A Little Intermission: Back at Home

One of my great tasks is keeping my head "fit" for painting ... particularly when facing my biggest artistic challenges. I'm really, really, really (enough?) close to finishing my major portrait commission. Worked on it all day yesterday. I've set a deadline for myself that is tough to meet. I will be working on it again as soon as I put up this post, but I postponed today's start on it by working (again) on one of my home interiors.

You see, it's been a tough day on my artistic head so far. I didn't get into an exhibit that I really wanted to ... hmmmph ... ouch. I usually fill this blog post with tribulations. Still, life as an artist has its trials too. There. I admitted it.

The good news is that I'm always popping right back up on the horse after a fall. I painted today already and I'm happy with this latest rendition of my tiny home interior painting. (I did have to photograph it three times however to get this pretty good version. See? Lots of perseverance.)

See earlier posts about this painting:
"Did Some Redecorating on My House Paintings"
"Corner Seat: Welcome to My House #3"

That was fun (all but the photography part) and a good exercise for my head. It should be in better shape for the rest of today's painting challenges.

"Corner Seat", oil on Raymar panel, 8"h x 6"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

"A Dozen Roses" Get Another Day

 Today was the sixth day of my Winter Term Still Life class ... and day two with the three setups. Mostly I taught today, painting only toward the end of class and then for a few hours after everyone left.  Since today's roses are "cousins" of last week's now dead version ... I adjusted those a bit.

The next session of classes start the week of April 11. I'll be teaching on Tuesdays with more details to come. Classes are taught through the Great Falls School of Art, part of the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts. I'll post information here and on my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

I also added Terra Rosa to my palette today. What a great color!!! Two reasons for the addition. I've been rereading parts of Richard Schmid's Alla Prima book (my favorite, information-packed book) and he used Terra Rosa and Venetian Red in a wash-like grisaille portrait that I loved. It reminds me of the effects I've gotten with my burnt sienna watercolor washes. Reason two is that when I peeked at fellow artist's Adrienne Kralick's palette she had a beautiful purplish fairly deep red that she mixed with Alizarin Crimson and Terra Rosa. It was just what I needed and used for the top surface of the velvet cloth (where the light shines on it). Love it!

So, today my life as an artist consisted of:
Arranging the roses "cousins" in the vase looking at photos of their predecessors on my laptop
Fixing lunch since my class runs from 11am-3pm
Teaching, critiquing, painting
Assembling easel number seven of the new, highly cherished easels for the Great Falls School of Art (purchased on sale from Plaza, Mabef lyre easels made in Italy)
Photographing this painting and the setups from today so that I can get stuff back in place next week
 (Now) blogging
(Next) marking the setups with masking tape and cleaning up
Heading home

"A Dozen Roses", oil on linen, 12"h x 9"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

One from Last Monday: "Green Hat" Portrait

Because I'm consumed with working on my mystery portrait all weekend, my image from today is a work in progress portrait from last Monday's portrait and figure painting class (see the classes section of my web site: www.jillbanks.com). Ellen's been posing for my class and this was day two. (Tomorrow's day three with the same pose.) I mix teaching with painting. That way I don't watch every move students make and they see how I move a painting along.

This one's in a bit of an uncomfortable stage. I see plenty of adjustments to make and work to do ... but I like the pose and possibilities. Just need to relax some lines and redraw some shapes. Sounds easy.

Sorry for the fuzzy photo ... took it quickly under dubious light.

In working with a model, I ask them to come with several choices of outfits, accessories, etc. Ellen came in from the snow wearing her green woolly hat. After picking out her brown dress, the hat needed to go back on... nice color and a complement to Ellen's very natural and comfortable beauty.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow ...

As to my mystery portrait -- it's at that "within reach" stage. While that doesn't give me exactly how many days I have left, I know I can count that high. My current betting estimate is between two to five hard-working days left. I just might need to eat some "Wheaties". Think like an Olympian. Cross the finish line.

