Painting the Baum House
Amy Rims Plein Air Painting Acrylic on 16 X20″ Canvas
I woke up early this morning, set up and painted until the heat was too much. This was done in about 2 and a half hours. Many passers by enjoyed my painting. It was fun for people going into Stellas for breakfast to come out and see how much more I had done. One guy on his way out asked before seeing the painting, how it was coming along, I said I’m almost done, he said no way , then came and looked and was surprised that I was in fact almost done. The last guy who looked at it before I packed up said my painting looks better than the actual building.
Maple Street Playground Mosaic Project in Ambler
I have recently become involved in an group, The heArt of Ambler. We are organizing a community mosaic project. There is a contest for the mosaic design:
The Heart of Ambler Maple Street Playground Mosaic Project Contest is open to artists of all ages. Materials and labor are being supplied by the Mermaid Studios and local donors to refinish the playground on maple street. We need a design for the wall to be done in mosaic based on the theme “Children are the heart of Ambler”. Submit a jpeg of your design to this Facebook page by May 20th. At that time we will vote for the best design and then begin plans to start the work.
The wall to be mosaiced measures 9ft tall by 90ft long.
theme “Children are the Heart of Ambler”
Create a drawing 9 inches by 90 inches
save the drawing as “yourlastname”.mosaic.jpeg
submit it to this event page by May 20th
Open to all ages
Lansdale Fun A Day 2015 video clip
We had a great time at the Lansdale Fun A Day Art Show. Here are a few shots of the show by Alan Fenstermaker. He arrived just in time to capture Morgan Tindell playing the birdcage.
It’s Happening
I’ve been given the opportunity to start up a new gallery with the possibility of artist workspace in the future, which would create an amazing arts center in downtown Lansdale. I’ve gather some artists, musicians and other creative types together for a weekend of creative events. 
Friday March 6th
5-11:30 Gallery is open
8-11:30 live music of the punk rock variety $7 to get in
Saturday March 7th
12-11:30 Gallery is open
1-3 sketch club with live model $15
8-11:30 live music of the experimental noise variety (you really don’t want to miss this) $3
Sunday March 8th
12-6 Gallery is open
12-3 Table vendors of the Punk Rock Flea Market Variety
3-6 Story Tellers
Come out and support this movement!
The Rip and The Rhythm
I spent the summer illustrating some short stories by Fox Dunham and Jay Wilburn in conte crayon, charcoal and ink. The book is now available online or you can get it from me when you see me. The stories are pretty spooky and thought provoking. Currently my laptop is not working properly and I can’t upload any images but check out the link and you can see the cover for now. I will update this post once I get an idea how to fix stuff.
Farmer’s Market and Harvest Art Show
I’m gathering people together who haven’t showed their work in a while, so this will be exciting for a lot of people. The artwork will be inside the fellowship hall. Handmade items and local produce will be outside at the farmer’s market. I’m holding a flier contest. Most facebook shares and likes wins $20. I’ve handed out over 100 fliers already, I might win my own contest.
Lansdale Punk rock Flea Market
2 floors of vendors at the third and walnut. 5 bands upstairs. I worked the door. Dana bought me wristbands to keep track of how many people actually came out (Something I never remember to do) I gave out 185 wristbands. I saw a few groupies who didn’t have bands and after 4 I let people come in for free and didn’t hand out bands. So I guess a little over 200 people were there. It was great to see some friends I hadn’t seen in a long time, like since Fun A Day. Fun A Day 2015 will most likely be in Sellersville and I will be doing a film for it. I took some buttons orders at the show, I haven’t made bands’ buttons in a few years, it’s great to have two orders sitting on my desk. I got my cards read Taro style, it was insightful. I have the mindset of the magician, trying master things and such. I gave a palm reading. We compared card reading verses palm reading. I need to study that a bit for a refresher, I found my old sign from when I used to give free readings at folk fest. I’m thinking I might get back into it.
I read some really good zines on the man and how working is for chumps. It really made me want to buy some land, put a yurt on it, gather some artists and commune it up. Then I questioned what year is this?
I will definitely do another Punk Rock Flea Market, this was tons of fun and I had great help from my family and friends.
