THE RELENTLESS - Veronica Huacuja

As we may know, Robert Franklin Stroud (1890-1963, U.S.) was a convicted criminal with significant contrasts in his lifetime. These contradictions prompted me to create his portrait, in which I tried to capture the tumultuous events of his tragic life. — *Robert Stroud, “The Birdman of Alcatraz”*
*Digital Art*
*6,614 x 10,422 px, 300 dpi*
*2021*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Digital Art*
*Art Shop*
*Art Blog*

As we may know, Robert Franklin Stroud (1890-1963, US), alias “The Birdman of Alcatraz”, was a convicted criminal. He served his time in the fearsome prison, Alcatraz. He was a singular man, with great contrats. These dicothomies prompted me to make this work. Tragedy marked his life. — *Robert Stroud, “The Birdman of Alcatraz” 2*
*Digital Painting*
*2021*
*Collection: The Relentless*

I based this artwork on a screenshot from a true crime documentary. What provoked me to make up this work was the forceful presence of the character, his demeanor and strange deformity. — *Study of an Unknown Inmate 8*
*Oil, crayon on paper*
*48.3 x 61 x 0.1 cm*
*2021*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Painting*
*Art Shop*
*Art Post*

I made this work based on the authentic story of Bob Addison (1913-Unknown, U.S.), inmate No. 35074, from the Virginia Penitentiary archives. — *Head Study 28*
*Oil on paper*
*24 x 32 x 0.1 cm*
*2018*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Art Shop*
*Art Blog*

I based this artwork on a caption picture taken from a true crime video documentary. This with respect for the implicated people in the case. — *Crime Scene 5*
*Digital Painting*
*2020*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Video & Post*

Inmate #12
Digital Art
12,024 x 9,622 px, 300 dpi
2021
Collection: The Relentless
Digital Art
Art Shop
Art Post & Video

One topic that calls my interest as an artist is the drama I read on the faces in mugshots. I stop and wonder what triggered these people to make the decisions that affected their lives and the lives of others for good. — *Study of an Inmate. Clarence V. Carnes*
*Digital Art*
*6,000 x 9,462 px, 300 dpi*
*2021*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Digital Art*
*Art Shop*

I based the work on a true crime documentary where the character had homicidal impulses. As in other artworks, the painting circumscribes, in a close-up format, the deformed face of the inmate. — *Head Study 35*
*Oil on paper*
*25 x 32 x 0.1 cm*
*2018*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Painting*
*Art Shop*
*Art Post*

Drama is a topic in my art imagination. I created the collection “The Relentless”, where, besides painting criminals, I also include the manhunters, who are the professionals who pursue these outlaws. I think they too, are relentless. So, those who fight “monsters” are also part of this collection. I believe their work causes to them profound harm. They become as injured as those they pursue, only different. — *The Persecutor 3*
*Digital Painting*
*45 x 26.7 x 0.1 cm*
*2021*
*Series: The Relentless*

The artwork portraits a turbulent inmate with a long crime history. One topic that calls my interest as an artist is the drama I read on the faces in mugshots. In this case, the fierceful gesture of the character provoked me to make up the two-pieces artwork in a unit. By doing so, I search to create a “speech”, a certain interaction between both works. My work is not an apology to crime. It’s my interpretation of a phenomenon. To see more images of the artwork head over to https://www.instagram.com/p/CQfgMfuH6Rm/ — *Inmate No. 7*
*Artwork: Oil, acrylic on canvas, Size: 31.5 (W) x 23.6 (H) x 0.1 in*
*Sculpture (head): Plasticine, plaster, cement, acrylic paint, Size: 4.7 (W) x 9.8 (H) x 9.8 (Depth), 8.8 pounds*
*2021*
*Collection:The Relentless. A Thousand Crimes*
*More images*

I portrayed the deformed face of this man–with “computer mistakes”–in a dramatic environment. — *Inmate No. 8*
*Digital Art*
*10,000 x 9,144 px, 300 dpi*
*2021*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Digital Art*
*Art Shop*
*Art Post & Video*