"Green Hat" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Back to "Rainy Day in NYC" Painting ... Fun!

After working ALL day yesterday on my portrait commission ... until, again, my arm felt like it was going to fall off ... I took a break to return to one of my latest street scenes. Considering that my works in progress (i.e. not finished paintings) are really piling up, it seemed wiser to work toward finishing than to start something new. Plus, I've been dying to get back to this one.

This one's not about color (I understated it, at least for me). It's about contrast, mood and movement.

This is day three. I'll set it aside again and see what I think it might still need.

To read prior posts about this painting, see:
"Rainy Day in NYC" Painting, Day Two
Rainy Day NYC Street Painting Just Started

More street paintings can also be seen in the places section, gallery pages of my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

"Rainy Day in NYC" work in progress day 3, oil on Raymar panel, 18"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

"Sauce or Salsa?" Tomatoes Painting

Often I pick subjects in rotting priority order. I think I'll have time to get to them sooner, but I don't. Perhaps that's one of the consequences of attempting to pack in as much as I possibly can into every day.

This is my second tomatoes on the vine painting. The first, "Family Ties" sold in December. "Sauce or Salsa?" is a top-down view. They were sitting on a chair right next to my easel. It put all those reds piled up on my palette (permanent alizarin crimson, permanent rose, perylene red, cadmium red, cadmium red light, cadmium orange) to good use.

Today was a meeting day ... sort of played havoc with my painting schedule ... but it should help make the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts Spring class offerings much better.

"Sauce or Salsa?", oil on Senso linen, 8"h x 10"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

"A Dozen Roses" Painting Today

This painting is my second start of the same setup today during my still life class (that I teach through the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts). Find out more about classes and workshops I offer on my web site: www.jillbanks.com, click on classes. The first one was a close-up (a small portion of the scene) done on a much larger canvas. This one's painted from much farther back in the room -- taking in more of the scene than I ever would have attempted if my easel was set up close to the still life. What stepping back made me see was the potential to frame the image at the top and right side ... and to see some interesting shapes.

Scale is fascinating ... and a powerful tool. Fun to explore.

"A Dozen Roses"  sketch, oil on linen, 12"h x 9"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Back to "Lemons, Sunflowers and the Blue Teakettle"

I was back in the studio today for open studio hours ... finding plenty of my studiomates keeping me company. We all seem to be suffering from the same malady: cabin fever. It was nice to be back in there (at the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 15 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA).

I only had a few hours, or at least that's what I thought. My plan was to go to the open life session at the McLean Community Center from 4-7:30pm. I made it there, along with other artists ready to paint and draw. Unfortunately, apparently, the open life session had been canceled. No monitor, no model. I think we kept eyeing each other to see who could be roped in to sit. That didn't work. I asked a nice young guy at the desk if he'd be interested in sitting for us. He had other plans. Imagine that on a Saturday night.

Oh well. So I was hoping for a new portrait or figure painting to post today.  Maybe next week.

Here's the latest rendition of my "Sunflowers, Lemons and the Blue Teakettle" that I worked on today. Even though the time was short, I was really pleased with my progress. I love these lemons!!!

This one's been resting for awhile, awaiting final tweaks. I have final, final tweaks ... itsy-bitsy ones ... and then I'll call it a wrap.

This is happiness on linen.

"Lemons, Sunflowers and the Blue Teakettle", oil on linen, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

See other posts on this painting's development:
"Painting Lemons Today: "Sunflowers, Lemons and the Blue Teakettle" Continues"
"Lemons, Sunflowers and the Blue Teakettle" Painting and the Holiday Show
My Latest Lemon Painting

And some more posts on lemon paintings:
Another Lemon Painting
Lemons, Limoni Painting Finished

Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Did Some Redecorating on My House Paintings: Round Two

I couldn't help myself. Made some changes on the latest two home interior paintings ... including making my free model (husband Randy) disappear. Today I'm home alone ... he managed to leave the house for errands, lunch with his Dad, etc. and so I painted him out of the picture. These two are improved, but I could use painting on them each one more time after the paint's dry. Currently, try as I might, I cannot get the paint to stick. So it's streakier than I'd like.

