Golden Sun

What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit.  ~John Updike
New work. Golden Sun, 40"x48" on stretched canvas. Edges painted white. $1900.
And here's how it would look in a room.

Honey

My latest abstract! 15"x30" / acrylic on canvas
For purchasing information, please see Saatchi Online.

Life's a beach

Really enjoyed this one. "Life's a Beach" available through me directly or Saatchi online.
12"x16" / acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas / $360

Child's play

I am very happy to announce that I won second place in the Daily Paintworks contest for September (judged by Taryn Day) for my abstract painting "The Breath Thief". Thank you so much! This is The Breath Thief:

The new painting I've posted is my latest painting called "Child's Play". It is acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 16"x20"x1.75". Both paintings are available through me directly or at Saatchi online.

I'll also take this opportunity to wish my fellow Canadians a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast. 

 ~William Shakespeare

Narrative of love

Narrative of love / acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas / 16"x 20"x 1.75"
Available through me directly or here at Saatchi online.

You may remember that about a month ago I was seriously thinking about changing professions. I was having a difficult time finding buyers for my work and feeling rather blue about the whole state of affairs. Or maybe I just told that to a few friends ; ) Anyway, this week I sold a number of paintings which is far and away a major personal milestone! I am so thankful to those who felt something in my work, and connected with it, and wanted it in their homes and offices. THANK YOU. You know, this business can be tough. I paint and paint and study and pour over books of beautiful works, and talk with people...and there can be looong dry spells. And then one day, it all kind of cumulates and presto. A bunch of good things occur.
Paint on!

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.

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.

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.

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

Alien Picnic

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

14"x18" / acrylic on canvas / $440

Restoration, and a "dreamy" surprise

Sorry Dreama, I'm sure you've heard it all before but I couldn't resist ; ) Last week I got word that I won this beautiful painting of roses in a pitcher from Dreama Tolle Perry. If you don't already know Dreama's work, please check out her blog. Absolutely beautiful. And if you enter your name to receive her email newsletter, you'll be entered in her monthly draws as well. How great is that?! Thanks Dreama.

Today it is Victoria Day, also know as May 2-4... a long weekend! So I was with my family and not in the studio. I thought it still would be nice to post something so am showing this piece I did a number of years ago called Restoration. It just came over me - almost painted itself. I've wished I could have done more like it but it never happened. A few attempts just felt forced. Maybe one day it'll come again... Happy long weekend!

Branches in April

Sunday post: Where I post something from my website.

Today I'm posting Branches in April. One of my favourites : ) This was actually a landscape painting of some trees, shrubs and a pond but it was just not working. It hung around my studio for a while and then one day I went to paint some fruit tree branches and grabbed this canvas. I began painting over the old piece, blocking in my new branches (the original painting now being on it's side). After I had them blocked in I began to paint in the sky. As I was painting, the dark purple lines from the old trees were starting to look pretty interesting so I decided not to cover them all up. If you analyze the logic in this piece, it does not make sense. But I think you really feel the branches - just one of those cool things that happens sometimes.

12" x 16" / acrylic on canvas / not for sale