April M Rimpo

Work samples

ARimpo's "No Time to Stop"

After a morning washing clothes at the local washing area her eye appears to linger on the coffe sign. But she has things to do, so she continues on home. My focus was to keep her the star of the scene and her sense of longing, while providing a busy environment that in subtle tones so it doesn't take over the painting.
April M Rimpo's "Bass Master"

Hear the music through the textures of this painting. Watch his magic fingers fly. Nothing could be a greater inspiration for me to paint. In this painting I used some acrylic mediums to create texture on the watercolor paper before painting in watercolor. The textured areas resist the paint, picking up less color than the paper. The result is a way for you to feel his music.
ARimpo-QueuingUp-2023-web_1.jpg

"Queuing Up"

Watercolor applied mostly with a mount atomizer and some finish with a brush; a new technique for Rimpo. The painting is 40" x 26".

There is a story behind every painting by April M Rimpo. Her cycling work not only tells the story of the bike race, but also of the people who participated. In Queuing Up Rimpo focuses on one rider waiting for the race begin. All the riders are lining up for the start. The excitement of those who came to watch the race seems higher than this rider who may look relaxed, but is he really or is he really staring down his competition. He drew my attention because of his choice to wear clothing that beckoned back to the 1800 when the Penny Farthing was first used.

About April

Howard County

Sometimes April Rimpo thinks that she does not select her subject matter, it selects her. As a result, you will see landscapes, urban scenes, or paintings of people doing everyday things. In her artwork she strives to show bits of life that grabbed her emotionally and made her feel she had to tell the story.
Rimpo works in transparent media, including watercolor and fluid acrylic. She believes it is the fact that these media flow unpredictably that inspire her. They absorb her into the… more

View April's Resume

Inner Stories Figurative Paintings

April M Rimpo's Inner Stories figurative paintings tell stories about the person portrayed as compared to a typical portrait. The stories could be their favorite activities, something about the culture they live in, or their history. These paintings reflect things the subject told April about themselves or maybe April's personal impression of their inner spirit. Lastly, these inner stories may reflect the subject's favorite thing to paint if she too is and artist.

ARimpo-Loss.jpg

Feelings are the focus in "Loss." In this case impending loss as the man has early stage dementia so they are taking their last art workshop trip together while he can. Her feelings of impending loss are showing through the bluing of her skin. All that is seen is also blue as she feels the loss all about her.
ARimpo - Wondering.jpg

"Wondering” experiments with vibrant color combinations & textures to create a compelling design but also to communicate a sense of wonder. Although there were no feathers in the model’s hair. I felt her expression communicated a spiritual moment and knowing she lived for year in New Mexico my thoughts wondered back to my visits to Indian Reservations in New Mexico. The feathers were added to increase the feeling of spirituality. Leveraging full strength, non-representational, wet-into-wet watercolors for the shaded side of her face, I then juxtaposed this strength with very pale natural colored washes on the brightly lit side of her face. Hard lines provide texture to her hair, along with a few touches of splatter to mimic the splatter that forms the feathers. The addition of geometric shapes in her face and in the foreground and background contrast with highly organic blends surrounding her. These organic blends are repeated in the squares on the left side of the painting, serving to pull together the organic and geometric contracts found elsewhere. Watercolor on watercolor paper, mounted, gallery wrapped, varnished, and framed.
ARimpo-WomanWithAWrappedHat.jpg

This woman from Santiago, Guatemala was rewrapping her hat that is made of a long belt about 15 feet in length. This is a traditional hat in Santiago village. Other villages in Guatemala do not use this design hat. Her smile and the colors in the hat cried out for me to paint them. I wanted to emphasize the orange red color and use it throughout the painting as an integrating design element. As a result I decided to use a complementary color scheme primarily blue and orange with smaller bits of green. Watercolor, varnished, mounted, and framed.
ARimpo-Faces.jpg

Faces explores how to tell the story of a person through imagery that reveals the breadths of her interests and her persona. Each section reflects a different piece of her history while the full set portrays the breadth of their life.
ARimpo-CornQueen.jpg

Corn Queen honors an artist who has one series of closeup paintings of multi-color corn. She is a masterful painter whatever the subject, but when I first met her she happened to be in the middle of the Corn. Since I have only painted corn twice, but in a much more abstracted manner, this painting was a true challenge. Much of my time was experimenting with how to paint corn realistically. I've included some gouache in this painting, using it in the corn to assist with achieving the roundness of the kernels.
ARimpo-MakingTortillas.jpg