Round Two.

"Corner Seat", oil on Raymar panel, 8"h x 6"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
"Snow Day"work in progress, oil on Raymar panel, 9"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435 

"Corner Seat": Welcome to My House #3

Being snowed in certainly has its advantages. I like this latest painting ... of a spot in my living room ... a lot. I may work more on it tomorrow morning when the sun streams through again. I kept with the simple shapes,  a goal of mine mentioned in yesterday's post. It's all about the light.

All these interiors are inspired by a number of factors. Our house is on the market and I'm not sure exactly where we'll end up living. So, uncertainty ... inspires my wanting to capture the beauty, comfort, coziness of home. I also just admire interiors. One of my favorite paintings at the Allied Artist of America show (that I was in) was a little interior painting. Almost overlooked, the painting became more special ... like a little gem that drew you in. (Hmmm ... (in)terior.)

Some of my favorite paintings are of interiors. Among them are John Singer Sargent's (American, 1856-1925) "Repose" at the National Gallery of Art. I liked this one so much I copied it and it's hanging in Randy's office. I also love Sargent's "The Breakfast Table" that hangs in Harvard's Fogg Museum. I've included a photo I took of that one here as well. There's so much to learn by just looking.

As I'm adding these photos to this post ... it dawned on me that I need to be brave (or stupid) to put my own painting, my copy of a Sargent and a photo of a Sargent painting on the same post.

From top to bottom: "Corner Seat", oil on Raymar panel, 8"h x 6"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
"After Sargent's "Repose"", oil on linen, 24"h x 20"w, painted by me (Jill Banks) 2008.
"The Breakfast Table", oil on canvas, John Singer Sargent, painted 1883-84 (according to the plaque on the wall at the Harvard Museum. Photo taken by me.


By the way, Harvard's Fogg Museum was truly an unexpected treat. What an unbelievable collection!!! Randy and I visited Boston in the Spring of 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed the art treasures there.  In one, two, three order for Boston's art destinations are: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Museum of Fine Art (Boston), and the Harvard Art Museum

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Home Interior Painting #2 and My Free Model

The setting of "Snow Day" is my family room where I set up "shop" today. Husband Randy, a notoriously paintbrush-shy kind of guy, modeled at no charge and willingly. This is his normal reading and computer-browsing spot ... so not too painful or taxing an arrangement.

The star of this painting, though is the blue chair and ottoman. Draped over top is a Virginia Tech afghan that our son Sam, a VA Tech student, gave to his two University of Virginia grad parents. Perched on the seat is a rabbit pillow I sewed in my craft-making period ... when I was working in career #1 and hadn't yet realized that painting was my passion. Painting interiors is interesting, particularly painting my own home ... because there's a history and life that belongs to the space. It's in the furniture. (Blue chair and ottoman that previously belonged to my parents. Oriental coffee table that was inspired by my oldest brother and sister-in-laws furnishings.) Even when a space is empty, it carries with it the family gatherings it held host to ... talks and laughter. Naps on the couch.

I'm taking a rest from painting on the commissioned portrait today. So today's agenda is this painting, some cooking, and later, I'll see what else I can squeeze in.

What I want to work on: narrow my focus for interiors, too ... select fewer objects to contend with, concentrate on bolder, larger shapes.  This was a lot to pack into this little canvas, but I think no matter what the canvas size, that's a good goal for me.

"Snow Day"work in progress, oil on Raymar panel, 9"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

"Pool Room" Painting: Welcome to My House

So far, this is just a great day. As my "warm-up" today I decided to start a series of interiors around my house ... something that I've been wanting to do for a very long time. My painting is always best when it's deeply personal, when I'm showing you a moment, place, memory that's important to me.

