HHG Mug Shot #3 - The 'Joker'

"Week three and we are looking for Linda “the Joker” Popple. Linda disarms her victims with humor and then shoots with reckless abandon.   Yes, Linda thinks she is funny...but her crimes are very serious.  Please be careful when confronting her. 

Linda was last seen driving off Hilton Head Island wearing a teal sweatshirt and a blue baseball cap driving a red convertible sports car... She was laughing and shaking her camera at the wind.  Authorities followed her until she left them in the dust..."
Maria Hock, fellow member of the HHG

Linda  'Jocker' Popple - MS004

Oil, 4'' x 4''

Looking at the serious mug above it just seems wrong - Linda is always laughing, telling stories and entertaining the whole group (and the rest of the restaurant!). But she also is a key member of the Hilton Head Gang, and as such always armed and ready to shoot!

DIY - Wet Canvas Carrier for my Mug Shots

No painting in this post, but something that should be really useful for our mug shot challenge: a litte canvas carrier for those tiny 4" by 4" boards - both for transporting the wet ones and as a storage for the dry boards.

 

I built it out of some kind of foamy board I came across at a craft supply store, it's very light, 1/4 inch thick and can easily be cut with a knife and glued or taped together. The little 'bars' that hold the boards apart are also cut from the same foamboard, wrapped with tape to make sure they would not leave any 'crumbles' on the paintings.
As you can see the box does have a lid, but I haven't decided on a way to secure it closed - I might just use some rubber band, that'll do nicely.

The finished box actually feels more sturdy and robust than I expected. I might even cover it with adhesive foil to make sure it doesn't melt if it gets wet, but then again it's small enough to just put in a plastic bag if needed.

The box will hold ten boards, so I might have to make a second one later on - I must say I'm quite proud of the little thing, though there's still room for improvements ... ;-)

Babyface - another Hilton Head Gang mug shot

"The second member of the Hilton Head Gang is Regula 'Babyface' Scheifele. Don't let her youthful appearance fool you..... she is as devious as the rest of the gang when it comes to shooting covertly and then leaving the scene of the crime.

After terrorizing the island shooting her way through beaches and galleries, she escaped to the back roads of North Carolina. She was last seen boarding a plane to Europe... her current whereabouts unknown."
Maria Hock, fellow member of the HHG

Regula 'Babyface' Scheifele - MS003

Oil, 4'' x 4''

Ok, I confess - the above mentioned gang member would be me. Though I would not recommend you calling me 'babyface' to my... well... face! ;-)

As to my whereabouts: no comment. But you DO all know that Switzerland is proud of its political neutrality?

Regarding the little painting above: I really didn't look forward to painting my mug, but it turned out to be really fun. Again - this mug shot challenge is just great! Go and check out the blogs of my fellow HHG members.

Workshop with Karin Jurick on Hilton Head Island

As you know by now I spent a week on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, painting with Karin Jurick and a bunch of great, talented and more importantly fun ladies. I can't rave enough about the great time I had!

'A Perfect Moment'

Oil, 8'' x 10''

On the first day Karin talked about her approach to painting, materials, taking pictures - and turning 'so-so photos' into great paintings. A real eye-opener! So was the demo she did for us, using her own reference photo taken on Hilton Head.
I always enjoy watching a painting demo, I feel like I learn so much by watching a magician like Karin paint. So when on the second day we were using the same reference to do our own version, it felt so much more relaxed than just jumping into cold waters with my own photos.
My painting 'A Perfect Moment' mirrors this feeling.

'Wave Gazing'

Oil, 8'' x 8''

I painted this next piece from a reference photo I had taken just the day before. This little girl had been running around on the beach, and then - for half a minute - she stood still, gazing at the waves. And then the moment was gone and she was off to chase after those funny seagulls...

More on the workshop and more paintings in my next post.

Wanted: the notorious Hilton Head Gang (HHG)

An international search warrant has been issued today by Detective Maria Hock:

"On October 31st, 2011, disaster struck the tiny island of Hilton Head, South Carolina. Twenty-one notorious characters descended upon Hilton Head and went wild shooting everything in sight.

The purpose of this challenge is to reveal the identities of the Hilton Head Gang by painting their portraits. The first mug to be painted is the leader of this notorious gang - Karin 'Quickdraw' Jurick. Karin can visit a beach and shoot everyone in sight before they even know she is there. Her covert activity is known worldwide."

Even though I've just arrived home from my trip to the US I feel it is my duty to participate in this search operation by posting my mug shot of Karin 'Quickdraw' Jurick. And I can personally attest her being know worldwide - even the Swiss join forces to apprehend this notorious lady!

Karin 'Quickdraw' Jurick - MS002
4 x 4''

Note: as the members of the Hilton Head Gang (HHG) are on our most wanted list, I will be posting one member's mugshot each week - stay tuned! Also, visit the blogs in my blogroll to see more mugshots of the 'gangster' of the week as my fellow-painters from the workshop will post their interpretations!

Hilton Head Island, SC

I just returned from two weeks in the south of the USA, mainly South Carolina. For one week I stayed on Hilton Head Island where I was fortunate to attend a painting workshop with Karin Jurick. Lucky me!

I'll post about the workshop soon, but first some photos I took with my wonderful new camera, the Canon Powershot SX40...

... a kindred soul watching the sunrise...

a cute doggie enjoying the walk

Are you looking at me...?