It's a beautiful thing to treat people with tenderness and care!

"Romance" / acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas / 10"x10" / $185

(detail)

The Alberta Flood Rose Project

As many of you will be sadly aware, Alberta has suffered some disastrous floods. The devastation is overwhelming. I painted this rose for the Alberta Flood Rose Project with all proceeds going to the Canadian Red Cross.

4"x4" / oil on panel