Loaded on the truck and rolling this morning...

Poppy Ensemble 4' x 5'

These big bold beauties and I are off to the Birmingham Street Art Fair .  I know that means I run the risk of selling them even though they would look fantastic over my own fireplace; which currently has nothing but hanging hardware installed over it! A former boss and lady friend of mine (with an authentic Irish accent) would always say "the cobbler's kids never have any shoes!"

I started this piece weeks ago with no specific thoughts about the color other than the subject. Then, I met some customers in Rochester that have a spot for a big poppy but not quite this big. I used their swatches to inspire the color of this piece. This is one way that I often work. A composition in mind and then something completely separate from the subject that might inspire the color and mood. In this case it was a group of paint swatches. BTW if you ever want to talk paint swatches, I speak fluent Benjamin Moore...yum, my favorite!


Here is a close up of the paint swatches and my palette:

Benjamin Moore Paint Swatches and a sampling from my palette below.

Sunflower Buffet - 36" x 36"

All the cool clear skies of late influenced this piece. These sunflowers grew in my yard pretty much as you see them. We have volunteer sunflowers of all varieties throughout the perennial gardens at the farm this year. My favorite inspiration is always that which I find right outside my door.  I actually took the canvas right out side and created the composition from a few differenct plants.

Here is another piece that rings of autumn's fresh air and cool blue skies:

Apple Time - 36" x 36"

This piece was inspired by an apple tree that I pass on my way to town. It was a total  hit at the "Art & Apples Festival" in Rochester a couple of weekends ago and quickly found a home. Fortunately, I have the capability to offer this one in a stretched canvas Giclee in a few different sizes up to its original size of 36" square. I will have a few of my new stretched canvas prints available at the "Birmingham Street Art Fair" this weekend. If you are in the area this weekend, come say hi! The fair is set up right on Woodward. My booth is in front of the Birmingham Theatre and just south of Starbucks (Grande, one-Splenda Capuccino - extra dry :P ...just sayin').  Hope to see you there!

Shirley Temple Peonies - installed

This room is just adorable.  These pieces were so much fun to make and I think they work really well as a triptyk in this nursery.  Each square is 20".

Apple Time - 36"x36" -- Just in time for the 46th annual "Art & Apples Festival" in Rochester, MI this coming weekend!

This tree is a couple of miles from my house on my route to town. I love it's shape and the way it's robust crop of apples seems to float about the branches. This is also the first orchard that I have painted with a painting knife. I am really happy with how it turned out.

You can see this piece in person at the "Art & Apples Festival" this weekend in Rochester, MI. I will be at booth #559; stop on by!

Red Poppies for Heidi installed:

30" x 40" is the perfect size for over a buffet!

This piece made the long journey to Montreal in perfect condition! I was almost as proud of my packing job as I was the painting. You know you are "seriously" packing something when it requires a trip to Lowe's.

Thank you to Heidi for sharing this photo and for keeping the faith during this long distance project. What a nice addition to a very sophisticated dining room! BTW, the walls are "Tyler Taupe" by Benjamin Moore. You can't beat Benjamin Moore's paint colors. My favorite back-drop to an original Kim Rhoney painting!

On my easel now:

Shirley Temple I, II, III - three 20" squares

These three peonies are my interpretation of the peony "Shirley Temple". I have only ever created one peony painting and it was a small loose piece that I painted with a knife. This triptych is a fresh new challenge and I just love the softness...I may actually have to buy more white paint; a rarity for me!

Summer landscape series:

Fresh Cut Wheat - 12" x 24"

Fresh Cut Wheat II - 11" x 14"

Cowslip in July - 16" x 20"

Popular Stand - 12" x 24"

Forty seven days of "over 80 degree" temperature showed up in this little landscape series that I completed in July.  I am a true northerner in that I don't much care for air-conditioning nor days that truely require it! I would rather spend my Michigan summer with the breezes blowing through my farm house which is what we have today!! Hallelujah!

Join me in Plymouth, MI this weekend for "Art in the Park"

I just finished these two little painted sketches of Post War era homes on 11" x 14" wrapped canvas. Our little town is filled with these  little  homes and they all speak to me when I drive by. Just love them.These two paintings will be traveling with me to Plymouth this weekend! If you are in the area, stop on by!

