Top 5 + Happy New Year!

Another year has almost wrapped and it is time to wish all of you a very Happy New Year! It is also time for lists : ) Here are my Top 5 favourite paintings of 2015.

 Sea Glass / 36"x60" / acrylic on cradled wood support / $2100. ©Kim Rempel

 Shift / acrylic on wood / 16"x16" / $465 ©Kim Rempel

 Golden Sun / acrylic on canvas / 40"x48" / $1900 ©Kim Rempel

 Secret Garden / acrylic on wood / 36"x72" / $2600 ©Kim Rempel

Crow / 6"x6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD ©Kim Rempel
And in the spirit of a new year and fresh start, here is a piece of writing I quite like. I take issue with the line "no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should" but there is so much greatness here that I enjoy going back to it for those thoughts. Cheers everyone!
Desiderata.
Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy

Merry Christmas!

Today I am reposting a painting from a few years back along with a lovely piece of writing I saw online yesterday. I think I will copy the words and remind myself to read them year round : ) My warmest wishes to everyone! And to those celebrating, Happy Holidays!

Santa String / SOLD. To see a note about this painting, see below.

This Christmas end a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion, and replace it with trust. Write a love letter. Share some treasure. Give a soft answer. Keep a promise. Find the time. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Listen. Apologize if you were wrong. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind; be gentle. Appreciate. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Gladden the heart of a child. Welcome a stranger. Take pleasure in the beauty and the wonder of Earth. Speak your love. Speak it again, speak it yet once more.

A note about this painting: These figures are made from what looks to be a type of pipe cleaner, with plastic heads and they're holding trees or wreaths. They are 4" high.

Notes from the collector: Definitely European. Probably vintage 30s. I love browsing antique shops. In December everything is overpriced. The rest of the year, it's in storage and it's fun to ask if they have anything. The friendly types of shop keepers will go back to their stock rooms and invariably come up with something.

ARTLOVE: Denis Sarazhin

It's been way too long since I did an ARTLOVE post but I discovered a painter online that has blown me away and wanted to share. His name is Denis Sarazhin and he paints with such complex, intricate marks and colour that I find I'm actually holding my breath when I look at his work. Exquisite. There is a quality to his work that reminds me of Egon Schiele and wow, does Sarazhin know colour. I could get lost in his works for days.

Wandering through streets of Kerch by Denis Sarazhin



Pantomime 5 by Denis Sarazhin


Corn by Denis Sarazhin

After Hours

Done! I have had a block with my latest abstract so I moved to something completely different for a bit of a break. This is "After Hours". Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas (edges painted black) / 24"x36" / $995.

Work in progress

I've been blocked on an abstract I've been working on so I decided to shift to something completely different and see if that unlocks something when I go back to the abstract. Right now this has strong lines and is quite graphic - not sure if it will stay that way but this is what it looks like to date.

Laundry Tub

40"x60" / acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas / sold

A client commissioned this piece for a client of hers. It was great fun to work on - it had been a while since I painted a large still life!

Day One at the HandMade Market!

Here are some pictures from the first day at the HandMade Christmas Market at Honsberger Winery in Jordan, Ontario. 
So many wonderful artisans and handmade items. Bring your Christmas List - you'll be able to cross a lot of items off! ; ) 
Hours: Saturday 9-4 Sunday 11-4.

Acceptance!

I am thrilled to announce that I received my acceptance last week to the Artist Project Contemporary Art Fair. It runs February 18-21 in Toronto. Yowza!

Also, this weekend I will be at the HandMade Christmas Market at the gorgeous Honsberger Winery in Jordan, Ontario with my small works in oil. Three days to shop, sip and savour!

Chihuahua

Another small painting for the upcoming Handmade Christmas Market at Honsberger Estate Winery in Jordan, Ontario.
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping)

Coneflowers

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

Puffy bird

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

Crow - SOLD

Perfect for Halloween (or bird lovers : )
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping)

Raven + #tbt interview - SOLD

Just in time for Halloween...the raven.
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / sold

And for #tbt, four years ago today my friend and fellow painter/sculptor Crystal Cook interviewed me for her blog. The interview is here if you like to check it out! She conducted a fairly wide-ranging (and fun) interview. Questions ran from what advice I'd give to emerging artists, to what famous paintings I'd put in a time capsule, to my preference of zombies vs. unicorns : )

Rural Road

Well, it's been a year of large abstract painting and this is my first small format (daily) painting in 11 months! November 13-15 I will be selling at the Handmade Market Christmas Market in Jordan, Ontario and I figured I'd better up my inventory. So here is "Rural Road". 6"x6" / oil on archival canvas board / $100 (free shipping).

Fruit with cloth #tbt

So this is the longest break from the studio that I can remember. And I am now craving my paintbrushes. Time to put in an order for canvasses and get back in there! For today though, here is an older painting (that happens to be available ; ): Fruit with cloth, 24"x36", acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, $800.

Scenes from the Toronto Outdoor Art Expo. Part 1.

Last weekend I exhibited at the Toronto Outdoor Art Expo (TOAE) and had a fabulous time! It is an exhilarating weekend packed pull of impressive and diverse art. I took some pictures to share and give you a snapshot of the weekend. Such a great experience!
I met Celeste Keller. I have to admit I was fan-girling ; ). Love her work! And man, does she know how to kit out a tent!

Below is the work of Paul Gilroy. I loved these pieces. So fresh and modern. He was right across from my tent and he was a great guy - helped us get a tarp over our tent.

 This is the work of Patrice Carmichael. She was wonderful!

 The next two pieces are the work of I.E.M. Griffiths. SO GOOD! Love his paintings.

 This is the fabulous, strong work of Renée Gélinas. I remembered her from last year and was thrilled to see her back. Her work really speaks to me. Stunning!

A scene from Nathan Phillips Square.

 This is the work of Isabella Di Sclafaniart. Love the tone of these.

 Here is Jon Jarro. Wow.

 And this is work of the sculptor Peter Shoebridge. Breathtaking.

And last but not least I want to thank my show assistant for the weekend: my daughter. It is go-go-go at these shows and exhausting but she dug in and was a terrific help. THANK YOU! Sometime we will get the t-shirts ; )

I would like to do a second post of other artists I discovered in a couple of weeks when I gather and sort all the other business cards I collected. So inspiring and definitely good for the soul! Here's to the TOAE. I hope to be back next year!

Toronto Outdoor Art Expo THIS weekend!

Hello! I'd like to invite you to the Toronto Outdoor Art Expo at Nathan Phillips Square this weekend! I've been working away preparing and am almost ready. Today I was grouping my paintings together for booth placement and took a couple of snaps. These are a few of the pieces that will be available. The show runs from Friday September 18th to Sunday September 20th, 10:30-6:30 all three days. 

I am booth H25 on the corner of the fountain on Queen and Bay.

 A section of (l-r, back to front) Sea Glass, Blue is the new blue, Plunge, and Shift.

A section of Totem and Road Trip.

Plot Twist, new work

At long last, this painting is finished! Called Plot Twist, you can read into it whatever you like : ) It is acrylic, 40"x60" on cradled wood support, edges painted white. $2,100. Below is how it would look in a room.

Work in progress

A small bit of corner of a large painting I'm working on. This one's been "in progress" a loooong time ; )

Plunge

Plunge / 16"x16" / acrylic on cradled wood support (edges painted white) / $465 

Wow...where I live it's been a smokin' hot few days. But before long it will soon be this:

Just looking back at this old photo makes me cool off : ) 

Wishing you a good day!