Garden garlic - SOLD

Not from my garden, 'cause I don't have one of those ; ) But I bought a bunch of them at a stand and we used them for making our dill pickles a few weeks back. Making pickles is suprisingly easy but can feel overwhelming. That's why they're best done with people you like hanging out with ; ) We stuffed our jars with lots of chili peppers, dill and garlic.
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping)

Carving II

He's baaaack! This is the bust I painted here. I just love this cheap little find I picked up for a buck. I sense a series coming on... 

6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (free shipping included) 

Paintings up!

The Framing and Art Centre has hung some of my larger plein air paintings along with a number of my framed daily pieces. Thank you! Speaking of my larger works, my new website will be up and running soon - hopefully a week or so. I'll be sure to announce it when it's complete!

PB & J

A classic! I saw this jar of red currant jam in the fridge and it needed to be painted.

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

Market grapes - SOLD

So named because that's how my kids differentiate local grapes from grocery store imports. These are the ones we buy now at the local fruit stands. There's always an enthusiastic call of "Market Grapes!" when they first see them. How are they different? Very small - and a sweet, tangy flavour..delicious!

Upcoming events: Friday will be the next plein air painting day at The Good Earth. Our theme is "The Noble Grape". It's going to be a great day!

Friday and Saturday I will be at the Fall Handmade Market being held at 13th Street Winery. You can find pictures of the winery and the different vendors by clicking the link. 13th Street Winery is not actually located on 13th Street ('cause they like to be tricky like that...lol). It is located at 1776 Fourth Ave., St. Catharines. Stop on by! All my daily paintings will be on sale for $75.

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

Coffee tumble

This one had some challenges: ellipses, curves, foreshortening, metal, ceramic and glass. A good workout!
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Hot stuff - SOLD

I really enjoy the variety of colour in these peppers. It's all about careful observation. Go with the colour you see, not what you assume it should be. After painting these on Monday with a bit of an electric vibe I decided to lay them on white and and let the peppers be the soul star of the show.
6"x6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

Announcing my new book!

Kim Rempel ~ small works by Kim Rempel | Make Your Own Book

I've been hard at work compiling my first book of small works and now 
it is ready to share! Inside you'll find many of my favourite pieces since
 I began daily painting in the summer of 2009. I created this book 
through Blurb.com and am very happy with the result ; )
*update since original post* I've had a few people inquire 
as to what type of book this is: an e-book, paper etc... It is 
a 54 page, softcover, full-colour book. Books can be ordered directly 
from Blurb. They print it, take your payment and ship it to your address. 
The best way to view is to click on the book icon 
on the sidebar of my blog, or to go to Blurb.com and enter my name in 
the search window. I had a lot of fun putting it together and I hope you 
enjoy it! Hey - you may want to make one of your own!!

Four little hotties - SOLD

I woke up this morning to the sad news that I'm sure everyone has heard by now: Carol Marine's house was destroyed by a wildfire over the weekend. My heart goes out to them as they begin to process what that now means : ( The only positive thing I can say is that her family is safe,  thank goodness. I'm pretty far removed from Texas and don't know if other familes have been as fortunate in that regard. Here's hoping. I took a class from Carol in 2009 and she was generous, funny and genuine. We're all thinking of you and your family Carol ((hugs)). If you'd like to send them a donation, card or paintings props, I know Kathy Cousart posted information on Facebook. 
Okay - well, aside from that...this morning I painted these peppers from my sister-in-law's garden. In fact we minced one of these last night on top of our nachos. Yum! These are going to keep our tongues tingling this winter ; )
And a special thank you for the shout-out from Diane Hoeptner today on her blog post: Mull it over Monday. Thanks. I find your blog interesting and your work is beautiful. You rock ; )
And while I'm on shout-outs - here's one to my friend just because she never fails to inspire me right when I need it: one word and you'll know who I'm talking about: Huzzah! (yes, that's you Crystal Cook ; )
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

Studio work

Detail of new oil painting, 12"x24"

Above: oil painting worked up in studio from previous acrylic plein air painting (shown below)

Summer Light, acrylic, 12" x 24"

I'm trying something new. Often you hear about artists doing field studies and then working up their paintings in a studio environment. When I'm plein air painting I use acrylics. Well, early this summer I painted a piece that I really loved and wondered what it would look like worked up in oil (which is what I normally use for my daily paintings). So I got a new canvas and looking at the old piece, re-imagined it in oil. I've shown both here. I don't know if you can see it in this size reproduction but the acrylic has much more "ground" poking through. And more brushy and translucent layers. Does the oil capture the spontaneity of the original acrylic? I'm leaning to the acrylic piece as the winner here but maybe it's because I've looked at it longer and have grown more attached. Maybe the oil is more polished? Thoughts? What are your experiences in this type of thing? You can see the acrylic painting in a larger format here. Happy holiday weekend!