Perkasie Community Day 2014
I did a 3 hour painting today at Perkasie Community Day. It was nice doing a live painting again. The bridge was a challenge, with the whites and the lattice. I chose to omit the people in this one, even though people did ask to be painted in. It was nice to talk to people who are interested in painting, hopefully we can get a plein air group together. This painting and some others I have done will be on display next weekend at the Sellersville museum 12-4.
Happiness Art Show
Last year when I was handing out fliers for the Art Ghoulery, a man handed the flier back to me and said “call me when you have a happiness show”. He didn’t give me his number but perhaps I will cross paths with him again.
On Saturday, April 26th 4pm to 10pm at 733 Ridge Rd Sellersville, I will be hosting that Happiness Art show.
Happiness can mean different things to different people. Most artists are only happy if they are creating. Come out and support the artists in their creative endeavors. See some beautiful things, smile and enjoy.
Artists showing will include:
Amy Rims Art Page
Bobby Rantz
Chris McDermott
Alycia McDermott
Ben Robinson Artwork
Bobbi Shaw
Tim Gibson
John DiGiovanni
Skye Roae-Luria
Music / entertainment will be provided by:
Blaze
Timothy Leslie
Morgan Tindall
Brian Medlin
This show will cost $1 at the door
With a dress like that
Back in October I did a fashion show for West Main Consignment in Lansdale. This is the dress I modeled and then I wore it for the 2014 Lansdale Fun A Day show. I worked pretty hard getting things coordinated for this show, getting artists motivated, organizing some musicians, promoting the show, getting a crew together to help me set up and of course working on my own artwork everyday. It was hard work but the show was amazing and many people were inspired. During the show, some big guy came up to me and said it was a great show but he could have done this all if he had a dress like the one I was wearing…
Lansdale Fun A Day 2014 Video 4
Bobbi Shaw paints with me often and shows with me often, it’s great to have people to work with and inspire each other. Toni Michele and Chelsea Kalman work together on the same pieces as well as their own individual works. Jay Reimers works in abstract inspired by the weird humanoids he interacts with. He was a great help in getting the Fun A Day show set up and taken down. These shows are all about teamwork.
Lansdale Fun A Day 2014 part 2
Serena participated in Lansdale Fun A Day for the first time this year, she also did a harp performance on stage. It was a pleasure to be graced with her beauty. Lucky Dog Curios joined the show again, their crafts and curios always make people smile. Chris McDermott was a first time Lansdale Fun A Dayer. I met him through the Water Gallery, we struggled through the closure of the gallery together. Luckily he could put his energy into drawing with pastel for the event. Kris Heffintrayer showed at the first Lansdale Fun A Day and has since teamed up with Amber Spindelman to create morbid pieces of work and jewelry from bones. Elizabeth Brunt from the North Penn Art Alliance showed off her artist trading cards that she worked on everyday in January. Liz Newman’s embroidered anatomy pieces were so fantastic that the mayor Andy Szekely had to purchase a piece. Ed Kane from the North Penn Art Alliance brought his pen and ink work done with his very own hand made goose feather quills. There were about 10 other artists who did not get interviewed and some amazing live performances. I am feeling very encouraged to keep putting these shows together. The fourth Annual Fun A Day show will be at the Third and Walnut in February of 2015 but in the meantime I will be hosting pop up shows in various locations, I hope to see you there.
Lansdale Fun A Day 2014
I organized the 3rd annual Lansdale Fun A Day show at Lansdale’s Third and Walnut. The show was packed full of artists and musicians. Alan Fenstermaker shot some interviews with some of the artists. Here is part one with Anthony T Forbes and Ben Robinson. I’ve been showing with these guys for three years, it’s amazing to see their growth as artists over the years and I am looking forward to many more.
Work in the Water Gallery
I just finished hanging some works at the Water Gallery 319 W Main St Lansdale. I’ve been working over there for about 3 months now trying to get the community involved in the arts. It’s been a challenge, it seems like the winter has been against me. We may be forced to close our doors and just exist online. If you haven’t been out there yet, please come out and support the local art community by buying some work (it ranges from 50 cents to thousands of dollars), becoming a gallery member which is $50 a month or invite your friends along.
