I Just Met A Girl Named Maria!, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

Friends, meet Maria Bennet Hock.  Though she looks like a stern person here, it's just her mugshot persona.  She is just lovely inside and out, and we became friends at Karin Jurick's workshop in Hilton Head.  She is the brains AND the brawn behind the Hilton Head Gang Mugshots.  She's widely travelled, compassionate, smart and just plain funny!  I think I won't bore you with the rest of the mug shots - I'll show you the collage of them when I get THAT finished.

Very excited at selling my big painting of 3 Little Graces at my new gallery, the Art Stable Gallery - which, BTW is having our big Opening this very Friday evening, from 6-8:30 at 865 Main Road, Westport, MASSACHUSETTS.  (Caps for all the folks who asked me how many hours I have to drive to CT.... Westport MA is the next town over from Tiverton!)  Anyway it is going to be a TIME.

Beach Boy, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting

SOLD
 Here's a favorite subject - a child playing in the sand at the beach...  This photo was from the trip to Hilton Head, and the sand was covered with a thin layer of water, which, in the late afternoon was reflecting the sky... just beautiful with the reflections....  and with the 75+ degree weather this week, here in Rhode Island, I'm thinking ... BEACH! (And I love his little cowlick!)

So I did this painting in the method I learned at the Karin Jurick workshop.  This will be incorporated in the general painting workshop I'm giving in Hull on April 25, 26 and 27.  To register contact Oceanside Gallery, where it will be held....

Today - Live in Sedona, AZ!

Just to share:

Karin Jurick's workshop class from Hilton Head has sent in our paintings from (really) around the world, to hang together at the Sedona Arts Center Show, "A Sense Of Place", opening TODAY.  So if you are in the area, I promise you a visually enchanting experience, should you be able to visit!  The Hilton Head Gang have entered, almost as a whole.  And we are a Force to be reckoned  with!  My Swiss friend Regula Sheifele, one of the HHG, made this beautiful sign and I 'borrowed it' for my post!  Check out her work HERE.

My "Water Dancer" will be there, hoping to find a wonderful 'forever' home!

Come, Boy!, 6x8 Inches, Oil Painting of Pug Dog At The Beach

SOLD

This was just 'one of those paintings'... one of those paintings that flowed off the brush.  I spent most of the day trying to force myself to paint things I knew I 'should' paint.  I whined about it on Facebook.  To my husband.  To my dog (see above).  Then I opened my photos that I took to Karin Jurick's workshop to perhaps paint.  And I spotted this photo of Paco.  He was so happy that day at the beach, such a clown, as Pugs are known to be.  I cropped the photo just 'so', and BAM.  I felt like I was sitting right with Karin, painting away, in the 'zone'.

I don't say this about every painting, but I just LOVE this one!

Week #3, Mugshot of Linda Popple, 4x4 Inches, Oil

As Maria Hock sent out the alert:  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...

For more information or clues to her whereabouts check out her blog at:

http://lindapopple.blogspot.com/.   She is one tough cookie, as you can see above...

Maria's blog has all of our paintings in a series of slideshows - too cool.....

Christmas Cove, Maine, 8x8 Inches, Oil

This is a painting done from a study I did in Maine at Christmas cove.  Lovely, lovely place.  This painting has lots of thick paint, which is giving off a bit of glare.  This 8x8 inch piece is done on cradled panel - so frame or don't if you want a more contemporary look.  While the painting is scheduled to hang at the Holiday Show at Nest in Dedham, if you would like it you can email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com, and purchase it through me.  The price is $200, and it is wired and ready to hang.  Shipping would be $10.

AND... I thought I had showed you before, when in Hilton Head with Karin Jurick's workshop,  but here it is... Rhode Island Red Chickens, also in Maine last summer.  My pal Jody and I were a little lost, and we went down a road that got smaller and smaller - and we passed this: 

NFS

I am BUSY making my famous meatballs for FRIDAY night!  There is talk on the internet of various BLOGGERS planning to invade the Girls Just Wanna Paint Opening at the James Library!

6-9!  Let's see if Georgia and Virginia make a showing....

