The Ripoff Artists are a group of talented artists who work in many media and join forces every summer to interpret a masterpiece by a famous artist in their own way, to learn new skills and have a lot of fun. Our slogan is that we "rip off a dead artist," all to learn from the greats of the past and hone our own skills. We choose our next victim, er, subject well in advance, so we can all plan our approach. During one week in the summer, we work together at the Quail's Nest Arts Centre in Oliver, each in our own medium, aiming to finish at 3 pm Saturday. The finished works are displayed in a group showing as featured artists in the Fall Art Show and Sale held in conjunction with the Festival of the Grape in Oliver BC.
Picture
Ripoff Artist display at the Fall Art Show and Sale, October 2019. Andy Warhol's "Marilyn" was the focus of the 2019 Ripoff Artist challenge. Photo credit: JoAnn Turner

​"Rip-off: an inferior imitation of something."
"Artist: 1: a person who practises any of the creative arts; a person skilled at a particular task or occupation.
  2: a person who habitually practises a specified reprehensible activity: rip-off artists."
Oxford Dictionary of English, Kindle Edition, 2010
Picture
The Ripoff Artists in 2009, "ripping off another year!" Photo credit: Russell Work.