It was the happiness of this woman from Guatemala and the gesture of her hands as she went about making her tortillas that I wanted to share in my painting. That gesture told so much more about her life. It was the sense of joy she communicated with her expression that really mattered, so what more did I need from my source photograph? Sometimes finding that quality that drew you to take a photo is harder to find than you would expect. Details that you may not have noticed when you took the photograph start to interfere with the original inspiration. My approach crop the scene and focus on her expression, limiting the color palette to integrate her and her native clothing, enhanced what what I wanted to say about her and her life. The painting is a combination of Watercolor and Fluid Acrylic done on watercolor paper, mounted, varnished and framed.
ARimpo - WaterSprite.jpg

"Water Sprite" is a tribute to a friend who loves fish. I know this because she bought a painting I did of fish and explained how much she enjoys them. When she told me this, I thought I just had to do a painting of her swimming with fish with a smile from ear-to-ear. Shortly before this conversation I had started a series of paintings to try to accentual some inner story of the person that not everyone knows. With that brief conversation this painting was born. She is a gentle and kind spirit who will do anything for anyone, so when working on the title I decided the best mythical water creatures to represent her were the water spirtes who try to help save sailors who had problems at sea. Many of the other mythical water creatures had much more evil motives and just would do justice to this kind woman. Watercolor, varnished, mounted, and framed.
ARimpo-TakingPortraitsOfLife.jpg

Painting watercolor on yupo has been a scary thought for years, but I decided it was time to experiment with this crazy smooth surface again. To create this portrait, I decided to paint an abstract interpretation of the cliff in the side canyons off the Grand Canyon. Once dry I lifted out the light portions of the portrait of the hiking photographer and shifted some colors, especially in the face and hat area to move them their natural tones without eliminating the colors of the cliffs. This push and pull of the painting turned out to be invigorating and a great new area to continue to explore in my art. The subject is myself in my twenties when my artistic release was through photography. My goal was to captured moments of life and relay stories, just as I do with my painting now.
ARimpo-Heritage.jpg

"Heritage" is is part of my Inner Stories portrait series where my goal is not a traditional portrait of a person but a look at the story of the person. Sometimes the "Inner Stories" is my emotional response to that person, how I feel they are inside. Others, like this, look back to her roots growing up in Vietnam. The inlays that surround her are derived from a Mother-of-Pearl inlay piece in her home that tells the story of the Trưng sisters, National heroes in Vietnam. They were Vietnamese military leaders who ruled for three years after rebelling in AD 40 against the first Chinese domination of Vietnam. I loved the story of these brave women and wanted to represent the model as though her story was also preserved in Mother-of-Pearl. To me she represents a strong brave women in today's world. Watercolor, varnished, mounted, and framed.
ARimpo-LeadingTheWay.jpg

Leading the Way features Cyril Neville of the famed Neville Brothers. I was lucky enough to see him as a Special Guest at Voodoo Threauxdown during a set with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. This close-up of Cyril shows how this experienced virtuoso naturally took over the stage and effortlessly led the other musicians through the songs. As he sang he pointed at other musicians to indicate it was their turn for a solo. What a joy to watch this master at work! The energy he brought to the stage had the crowd up on their feet singing and dancing with the performance. The goal of this work is the share the enthusiasm and energy brought to the stage during this magical moment. Watercolor, Mounted, Varnished, and Framed

Figurative Art Telling Stories of Life

April M Rimpo's paintings of figures tell stories about events and people engaged in things they love to do. The energy of the people and the event that brought them together is communicated through color choices and textures used in the painting. April's philosophy, "Using Color and Light to Tell Stories of Life" is highly visible in these paintings.

"A Brief Moment to Rest" watercolor by April M Rimpo

"A Brief Moment to Rest"

watercolor

40" X 26"

This painting was created by using an mouth atomizer to spray on layers of paint to build up the color. A brush was used to integrate some of the features. The motivationg was to depict life on the farm. It is a series of chores from sunup to sundown. We catch her during a brief moment to rest in her favorite rocking chair.
"In Prayer" watercolor by April M Rimpo

"In Prayer"

Watercolor

20" X 16"

On the church steps lots of women were selling flowers and chatting with friends, but this woman sat quietly among the crowd in contemplation or prayer. She wore her wrinkles well and appear to be at peace despite the bustling that surrounded her.
ARimpo-NoTimeToStop.jpg