HHI Gang #2

NFS

"The Hilton Head Gang is a group of notorious artists who attended Karin Jurick's workshop on Hilton Head Island.  I will feature one member of the group each week until they are all accounted for...

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 for Europe...her current whereabouts unknown.  This is the last picture we have of Regula..."

by Maria Hock, Ace Crime Sleuth

Our work will be on display throughout December at the James Library in Norwell, MA.

Random Mug, 6x6 inches, Oil

$100 & $10 S&H

The mugshot was painted as a demo for class last week.  Karin Jurick says people tend to forget how red skin can look - so I tried to bear that in mind.  I enjoyed keeping the brushwork strong, and just exploring the planes of the face.

Now.  Go have a nice Thanksgiving with your families.  Rest.  Try not to get caught up too much in the whole Black Friday stuff.  Enjoy!

Mugshot #1, 6x6 Inches, Oil

$100 & $10 S&H

"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."

~ Maria Hock, artist and member of the Hilton Head Gang

The 'mug' above, is Karin.  She is believed to be somewhat armed, in that she has a camera always, and dangerous, well, just because we say so.   

Other HHG members coming, once a week.... till they are all caught....

In other news... today in class we did a 'limited stroke' exercise.  Only using 25 strokes, we challenged ourselves to 1) really think before we put down a stroke, and 2) as Peggi Kroll Roberts advises, 'Paint like a millionaire' and loosen up, using a good amount of paint on your brush.  Here's mine (and accuracy was sacrificed for this exercise!

Then we painted mugshots.  Here's JoAnn's excellent work.

*Saturday Nov. 19th is my baby Molly's 27th birthday!  Happy Birthday sweetheart!*

Donut War Day! One And A Half Jelly, 6x6 Inches, Acrylic

Oooooh, Susan Roden thought I'd FORGET to post a donut for our Donut War today!  But better late than never!  I am finally home from Hilton Head - and I got a great reception from Tim, Paco, Harry The Orange Cat and Isabelle The Tortie.  3 velcro pets!  And in Hilton Head my friend Kathy Cousart gave me this wonderful present:

A painting of Tim and Paco!  I love it and so does Tim!  Are we lucky or what?

Anyway, as wonderful a paradise as Hilton Head was... be it ever so humble, there's no place like home!

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be pulled together enough to talk about what I learned from Karin!  

Three Little Graces, 8x8 Inches, Oil

Yesterday we painted from one of Karin Jurick's paintings.  Today we painted from our own.  These little girls were playing in the water at Horseneck Beach in Westport, MA this Summer.  I don't generally sell the paintings I do in a workshop because I keep them as 'lessons', and this one is no exception.  At first I loved the photo.  Then when I started drawing in, I thought "Are you CRAZY - 3 figures?  Children?"  But I grided, and grided, and grided again... and I'm pretty happy with the result.  Karin said "Cool Beans..." which, I think, is pretty great.  

After class a few of us went to lunch, but it was chilly and I had left my sweatshirt in a fast food restaurant on the way down.. so I went to get a Hilton Head Sweatshirt.  Well... lo and behold it seemed we ALL needed sweatshirts - in the same color, with coordinating hats... and then we went to take lots of photos...

Me, Maria and Linda - we figured we wouldn't 'lose' each other out taking photos on the beach...

First Painting Day, Karin Jurick Workshop

This is today's work at the workshop.  Nice expectant mom cooling off in the shallow water.  

Karin is SUCH an inspiring teacher!  I'm in gorgeous Hilton Head, SC.  It's beautiful, warm and full of great things to paint.  

Just thought everyone back home would like to know... I didn't lose ANYTHING today.  A first. :D

Today my Challenge Group posted their responses to "The James Library", where we'll be having a show starting in December.  I invite you all to come, meet us all and see over 80 of our paintings in one place - December 2 - 6-9!  Check us OUT!

The James Library, 6x6 Inches, Acrylic

This month my Challege Group, Girls Just Wanna Paint, is painting scenes in and around the James Library in Norwell, MA.  Check it out in the morning when we post!  We're having a show of our Challenges in December.  The Opening is Dec. 2 and it is sure to be a Big Night.