ART LOVE: Cape Cod Afternoon by Edward Hopper

Image © 2006 Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh

When I think of Hopper I think of Nighthawks (below) which he painted in 1942 however when I was browsing images of his work this afternoon I came across this one (above) and it really caught my eye. This was painted in 1936 and is in the collection of the Carnegie Museum of Art (if you'd like to read what they wrote about the painting, click here). I thought the composition was beautiful. The surface of the walls is spectacular. I especially quite like the handling of the building in the foreground. The bits of sky poking through the porch posts and tree on the right is delicious. And that triangle of light hitting the corner of the dormer midway in the painting is beautifully seen! It is 34"x50".

I went looking through a lot of his paintings today and this 

Head rest - SOLD

I really like painting empty bottles becasue of all the greens and transparencies. And talk about an exercise in value studies. Squint, squint, squint! Stand back. Multiple times. Drink. (I kid... : )
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

2 bottles

"Grape and wine" season will soon be upon us. I live in a wine-making region and every September there is a festival celebrating the noble grape, and more specifically, wine ; ) It gives me a perfect excuse to work on wine-related paintings over the next month! *hic*
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Mystery

The past few days have really been a struggle. For the hours I've spent with a brush in my hand I should have a lot more to show for it! Man...I've had a lot wipe-downs. I wanted to paint my daughter but must have tried 5 times and just couldn't get it. I rubbed them all off but on the last attempt kept the hair. So today I painted this woman from some imaginary space from my head. I like her. She's got my daughter's hair ; )
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Sunny days

A pretty hat my friend wore. I loved how the sun was catching it.
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Superstitions

This painting is for the Daily Paintworks Challenge: Painting a superstition. I found out putting your shoes on a table was bad luck when after I had done it, someone called out in alarm: Get your shoes off the table! They were new, or it was not a table that people ate at or something - I don't go putting shoes on tables normally ; ) It made me laugh but then I came to the conclusion that the superstition was most likely started by a mother who just wanted things clean and tidy! I didn't have my oil paints with me and did this in acrylic. It has a different feel I think. 
6" x 6" / acrylic on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

ART LOVE: In Algonquin Park by Tom Thomson

Image credit:
Tom Thomson, 1877 - 1917
In Algonquin Park, 1914
oil on canvas
63.2 x 81.1 cm
In memory of Norman and Evelyn McMichael
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
1966.16.76

I was at a cottage this weekend and didn't get any painting time in so I decided to post another Art Love : ) Today's offering is from Tom Thomson, the iconic Canadian painter and unofficial member of The Group of Seven. I've read that Thomson's work inspired the Group of Seven's formation although he never lived to see the birth of The Group due to his mysterious, untimely death in 1917. The best book I've found of their work is The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson. The artists painted the Canadian landscape with power, dedication and great spirit. The original seven were: J.E.H. MacDonald, Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, Arthur Lismer, Franklin Carmichael, F.H. Varley and Frank Johnston. They later grew to include A.J. Casson, Edwin Holgate and LeMoine Fitzgerald. Tom Thomson and Emily Carr are strongly associated with the Group. I'll be posting much more of their work over the next few months.

Sugar pear - SOLD

We bought these at a road side stand on the weekend. They're new to me - sugar pears. These little beauties are small, classically shaped and full of flavour. One of them still had it's leaves on so it sat in the fridge under strict instruction to "do not eat" (it was too darn pretty).
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

David - SOLD

Okay - just having a little fun today ; ) For this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge, David Marine (Carol's husband) put a call out there for people to submit a painting of their choosing to wish Carol a happy birthday. Since she was away teaching a workshop I thought: Hmm...what would Carol want for her birthday?...David! LOL. So I looked at his Facebook profile pic and went to it. Happy Birthday Carol!
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Eggplant from Travis - SOLD

This is an eggplant from my nephew's garden. It sported a beautiful shape and colour and I had to get it down on canvas. The challenge with eggplants is getting the value and colour shifts on all that gorgeous deep-purple skin. Note to Sandra: he doesn't grow celery, or else I would have tried it...lol But I promise to try it soon ; ) 

6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / SOLD

Sweet tower

A pile of baked treats.
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

ART LOVE. "Pies, Pies, Pies" (1961) by Wayne Thiebaud

Pies, Pies, Pies (1961) by Wayne Thiebaud

Oil on canvas / 20 x 30 in (50.8 x 76.2 cm)

So this is what I'm now calling my former "Art I admire" segment. It started to sound kind of lame to me ; )
Anyway...what do you think of this piece? I adore Thiebaud's landscapes - in a BIG way - but I will spotlight them another day. Today I wanted to share pies. Enlarge the piece if you can, or search the image online and try to view it larger. Becasue it's really stunning! I could gaze at them for probably...15 minutes! Straight! He's applied great dashes of colour that surprise you and it all comes together for one marvellous, creamy, decadent painting. If my online sources are corrrect, this piece is at the Crocker Art Museum.
Love.

