In late December 2014, artist Karen Hegglin was in the midst of an important realization as she faced what she referred to as a “big birthday year” in 2015. That’s how she remembers the beginning of the 30-day, 30-portrait challenge she posed for herself.
“I said to myself, ‘If you are ever going to see if you can paint as well as you want, then you had better start,’” Hegglin recalled.
The simple prompt “you had better start” was just urgent enough to push Hegglin to take the next step and actually follow through. Her goal was to complete one portrait per day for 30 days, simple pencil drawings that she would gift to the people who took the time—exactly one hour—to model for the portraits.
A South County resident for more than 60 years and an artist for most of her life, Hegglin occasionally dabbles with acrylic but felt pulled toward watercolor when she was in high school.
“It was magical,” she said of her first experiences with what would eventually become her preferred medium. “The paint hit the wet paper and flowed where it wanted to go.”
Hegglin said her 30-day challenge came from recognizing the importance of each day and understanding that painting comes easier when an artist has the ability to draw. Daily pencil-drawing sessions seemed like the perfect way to hone her watercolor skills. The self-imposed time limit helped ensure that she finish the portraits and the challenge.
But why did she choose portraits? To understand Hegglin’s work, it’s important to note the enjoyment she gets from being around other people.
“I enjoy people and the challenge of capturing their essence on paper,” she explained. “Every person has eyes, nose and mouth, and yet we are all different. So much is revealed about ourselves through our expressions.”
For Hegglin, portraits combine two important things—people and art. Her goal was to complete the challenge, but her true reward came in the process.
“I had the opportunity to visit with so many lovely people,” she said.
At the beginning, Hegglin asked a few people to model for her. From there, word spread on Facebook and more people volunteered. Without models, this challenge would have been impossible, according to Hegglin.
“I am so grateful to everyone who gave up their time to help me achieve this goal,” she said.
One of her models was Lisa Faria. The two have known each other for years. Though she doesn’t consider herself very artistic, Faria attended a wine and art event at Hegglin’s studio around Valentine’s Day. She had fun and learned a lot about art.
“I felt like I could actually do something (artistic,)” Faria laughed.
She remembers Hegglin talking about the 30-day challenge and showing her some of the portraits she had completed. Faria was amazed at how Hegglin was able to capture the essence of each person she drew.
“I could pick out family resemblances between people I had never met,” Faria said. “In an hour, she could capture somebody and get them on the paper. I thought it was extraordinary.”
In what was her first time as a portrait model, Faria was surprised to find the hour she sat for Hegglin passed quickly and her portrait was near completion by the end. Other than having to sit still, the experience was much like any other hour spent with a friend, she said. Since then, Faria has been to the Morgan Hill Community Center to see the finished products displayed alongside an art exhibit of Hegglin’s watercolors that runs through Sept. 23.
“When we went to her art show, we saw them all lined up,” she said. “She did a reception last week and it was really nice.”
Hegglin combines her passion for people and art by also teaching art classes at the community center. She hopes her students and others interested in the arts know that they, too, can follow the “just do it” advice she gave to herself back in December.
“Everyone can learn a few techniques and achieve personal satisfaction,” Hegglin said.