One topic that calls my interest as an artist is the drama I see on the faces of the people in mugshots. — *Study of an Unknown Inmate 5*
*Ink on paper*
*23.8 x 32 x 0.1 cm*
*2005*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Drawing (+ delivery)*
*Art Shop*
*Art Post*

Title: Study Head 4 Media: Oil and ink on paper Size: 24 x 32 x 0.1 cm Year: 2018 — *Study of an Anonymous Inmate 35*
*Ink on paper*
*24 x 32 x 0.1 cm*
*2005*
*Collection:The Relentless*

I based this work on true crime mug shots and a clay bust I made for this purpose. — *Inmate #35074*
*Ink on paper*
*10.1 x 20.3 x 0.1 cm*
*2022*
*Collection: The Relentless*
*Original Drawing*
*Art Shop*
*Art Post*

I based this work on the historical forensic ID of the dreadful and dangerous criminal, Josef Mengele. What provoked me to make up the work were the forceful images made by the forensic team involved in the investigation. My work isn’t an apology for crime, it’s just my interpretation of a phenomenon. — *Facial Reconstruction of a Criminal 5*
*Acrylic on canvas*
*80 x 60 x 1.5 cm*
*2022*
*Collection:The Relentless*
*Intervened prints*

Welcome to this collection: The Relentless.

As a creator, one thing that calls my attention is the man and its precarious conditions. So, mental sickness, pathological behaviour, forensics… are some topics I explore in this series. I picture people that have social malfunctions and disorders which drive them to commit crime. The tragedy of their lives and the paths in which they have crossed in the lives of others are the impulsive elements that compel me to create this series.

I dedicate my work to the victims of the perpetrators I work on and to the multidisciplinary law enforcement team that pursues these offenders. I included in this collection the "manhunters" because I think they too are relentless. Those who fight "monsters" are also part of this collection because if they "gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss gazes back on them." (1) I believe the law enforcement team's work causes to them profound harm. They become as injured (sometimes, with post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) as those they pursue, only different.

My work in this collection isn't an apology for crime, it's my interpretation of the criminal phenomenon.

1 The above quote is a freedom I have allowed myself to use in this context. It's from Friedrich Nietzsche, as we may know. It's also used by Robert Ressler (1937-2013, US), an FBI agent that coined the term "serial killer" during the 1970s, among others.

My Initial Resources

As an artist, some of the resources I have in hand to create a piece are the public domain official mug shots done by the US police department, which are the front and profile views of these men.

The tools I use are clay sculpting, silicone, plaster and cement (to make the casting), oil painting, charcoal, acrylics, digital painting, coloured pencils, ink, paper or canvas, etc.

An interesting work using mixed mediums is one I recently created, Inmate No. 7, where I portray my interpretation of an inmate in two different mediums: a painting (oil and acrylic on canvas) and a physical sculpture (plasticine, clay, plaster, cement, and acrylic paint). I present these two artworks as a unit. This to provoke a speech, a certain interaction between both works.

My Art for Sale

I established my Art Shops at Fine Art America and Singulart where you can find prints of my artwork and other merchandise products. Visit them any time.

If you're interested in an original artwork, you can contact me at art@veronica.mx

Art & Mindfulness For Business and Schools. Program For Creativity And Well-being

As an art teacher, I've designed this program for Business and Schools who seek a means of anti-stress relaxation through artistic enjoyment. The teaching I offer is a lifelong learning, as it encourages participants to practice their emotional intelligence both individually and as a group.

Head over to the following links to know the features of each educational intervention that comprise this program:

Business: https://veronica.mx/artprogram

Schools: https://veronica.mx/artprogram1, https://veronica.mx/workshop

Your Comments

If you have any comments or questions, please send me an email. I'll be happy to answer to you ASP.

Hope you enjoy the work and thank you for visiting!

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Thank you for visiting and reading this section: The Relentless.