After a morning washing clothes at the local washing area her eye appears to linger on the coffe sign. But she has things to do, so she continues on home. My focus was to keep her the star of the scene and her sense of longing, while providing a busy environment that in subtle tones so it doesn't take over the painting.
ARimpo-ForeverTogether.jpg

The inspiration for "Forever Together" came during a trip to Guatemala. This couple graciously agreed to be models for our group when we visited an Monastery that had been damaged long ago by an earthquake. During breaks in our painting they interacted, smiled, and relaxed, but during the posed painting sessions they appeared more sedate. The moments of relaxation revealed to us their comfort with each other and expressed for me years of being together. With this painting I eliminated the background so we could just take in their sense of ease with each other and the beautiful clothing created from fabric woven by the Guatemalans. Copyright April M Rimpo All Rights Reserved.
ARimpo-UnifiedPlayingAsOne.jpg

Having played music in my early teens with my brother and again in my early thirties with my husband, I am drawn to musicians and we attend concerts a few times each year. This concert by a masterful bassist and his band was a gift to my husband who played bass. Dueling instruments when one plays then the other replies with an enhanced version always draw me into their performances and are frequently the subject of my paintings. In this case the bassist and violinist became like one, so the title, "Unified: Playing as One."
ARimpo-Let'sDance.jpg

The inspiration for Let’s Dance came from a trip to New Orleans during the French Quarter Jazz Fest. A great festival with 21 stages from small ones like this stage set up next to the French Market to very large stadiums. A portable dance floor was in front of the stage encouraging everyone to dance. The central couple appeared to be professional dancers and their movements and energy motivated me to paint the scene. I had fun brightening it up with color to reflect the energy I felt watching the dancers and listening to the lively music. Whether you are a dancer or like me enjoy watching other’s dance I hope you enjoy this painting and the story of the day. Watercolor, mounted, varnished, and framed.
ARimpo-Soulful.jpg

Some singers just envelope you in their spirit when they sing. The title tells it all in this tribute to Erica Fall. Her voice is rich with soul and her music envelops you bringing you home. Copyright April M Rimpo. All Rights reserved.
ARimpo-FishingDay.jpg

I grew up with a father who loved to fish. He didn't get to do it terribly often, but when he did he was the happiest I ever saw him. He either went out on a boat he owned with one of my uncles or went to a quiet spot, without the chaos shown here on this fishing pier. However, the interaction and camaraderie on this pier provides a different take, where fishing is almost of team sport. "Fishing Day" is a fluid acrylic painting on watercolor paper. April uses fluid acrylic the same way she uses watercolor.
ARimpo-BassMaster.jpg

Hear the music through the textures of this painting. Watch his magic fingers fly. Nothing could be a greater inspiration for me to paint. In this painting I used some acrylic mediums to create texture on the watercolor paper before painting in watercolor. The textured areas resist the paint, picking up less color than the paper. The result is a way for you to feel his music.
ARimpo-EssenceSaxII.jpg

This painting celebrates how Vanessa Collier's saxophone playing envelops you with joy as she roams the room playing a solo, making you feel she is playing to each of us individually. Her music warms you as it twists and turns in unexpected ways. My patterns represent the music swirling about the room.

The Thrill of Cycling

Cyclists and bicycles have been a source of fascination for April M Rimpo and become one of the largest of her series. The geometry of a bicycle combined with the organic shapes of the rider is part of the attraction. April says, "Combine these fascinating shapes with the energy and beauty of riders whether in a race or just out for a ride, I'm compelled to paint their stories." The backgounds in these paintings are generally blurred to represent the world they are flying past with the wind in their hair. The riders feel like they are one with their bikes and that they could explore the world all day.

Most of the paintings in this series are done in fluid acrylic but there are a few watercolors included as well. In either media Rimpo's watermedia paintings are on watercolor paper, generally presenting her cycling pieces as gallery wrapped paintings with the image continuing around the sides. She feels that putting a frame on the cyclists would limit their freedom.