Lansdale Fun A Day 2014
I am hosting the Lansdale Fun A Day show again this year. We are 5 days into Fun A day, artists all over are creating everyday for the month of January. This really conditions you to work on your art everyday and keeps you motivated through the year. The group show will be Feb 21st, which will give us all time to figure out how to display our works. I’m working on some drawings and taking a break from life drawing. I was starting to feel like the figure has too much of a strong hold on my work and I’m losing my creativity. Time to have fun and find that creative spirit.
Spoken Word Night
Friday December 27th I will be hosting a Spoken Word night at the Water Gallery 319 W Main St Lansdale in the Dresher Arcade 6pm to 9pm. Poems, short stories, plays, songs, we will have it all!
Art Ghoulery
This is the second annual Horror themed art show in Lansdale. The show this year will be held at the Lansdale Music Factory. The show will feature various local artists:
Matt Deleskiewicz, Bobbi Shaw, Kelly Arnold, Julia Garcia, Mike Pagdon, Fred Sadgiqacea, Katie Lightcap, Aly Moore, Amy Rims, John DiGiovanni, Alex Kachenko, Alex Hagendorf and Ben Robinson. Live performances including original music by Brian Medlin, Morgan Tindell, Jonathan Litwinowicz, Alzabo, Jarrett Swartz, The McCormicks,Elements of the Rat, and more. Live painting by Amy Rims. Come in costume, bring the kids, have fun, buy artwork, win prizes.
Click on the image to be taken to the Facebook event page.
The Art Ghoulery at the Lansdale Music Factory Participant Entry Form
The Art Ghoulery at the Lansdale Music Factory
Entry Form
Registration due Sept 9th; Show is October 19th 2pm-10pm
There is a $25.00 registration fee
Entrants will need to arrive at the Lansdale Music Factory 315 West Main Street, Lansdale, no later than 1pm to set up their own artwork and are responsible for taking down and cleaning up their designated area. Artist will be provided tables but not tablecloths. Bring command strips if you would like to hang pieces on the wall. Artists keep any and all profit from the sale of their work. All artists are required to submit one piece of art of their choosing for donation to the prize wheel and/or raffle. If you need info or need to make special arrangements, or if you are interested in volunteering to help set up please call Amy Rims at 215-767-8720 or email: Amyrimsart@gmail.com. This is the second annual Halloween art show and everyone is encouraged to come in costume but it is not required. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR WORK!
Fill out the Form below to participate and hit submit, I will notify you once I receive your form. Just clear out my information and type your own in.
To pay the registration fee via PayPal, send payments to amyrimsart@gmail.com in the comments leave your name. Registration fee is non-refundable.
The Dragonfly and the Siren
If you have been reading my blog, you know I’ve been doing some illustrations for a horror anthology. The National Horror Convention in New Orleans is going on and the authors are there debuting the book. It is now available on Amazon. If you buy a copy, let me know and I can sign it and draw a spooky picture of you in it if you’s like.
Horror Illustrations
I did these illustrations in ink on paper with the help of my lovely model John. They will appear in a horror anthology in the summer of 2013. I’ll link up to the book once it’s published.
Dark and Bookish
I’ve recently gotten involved with doing some illustrations for some writers. One of the authors, Jay Wilburn, is touring the country with some horror books and he has asked me to feature a story from one of his author friends. Here it is for your reading pleasure:
How to Scare with Care
Max Booth III
People want to be scared. It’s in our blood; whether we want to admit it or not, we like to be scared. It brings something new to the equation. It makes us feel alive. It’s why we keep rotating the level on that Jack-in-the-Box, despite knowing that no matter how much you prepare, that bastard is still going to make you jump. Yet we keep turning it until it jumps out at us.
Quick, look to your neighbor to the left and/or right of you. They want to scream. Do you dare deprive them of this need? No, of course not.
Thus, we shall now offer some valuable strategies on how to scare the pants off your fellow neighbors*.
*Note: do not attempt on those you wish to never see without pants.
1. Practical Pranks: Cup O’ Spider
Skill Level: 2/10
What you’ll need: Spiders, cup
All right, let’s start things off fairly simple. Get a cup, empty it of its contents, then fill it up with spiders. Don’t ask me where you’re supposed to get that many spiders from. Be creative. Visit spider farms. Break into the Crazy Spider Lady’s house. The point is, just get them. The poisonous the better—but make sure they are small enough for hundreds to fit inside the cup.