Shipping off to Montreal, Quebec!!!    This piece was commissioned for a client in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec which is about 30 minutes from Montreal city center. How exciting for me to have an opportunity to export such a lovely piece to an international collector! The deep red of the poppies were the vision of the client and the composition was inspired by a previous piece. I am very please with the finished result and look forward to posting a picture of the finished piece hanging in her dining room! 

Title:  "Red Poppies for Heidi - "30" x 40" Oil on Canvas

Confetti Meadow Series II - 18"x24"

This little group of paintings are a continuation of my new landscape series.  I plan to take a few of them to Northville, Michigan  this weekend for "Art in the Sun".  The weather is forecasted to be wonderful and Northville is an adorable town to visit. Stop by and see me at booth #6 on Main St.

Confetti Meadow III - 24" x 30"

The Cricket Hour - 22" x 28"

You can now see a little bit of Kim Rhoney in England...

The image of one of my orchard paintings was selected for the label of an organic apple cider made by Wood's Orchard in Gloucestershire County, England. Gloucestershire is located in a rural part of England's south west countryside.

My painting is in the background of the label and you can see upon closer inspection that I was given credit for the painting in the upper right corner of the label. Very cool! Now let's see if people in the UK start Googling me!!

Recent trip to Warren, PA

Last weekend I had the opportunity to help raise money for the Majengo Orphanage of Tanzania, South Africa. If it weren't for a couple of collectors of mine, I wouldn't know anything about these kids. Hearing their story, it's hard to forget about them. This orphanage was founded to rescue children along the safari trail that were being exploited to tourists without ever benefitting from the money collected on their behalf. Since the inception of the Majengo Orphanage, these pseudo orphanages have been put out of business and Majengo has nearly tripled the number of kids that it feeds and educates daily. You can get more information directly on their website.

Confetti Meadow - 16" x 20"

These two pieces were among the many paintings to find permanent homes during my open house/studio event this past weekend. Thank you to all that made the trek to the country on such a beautiful day. I am truly grateful for all of the interest and support of my work!

It's Always Summer in My Dreams - 24" x 36"

Poppy Patch at the Farm - 30" x 15"  Original Oil Painting of Poppies and Barns

This piece was inspired by a photo from a friend. It combines my recent fascination with landscapes and my passion for poppies. I have a series of small poppies underway. Sort of a warm up for a larger scale commission that will find it's final home in Quebec City, Canada. This is my first international commission. Quite exciting!

Red Barn Romantic - 18" x 24" landscape of red barns and a pasture filled with wild flowers

This title is as much about the artist as the subject. Growing up on a farm in rural Michigan, I am a sucker for old red barns. One of the saddest days of my life was watching the eventual owners of my family's farm side the perfectly patinated barns with shiny red metal siding..low maintenance and functional.... like a big gold tooth!

That said, my idea of a romantic landscape includes an old barn or two!

Pining for Spring - 18" x 24" Lily of the Valley - Original Oil Painting

I created this piece on the first day of spring as an homage to the new season. Then, I took off to NYC for the International Art Expo to do a little business and have a little fun. I met a lot of great artists, publishers, printers and galleries and came home super-charged with my creative bucket full!

So now, I am just catching up with my posts ...and it still does not feel like spring is here. The up side of that is more time to paint! Stay tuned ;)

Poppy Painting Installed

This 3' x 4' painting was created last summer just for this spot. Working from paint and fabric swatches and a photo of this buffet, I created this for a great couple that I met at the Ann Arbor Art Fair.  I never got to see it installed until my clients sent this picture last week. What a nice surprise!! Chris and Hank, thank you for sending!

Purple Cow Parade

Another playful pasture with this little group of cows. I never knew painting abstract cows could be so fun. I like taking recognizable organic shapes and breaking them down to their most basic planes. When I simplify the forms, it seems like I can push the color a little farther without making the piece go over the top.  Working on slightly abstract flowers this week hoping to inspire Mother Nature to get with the program. It was 22 degrees here this morning...no foolin'.

"After the Rain"  -- 11 x 14 Inches

  

Like all of us in the north, it is that time of year when I am itching for spring. I can almost smell that clean smell of the earth after it rains. Happy Spring everyone!