"Out for a Ride" watercolor by April M Rimpo

"Out for a Ride"

watercolor, mounted and varnished

16" X 20"

I took my photo reference during the 2022 High Wheel Race in Frederick, MD. It was during the warm up laps so everyone was relaxed and riding at a leisurely pace. A chance for the crowds to see all the riders. I removed the crowds because I liked the idea that they were just riding for pleasure. I moved two of the viewers into a building that I changed into a restaurant. Not sure what it really was, but it enhanced my story of an everyday occurence. While painting it I met a woman who ended up being the wife of the rider on the left. What a great connection to made to inspire me further.
"Synchronized Turning" watercolor by April M Rimpo

"Synchronized Turning"

watercolor, mounted and varnished

12" X 18"

April M Rimpo

This pair of riders in the National Clustered Spire High Wheel Race rode as a pair for most of the race. As they turned the corner even their legs were in the same positions. Amazing to see them fly around the turns.
"Queuing Up" watercolor 40" X 26" by April M Rimpo

"Queuing Up"

watercolor, mounted and varnished

40" X 26"

The Penny and Farthing race is about to begin and all the riders are lining up for the start. The excitement of those who came to watch the race seems higher than this rider who may look relaxed, but is he really or is he really staring down his competition.
April M Rimpo's "Best Dressed Racer"

Color is an important element in my art allowing me to set the mood, bring a bit of surprise to a painting, or help capture the interest of a viewer. That doesn't mean I don't think the lights and darks (value range) of a painting aren't the most important part to make a painting work. The goal is to have these design elements work together. I wanted to feature just this high wheel rider in this painting in my "Essence" series that shows a small sliver of a scene, yet enough to give you a sense of the moment. The National High Wheel Race held in Frederick, Maryland is incredible to watch. We spent the day watching all the heats and the Championship Race. This woman chose to wear more traditional clothing from the 1800 when the Penny and Farthing bike was first created. We thought of her as Mary Poppins. The announcers felt she should be designated Best Dressed, which I thought was the perfect title.
ARimpo-APackOfPennies.jpg

The excitement of the race is revealed in "A Pack of Pennies." Seeing how close they are while pumping as fast as they can was exciting and kept us on the edge of our seats hoping noone fell. To my knowledge noone did, which is a relief and amazing. The title is a play on the original name of the high wheel bicycles, Penny and Farthing.
ARimpo-Movement.jpg

Capturing the sense of speed of the cyclist and the thrill of the race was enhanced by using flowing paint and indistinct shapes in the background. Partially fragmenting the figure also contributes to the sense of motion in "Movement."
ARimpo-MovementII.jpg

Painting bicycles and bicyclists as become a staple in my work. In "Movement II" the intent is to emphasize motion, speed, and energy. The abstract background implies landscape shapes she is passing. Letting the background flow into the image of the bicyclist felt right. By doing so the background becomes part of the shadows falling across her shoulders and legs.
ARimpo-CyclingTogether.jpg

When a local triathlon runs through our town I capture many photographs of them as they fly by. I love their interplay as they ride in groups or take turns swapping positions as they traverse the course. I abstracted the background to help bring focus to the riders but also to augment the sense of the speed with which they traversing the landscape. Unlike most of my cycling paintings, "Cycling Together" is primarily in watercolor. I did use a few touches of violet acrylic paint in the darker shadows on the road to cover a yellow underpainting. Had I used watercolor instead the yellow under the violet would have created an unpleasant brown, which would fit with the concrete road.
ARimpo-MissingYou.jpg

My inspiration for "Missing You" started in Charleston, NC. My husband and I were walking back from the waterfront to our hotel when I saw this bicycle chained to a tree at roadside. Weeds, grass and other plants had grown up through the sprockets of the wheels and woven through the bike indicating its disuse. Not knowing the story of why the bicycle was in such a state intrigued me. I wanted to relay the unknown story to others so they could add their story to the painting. Had the owner just been too busy to ride? Were they sick and unable to ride? Had they gone off to college and the bike was left behind while the owner moved onto other things in his/her life? It didn’t matter what the story was, I just felt it needed to be shared; so others could bring their own story to the scene. I started to play with the image to emphasize the story. A few extra vines were added or moved to make it more obvious that they wove through the wheels and bicycle supports. Cars and signs in the photograph were removed to avoid these distractions; to me these were unwanted noise that would hinder the story. I liked the red color of the bike (I think my brother had a red Schwinn when we were growing up), so when I started to explore color options the red had to stay. Given the importance of the intertwining plants using red/green complements seemed like the right choice.
ARimpo-MorningCommute-2015-web.jpg

In addition to the bike race that runs through town, we just have a lot of riders in the area. In this painting I decided to bring them together into one scene to depict a group of riders meeting to ride together to work. Part of my motivation to portray cycling commuters came from my trips on the metro to downtown DC. Next to the rails is a bike path and every day, regardless of the weather, I see large numbers of cyclists commuting to the office. This painting is a nod to those ecologically conscious riders.