A little nutty

Almonds, to be specific!
Hoping wherever this Saturday finds you, you are enjoying it : )
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

"Everything's Peachy" Plein Air Workshop at The Good Earth

Demo - Niagara peaches / acrylic / 12" x 16"

Today I ran the plein air workshop "Everything's Peachy" at The Good Earth. Niagara peaches are ripe and delicious! Since peaches were the "official" theme I chose to do my demo in the orchard (although artists are free to paint whatever they choose and had ample sites to tuck away and get lost in). Everyone did great work, ate and drank well, and...well, it's not too shabby a way to spend the day ; ) I'm always so pleasantly surprised at how genuine, warm and generous everyone is. We meet as strangers and leave as friends. Thanks you to all who came out and to the fine crew who fed us so well. Really, I need to paint my lunch before eating it - the plates were a vision.

I have two more classes in the months ahead:

Friday September 16th (The Noble Grape)
Friday October 14th (Golden Hues).  

You can contact me for further information or email The Good Earth directly (link above).

Plum chums - SOLD

More of the shiros! I really love painting yellow plums ; ) Eating them too for that matter.
On a side note: there are 2 openings available for my plein air class THIS Friday at The Good Earth. 10-4pm $80. Includes a scrumptious lunch (Good Earth style!) and glass of wine. July's day was awesome, Friday will be too! Warm, friendly people, a million spots to paint on the grounds...it's all good! You can call them at 905-563-6333 to book. 

Plum crazy

I'm back! It was a great wedding and we got in a whole lot of visiting and sight-seeing. Let me just say that Winnipeg has really stepped up its game in the art department! Case in point is the Oodena Celebration Circle at The Forks (click on link for a 60 second video I found on YouTube) . It is a naked-eye observatory where you look through these sculptural "horns" and see constellations. They are arranged in a circle - kind of on the edge of a "bowl". Oodena is geometrically aligned to the sunrise and sunset of the fall and spring equinox, summer and winter solstices as well as true North. On top of that, each constellation you view is carved into the stone base stone that is supporting it's "horn". When I get my pics uploaded I will share. You can also try a Google search but the pics I found don't quite do them justice.
So today I painted these shiro plums I picked up at the market. They are the tastiest I've had in YEARS! Must have been perfect conditions for plum-growing this year ; )
 6" x 6" / oilon archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)

Conductor's cap

Today I grabbed my sister-in-law's conductor's cap to paint. It's really cute ; ) The fabric is a plaid which I decided to suggest at the very end. A slippery slope - I didn't want it to get too busy. So with this one, it was a just a lot of squinting to get the main value shapes. Fun to paint! 

On another note, I'm going to take a few days off for a family wedding. If I find some time to squeeze in some work, I will post! 

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

ART LOVE: Girl in White with Trees (2001-2) by Peter Doig

Peter Doig / Girl in White with Trees (2001-2)
Oil on Canvas / 300x200 cm / Collection – Bonnefanten Museum Maastricht

Today I had a list a mile long of things I had to tend to, so...no painting time! But since I didn't post an "Art I admire" on the weekend, I thought I'd do it today. I've waxed on about Peter Doig before. Awesome. Sometimes I feel an uneasy tension (as in this piece) and sometimes just pure wonder when I get lost in his canvasses. I was lucky to see his piece Grand Riviere at the National Gallery in Ottawa last summer and in person, it is a TREASURE! Riveting. Not everyone's cup of tea but man, is he original and I love it.

Espresso to go - SOLD

Often when I do a still life set-up I quite like the "larger" view. That is, when I pull back from the view-finder and take in the surroundings - it offers some interesting shapes! So the black is my shadow box, the white in front of that is some white cardboard I use to lighten things up, and you may recognize the box my espresso cup is on from my painting of Little butter tart last week. To all of you who could use an espresso this morning, this one's for you!
6" x 6" / oil on archival panel / $100 (includes free shipping worldwide)