Reflecting Pink

This piece is the largest of my "Rural Imaginary Landscape" series. At 4' x 2' it is quite large compared to the others. Since it is also painted with the knife, the paint is thick and requires me to work while it's wet or at least while the area I am working on is wet. I started at the top and worked my way down. All of the changes in the land feel like a roll-a-coaster to me and then my eye rests on the sheep in the flowers.  This would be my kind of roll-a-coaster as my hubby knows that I am terrified of the real ones!

 You will be able to see this piece in person at my house on Saturday, May 21, 2011. I will be sending out a save the date soon. However, if you have read this far about my painting, you must be one of my dedicated followers, so I am pre-inviting you to my studio open house event, where I will have my home/studio filled with new work from the long winter!! More to follow on this soon ;)

Light Blue Barn at the Tree

This piece started out as a way for me to play with the sheep. They are so fun to paint with the knife because the only way you can paint them is by making little loose abstract shapes but your eye reads them as sheep just the same. I love the variety of color on this piece and the way that the pale blue barn contrasts with the high chroma oranges and pinks in the foliage of the trees. Blue and orange are complimentary colors so taking advantage of their contrast gives this pastoral piece a lot of energy and a contemporary edge.

24" x 12" canvas with wrapped and painted edge.

Three Sheep at the Pink Shed

 

 This little landscape is another post of a series of imaginary rural landscapes that I have been working on. I am having fun inventing the color all out of my head as I look out my windows and see nothing but the white snow everywhere! The work makes me think of warmer days when nature is bursting with food, flora and sunshine for all of us!

 

24" x 12" canvas with a canvas wrapped and painted edge

Poppies for Kate

36" x 24" Poppies for Kate

These poppies were made for my good friend Kate. We met at our children's co-op pre-school. I made as many friends there as my kids did! I realized when I was over there recently, that I had failed to post this piece.

The poppies were made just for the spot shown below and we both thought they looked great installed! So much so, that a kitchen renovation ensued. She painted it a nice shade of cinnamon to compliment her painting!

Three Little Sheep and Farm Pond in the Fields
I worked on these two side-by-side, just as you see them. The piece on the left makes me think of the years I lived in Traverse City, MI. The piece on the right makes me think of how much I enjoy our little farm pond....once it thaws that is!

Each piece is 30" tall and 15" wide. I am now ready to push this recent genre into a bigger format and have started a 4' tall by 2' wide panel.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Wading for Daisies
Another post of my new little landscape series. This one is 15" x 30" and painted with a knife. I added the daisies after I thought I had completed the piece and realized I was struggling to name the work. That is when it dawned on me the cows needed more of a purpose for their march away from the barn. Though I love my "loosely-painted" little cows, I was particularly pleased with the barn in the back. I have posted a close up for you to see the color.

Thank you for checking out my work today!
Kim

Purple Trees in the Field






















30" x 15" original oil painting
I love painting these little vertical imaginary landscapes. They are so fun, especially because I paint them on a red tinted canvas and let little bits of red poke through.

Butterfly Lunch in the Coneflower

12" x 24" Oil on Canvas

My second stab at painting a butterfly with a knife. This little guy just sort of fell off my knife. He is loose and fresh and I love him!

Butterfly Lunch in the Coneflower

20" x 16" - This piece was challenging in that I wanted the butterfly to look weightless even though the paint application is very thick. I was happy with this one in the end. Butterflies are a fun challenge...too bad it's winter and my only reference material is photos ;(

Coneflower Diptych - 18" x 18" each

Coneflower at Daylight
This was my first of four Echinacea pieces that were all done with a painting knife. I love how the knife forces me to keep it loose! Love it when I can loose those edges...

Coneflower at Night
This second piece has a cool mix of paint going on in the background. I love it when I can just play in the color, loading up two, three or four pigments on my knife and mixing the color as I lay it on the canvas. Being an artist is like being a kid, your work is your play! I love it :)

Purple Cow in the Fields
This little landscape is imaginary and the far left cow is totally purple. I started to paint it brown, but you know me and color...the piece was screaming for a purple cow, I couldn't help myself.

And yes, I have not posted in a while though not for lack of painting. Photo-documenting my work and blogging takes me away from my easel. That said, I photographed a lot of recent this week. Look for a series of new images to be posted here soon!