Painting Tomatoes

After teaching my still life class (last one of the session) and giving a private lesson yesterday, I broke out the paints and created this one. "Family Ties" depicts four vined tomatoes that were going to be made into gazpacho last week -- but they had to be held over to this week for another class painting session. This is a simple, small painting. See more of my still lifes of food and markets on this blog and on my web site -- gallery section, both Still Lifes and Places.

Since I haven't been blogging for a week, here's a little bit of catching up... I've been finishing up on a portrait commission and finalizing "Food and Wine". You'll probably see both of those here soon. First Friday was absolutely fantastic -- the best ever. The student show in the downstairs gallery looks terrific and it was fun to meet family members and friends of many of the students that are part of the Great Falls School of Art. The place was buzzing all night. Unfortunately, I was having way too much fun to remember to take photos.

The Farmer's Market was also good. My Market Series paintings have been really well received. "Food and Wine" made its first appearance there ... with good reviews. "Rainy Day Market" is a constant favorite. Someone's going to buy it ... soon, I bet. Other top favorites are drawings, particularly ink washes and "The Donut Line-Up". Two young boys visited with their father and I asked them which painting was their favorite and one of them said "that one ... and that one ... and that one" until he picked the entire tent's worth. Definitely a budding art patron.

This Saturday, I'm heading up to New York City with Randy to drop off drawings at the Salmagundi Club for their Annual Juried Photography and Graphics Exhibition. See my earlier post on that acceptance. Richard Schmid's work is in an exhibit there -- that I'm looking forward to seeing. Plus, I can't wait to see the Salmagundi Club itself.

"Family Ties" (painting of tomatoes), oil on Senso linen, 10"h x 8"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009. "Rainy Day Market", oil on Senso linen, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
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Phone: 703.403.7435