Thursday, December 29, 2011

Sherrie's Mug

4 X 4
oil on panel
The last mug shot of the year is artist Sherrie Hilliard.  I must again point out that my Hilton Head workshop-mates were great sports about having their pictures taken with their best "perp" expressions so we could paint each other's "mug shots", and that Sherrie is really quite pretty.  And thanks again to Maria Hock who faithfully sends out these photos and posts them on her blog site.  To view everyone's interpretations, visit her blog here or her Picasa gallery here.
 

Monday, December 19, 2011

Kelley's Mug


4 x 4
oil on panel
I didn't think I'd get any painting in this week, but everyone was out of the house for awhile tonight, so instead of tackling the many little Christmas related things that need to get done, like wrapping and looking over the list for the gazillionth time, I finished another Hilton Head Gang member's mug shot.  This week is artist Kelley MacDonald,  and borrowing Kelley's mantra, sometimes "girls just wanna paint".  Visit Kelley's blog here.

Thanks to all who visited my blog and for the kind comments offered in response to the postings this year.  I appreciate all your support.  May you all have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year and everyone be safe out there!

Friday, December 9, 2011

Golden Friendship

12 x 12
Oil on panel backed canvas

Sam's parents set out to find a therapy dog for him, but when they found Shadow, they knew he was going to be part of their family.  Shadow was just a puppy at the time but was already disfigured from untreated mange.  Still his incredible serene and angelic personality was apparent and to know him is to love him.  I just finished this last night, just in time for it to dry and be wrapped for my sister ( Sam and Shadow's mother ), for Christmas.  Hopefully this isn't the one time she looks at my blog!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

I Left My Brain in Hilton Head

 Maybe that's overstating it a bit, but to say I left part of my subconscious is a little too obscure, and my heart is firmly planted between Indiana with my husband and cat, and in Texas with my boy Nick.  However, since receiving a disc of photos in the mail from one of my dear travel buddies, I've definitely been letting my daydreams carry me back to that lovely vacation in South Carolina.   And although it's been a month since we were there, I thought I'd share some moments.   And so here I am, supplies packed precariously in shopping bags, on my way in to the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina for my first day of the Karin Jurick Workshop.  I was crazy excited.
 And this is inside, actually into the second day there.  We had all abandoned our workstations to cluster around Karin and watch her paint, always a highlight of each day.  That's my spot in the foreground.  Later that day I bought one of Brett's Tabletop Easels and have been happily using it ever since. 
This was a typical moment in which we were held in rapt attention during one of Karin's demos which is clearly not only informative but highly entertaining.  The girl is hilarious.

The Three Graces
My posse, my travel companions, my friends - Carmen, Susie, and Mona.  Here we are on the beach in front of our condo.  It was a little chilly but gorgeous, which called for a toast. 
 In the Presence of Artistic Greatness
A statement that could apply to both, my friend, artist Susie Suraci and to Karin Jurick  who's paintings we're enjoying here at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery.   The week was incredible, filled with art, ocean, good food, good wine,with side trips to Savannah and Bluffton and wonderful time spent with wonderful people.  It exceeded whatever I had imagined to experience when I signed up for the workshop. 

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Jennifer's Mug

4 X 4
Oil on Panel
This week the Hilton Head Gang Mug Shots spotlight falls on Jennifer Koach who was dubbed "JLo" by her classmates.  Everybody was a good sport to ham it up for the camera for the sake of this project and give their most distressed, "just been caught" expressions.  Again, everyone's interpretation of JLo can been seen on the right hand side of Maria Hock's  blog. 

I have this whole week off and am embracing the chance to do Christmas-y things, get ready for my son's visit, and enjoy time with my husband, family, and friends.  I'm also luxuriating in the time to paint ad lib, without having to squeeze it into life.  Maybe I will get a painting or two done for gifts after all!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Linda's Mug

4 X 4
Oil on panel
And here's another "mug shot" of one of my classmates from the Hilton Head gang.  Finding time to paint is always tricky but this week has been a killer, between my regular schedule plus mandatory extra shifts at my job, and Christmas decorating.  Tonight after work, I started in on this little mug of artist Linda Popple and determined to get it done no matter what.  I could have tweaked it a little more but here it is.  For all the mugs by all the Hilton Head gang, go to Maria Hock's blog site.  Maria's challenge has been to do a mug a week and I'm hoping to keep up with it although it's going to be a hectic and joyful month.  I'm looking forward to making up for lost time with my son who is several states away in grad school but will be home for Christmas.  And of course, nothing is more important than that!