Bad photo in low hotel room light made it really hot red, and blurry.  Will re-take tomorrow.

I had my first day of the workshop with Karin Jurick today - it is so, so great.  

Donut War Day! And A Road Trip From Heck....

Happy Halloween!  WHEW!  I bet 'dollars to donuts' that my partner in War (Donut War that is), Susan Roden, will be shocked, SHOCKED that I managed to post today.  See... I've been on the road for a couple of days, en route to Karin Jurick's Workshop in Hilton Head, SC.

(kitties pre-missing me)

Now... if you do the *math* you'll see that I set out for my trip on the DAY of that horrible snowstorm.  In October - who'd have thought?  It was clear when I left, and I thought that having my husband drive out to Providence to meet me with a new cord for my iPod was the 'glitch' of the day...  but then I missed a turn for the 'quick route south and ended up snarled in New Rochelle, NY, and then the Bronx, for over an HOUR... and then...

It started snowing..

All through New Jersey the road signs were covered with snow and ice...

And we travelers played 'pac man' dodging trees falling from both sides of the road.  

I could take photos because often we were going at 5-15 mph.   Hence, the 12 hour trip to Maryland.  Today was another 12 hour day on the road.  I think I need a few days OFF before I dig in to the workshop!  But it is beautiful here - today's drive, was smooth sailing, and gorgeous landscapes.  I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for all the well wishes!

Ptown Bike Ride, 6x6 Inches, Oil

$100 & $10 S&H

Once again on the black background - it's so different, but makes me really think!  Everything is so exciting right now.  My friend Nancy Colella is in NYC taking Karin Jurick's class.  I can't wait to see  what she does there!

And on Friday I'm off to Sedona for a painting week.  I'm so excited I can hardly think!  Please send grilled salmon and steak tips to Paco to comfort him in my absence..... (that's his favorite, along with pizza bones.... :)

Karin Jurick, 6x8 acrylic

Well, I hope you are all having a happy Valentine's day!  Today, I'm posting my contribution to a tribute to Karin Jurick, who has tirelessly organized and produced Different Strokes From Different Folks, which, I believe, is one of the first 'challenge' groups for painters.  After her December assignment, which was to produce a portrait of another painter that she randomly assigned, one of the painters decided to thank her by having everyone paint a photo of Karin!  She made them into a book and sent it to her.  The cat's out of the bag, now (horrible saying, I think), and it's safe to publish and talk about our portraits.  The whole kit and caboodle can be seen here.

Portrait Challenge

At the end of the year Karin Jurick's Different Strokes Challenge is to paint another painter! You submit your photo and she sends you another painter's photo - this was my assignment and my finished piece.

This is for Karin Jurick's DSFDF Challenge - a statue of Diana, I think. I did it the day before Paco, but now that I upload it I see that her left leg is pointed in the wrong direction. Well, I have a full day today (introducing Paco to some painting friends) so I'll try to correct this in the studio tomorrow. Funny how you can look at something and it looks OK, then when you look at it in a photo anything that's 'off' glares out at you. New Paco photos soon - I promise. He's so smart and cute!

San Francisco Victorian, Oil - 8x6

This painting was submitted to Karin Jurick's Different Strokes From Different Folks Challenge. Wow. I put off attempting it because it was, for me, a perspective nightmare... 2 towers, sloping foreground, complicated roofline, a bare tree - there was a wroght iron fence that I omitted. Anyway, back to fun stuff today! I spent yesterday stuffing my husband and sons with Superbowl food - homemade calzones, homemade pizza, buffalo chicken, shrimp, chips, cookies and nuts. Surprisingly we are all still alive today (although on a little restrictive diet...:).

Jefferson Monument, DSFDF, Oil, 5x7

This little painting was submitted to Karin Jurik's Different Strokes From Different Folks Blog. As I mentioned before, she posts a photo, and everybody sends in their interpretation. This nocturne was my submission. Be on the lookout for a few new dog show paintings this week. Thanks for all your comments and encouragement - boy, it matters like you couldn't even imagine!