I based Striking Hamburg on a photo taken of John Lennon (my favorite artistic subject) by Astrid Kirchherr, who is one of my favorite photographers of all time. Before I had done much work on it at all, my mother came in the room and said, "It's striking!" I chose that description in the title not only because of her, but because at that time in Germany, that's exactly what the Beatles were doing with their music: Striking Hamburg.

Awards/Recognitions: This painting received a Second Place Ribbon in the Amateur category for the 2003 New Jersey Fest For Beatles Fans Art Contest. It also received a Fourth Place ribbon in the Portrait painting category at the 2004 Bloomsburg, PA Fair. This painting participated in Hawkins' 25th Annual Art Show in Danville, PA.

Professional Prints of this painting are available. Although the photo looks a little dark, the image is an exact reproduction of the original painting. Own one for $20. E-mail me!