Got it? Good! Now stick a lid on that baby and go offer your stupid neighbor a drink! If he says he isn’t thirsty, or gets wise and peeks under the lid, then you will be left with no other option but to toss the cup in his face and run like Hell, taking his leaf blower in the process.
It is very important that he drinks the cup, as there are few things on this earth more frightening than a hundreds alive spiders running wild in your mouth, down your throat, and into your stomach where it will undoubtedly leave millions of eggs. However, a cup of spiders being thrown in your face is also pretty scary, too.
2. Revenge: Casper the Friendly Ghost (Who Will Also Rob You)
Skill Level: 3/10
What you’ll need: White sheet, scissors
First, you will take the white sheet and cut out two eye holes with the scissors. But be careful, for if these holes are not perfectly circular, no one will believe you are actually a ghost, and then your whole cover will be blown. Take your time, be very concise. Then, when you are finished, throw the sheet over your body, grab the scissors and venture next door.
When your stupid neighbor opens up, you can expect some predictable reactions, such as the obvious declaration that trick-or-treating isn’t even close, and that it’s ten in the morning, and aren’t you way too old for Halloween anyway? Are you drunk again, is that it? If you think you’re going to try to get me to drink those fucking spiders again, you’re out of your mind! I will call the police this time! Also, when are you going to return my leaf blower, you goddamn loser?
Well, by then, you should have already shown him the scissors, so hopefully he decided to shut his big fat stupid trap. Now you tell him to hand over your wallet, or else you’ll cut him. Quickly assure him this is not a joke, you are quite serious. Rent is due, and so is his life. One of them is about to get paid, it’s your choice which one. Hopefully the jerk coughs up his wallet, but if he doesn’t you can always cut off one of his sausage links of a finger. That’ll surely scare him. The bastard. He isn’t ever getting that leaf blower back.
3. How to Deal with a Bad Situation: Holding Your Neighbor For Ransom
Skill Level: 5/10
What you’ll need: Rope, phone, backup cup of spiders
For reasons you can no longer remember, you now find your neighbor curled up in the fetal position at his front door, bleeding from his missing pinkie—which is on the ground next to him, discolored and lifeless. Holy crap, I can’t believe you actually did that.
“Shit!” you may shout, but do not panic! You can work this to your advantage. Quickly get inside his house and lock the door behind you. Make sure to close all blinds. Drag your bleeding neighbor to a chair and tie him up. Tell him if he doesn’t stop screaming you’re going to turn on “Stuck in the Middle with You” and cut off his fucking ear. Then maybe give him a lecture on the importance of tipping.
Good, now that he’s quieted down, demand diamonds. He may try to deny any knowledge of such goods, which is understandable. That is when you bring out your backup cup of spiders and empty it down his crotch. As he withers in spider agony, call up his stupid slut of a wife at her work and tell her the situation, and that if she doesn’t cough up the goddamn diamonds you are going to cut off her stupid husband’s ear, and that you mean it, damn it. To show her you mean business, hold the phone up so she can hear her husband’s screams of awkward spider-crotch pain.
Now settle back on the couch and relax. You’re practically a millionaire. Or, a diamondaire, one could say. Actually, on second thought, one could not say that. One could not say that at all. The point is, you’ve put quite a scare in both Stupid Husband and Stupid Wife and now, to top it all off, you’re going to be rich!
4. Disappointment: Shit, You’re Not Going To Be Rich At All!
Skill Level: 8/10
What you’ll need: Believable Bruce Willis impression, sweet ass dance moves
So, after about ten minutes of daydreaming about making love to dozens of women on your bed of diamonds, you suddenly hear an onslaught of police sirens nearing you, and before you even know what is going on, you are totally surrounded. Suddenly, your cell phone starts ringing. You answer it to some detective, who claims to be outside. You ask him if he is like that black cop from the Die Hard movies, because the rumors are correct, you do indeed share many similarities to John McClane, and if he was like that black cop, then you’d be comfortable in relaying information on the terrorists from inside the building.
“What terrorists?” the cop may ask, to which you will respond that they seem to come in the form of tiny spiders, and love to chop pinkies off their victims; and, for some weird reason, they have this penchant for stealing people’s leaf blowers.
“It’s a mad, mad world,” you conclude.
But by then the SWAT team has already broken through the door, leaving you with one option. You drop the phone and begin to dance crazily, claiming the spider terrorists have infiltrated your crotch region, and will not relent until a million dollars in unmarked cash and a helicopter arrives—and make it pronto, dammit! These spiders mean business!
I should warn you, though, it is probably around this time that you will be tased.
5. Rehabilitation: Never Give Up Scaring
Skill Level: 10/10
What you’ll need: Good contacts on the inside, lots of cigarettes
Right, so now you’re arrested with multiple felonies. So … that sucks. But don’t give up completely! You can still scare people. That was our original goal, correct? Uh, scaring people? Well, you can still do that. There’s even a special program where you are that allows you to scare as many people as you want. But better yet, they aren’t even real people that you’ll be scaring now—but children! Dude, have you not heard of Scared Straight? Hell, why haven’t you done this a lot sooner? Everyone knows that there isn’t anything better than scaring a stupid snot nosed little kid. I have a feeling life is going to get a lot better for you. Sure, you may not have diamonds, but at least you can finally relish in the thrill of frightening others. Plus, look on the up side, at least you haven’t been shanked.
6. Sticking to Traditions: Life After Prison
Skill Level: 1/10
What you’ll need: Abandonment of all hope, TNT, squash
Assuming you haven’t been shanked by now, it is time to celebrate your recent release from the state penitentiary. By now it is most likely Halloween. Yay!
All right, first thing you’re gonna one to do is … you know what? What the Hell is the matter with you? Stop taking my advice, you idiot. Go carve a fucking pumpkin.
And, if you want, I guess you could put a bomb in it when you’re done and maybe leave it on your stupid neighbor’s front porch. Then go back home and dig up your backyard for your leaf blower. No one will be taking it from you anytime soon.
Max is the author of They Might Be Demons, a collection of bizarre fiction out now from Dark Moon Books.
He is also the co-founder of Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing and edits for Dark Moon Digest and Kraken Press. He is one of the five authors being featured on the Dark and Bookish 2014 Tour, along with Jay Wilburn, Derek Deremer, Adam Millard, and Jessica McHugh. They are currently seeking additional funds to assist them in making a documentary about the modern writing industry.
[http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-dark-and-bookish-tour-and-documentary]
Whirlpool of Johns
I painted this last week from my model John, it consists of ten or more poses done in one night with acrylic on an old wooden shelf. I had planned on making it a backdrop to a glass piece my dad salvaged for me but after painting it, it didn’t seem to make sense to use it like that. I went to an event over the weekend and displayed my work while bands played in a very fancy barn. This painting sold to a man who really “gets” it and needs it to hang in his room.
Into the Ocean
Last night I hosted the BYOG show, it was an amazing night. The crowd was small but the people there made the evening perfect. Artists new to me joined in. I feel like I made great connects with these “new” artists and we plan to do more things together. Bobby Rantz is a scratch board artist, I can’t describe how powerful his work is but my heart was touched by his work. Musicians were excited to share their music, I even played and sang a little (without having a heart attack from fear). Blaze played his heart out and his friends were some of the most supportive people I’ve ever met. Authors read deeply personal stories, excerpts and poems. I’m doing some illustrations for Fox Dunham, he is a cancer survivor, sometimes I feel like my drawings can’t do his stories justice but listening to him read out loud inspires me further. Jason Kaminski read an excerpt from his book dealing with addiction and life sorrows. I got some negative feedback from some show attendees because I invited him to read. I’m not exactly sure what people don’t like about him. Personally I have had hard feelings towards the guy for breaking my ribs in a mosh pit many years ago, but I’m over that now. I figure he’s an artist and has something that needs to be let out. My shows are for people like him.
While I was by my table running the millionaire’s auction, a young woman stared for a long time at my painting Into the Ocean. Tears filled her eyes, I walked around the table and talked to her about what this meant to her. I knew there has been a loss of life and could see she was grieving. This painted reminded her of God and her lost friend and his brothers and also the different ways in which you can appreciate the sea. We hugged and I removed the painting (which had no bids) from the auction and gave it her. I think it was meant for her.
There were so many people there who made the show amazing, I’m so thankful to have found this community of artists and art lovers.
Amy Rims Art Blog 