The pool room depicted here is just feet away from my home studio ... where I've been stationed due to the Mid-Atlantic snowstorms and the large portrait commission that I can't create at the Artists' Atelier (my shared studio at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA). This is pretty close to the view I'd have from my easel if the portrait I have on it was smaller. I'm perpendicular to it ... still with my own cozy view of the fireplace. Not a bad place to be during a snowstorm.

"Pool Room" is tiny ... only 6"h x 8"w. It was fun to wreak havoc on the sense of scale that way. Like constructing a dollhouse. There's a special intimacy and charm with this small size.

Since I decorated and thought through this house, it has all these wonderful places to be, to sit, to enjoy. I hope this painting is one of many home-based interiors to be accomplished soon.

Other interior paintings from my restaurant series can be found in the Places section of the Gallery pages on my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

Now, back to the portrait.

"Pool Room", oil on Raymar panel, 6"h x 8"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

"Marvelous Market" Painting Today

This is day two for this painting, the latest in my market series. Each series blends with the thoughts and directions of other ones. One thing leads to another. And another. Like one's lineage. Probably the closest to it is "Gelato Shop" (shown below). I will continue to work on "Marvelous Market", refining work on some of the apples on the right and adding reflections and glow with glazes once this layer has dried. I actually took the photo prior to being done with it for the day -- to get a tiny bit of daylight helping the photo process.

Randy's been out shoveling the driveway on and off all day. I have sympathy back pains. How's that for an empathetic wife?

"Marvelous Market" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 18"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
Also shown (right): "Gelato Shop, oil on linen, 20"h x 16" w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Marvelous Market is a great bakery, sandwich, soup and take home snack shop at Reston Town Center (in Reston, VA). It looked so inviting ... and warm. More contrast with the frigid surroundings outside. When the outside's not too hospitable, my thoughts turn inside. And where my thoughts go, my paintbrush follows.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Florence Italy Painting and So Much Snow!

I worked on this little landscape painting last night and this afternoon. I'm not thrilled with it at the moment ... but I'm enjoying thinking about Florence as I paint. In March, Randy and I head to Italy ... to visit Florence for a few days and then go on to Rome for an art historical trip with Rob Liberace. I can't wait!!!
 

Some other Florence, Italy paintings available include:
"Through the Window", 30"h x 40"w, shown left. On exhibit at my studio gallery at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA.
"Friends in Florence", 11"h x 14"w, currently on exhibit at Market Cellars in Reston, VA. Shown below.
"Standing By", 12"h x 9"w, currently on exhibit at Market Cellars in Reston, VA
"Italian Men", 24"h x 18"w, currently in the 7th Biennial National Exhibit in Punta Gorda, FL.
Last time we were in Florence, Randy climbed to the top of the Campanile and took photos ... this one looking out at the Palazzo Vecchio and beyond. There's this soft fog enveloping so much of Florence. I'll keep working until I capture it. If not on this one, then another.

I'm trying to figure out just what I have to see and do in Florence for the few days there. So far, I know I need to go to the Piazza Michelangelo and then climb the hill further to visit the monk's shop. I want to visit the markets that first inspired my market series (see my web site gallery pages, then places gallery: www.jillbanks.com). I want to see David again. Eat at the Yellow Bar. Sketch in the piazzas. Visit Boboli Gardens. Shop for art supplies at Zecchi's. Eat lots of gelato.

I'm thinking of all this while home, definitely stranded by an unbelievable snowstorm that's taken up residence in the D.C. area. It's hard to imagine getting out of here. Maybe in March.

I had to share two views outside the window. One of husband Randy shoveling and another of the table on the back patio. Can you believe it? I can't. And it's still snowing!

"Tuscan Spires" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 8"h x 10"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Wet Paint: New Hershey's Kiss Painting Today

I think that this will be painting #1 today ... I hope to start another as soon as I post this and consume some of the split pea soup I made yesterday. Painting comes easily in the midst of a major mid-Atlantic snowstorm. No potential distractions -- other than that soup.

This, my second painting of a Hershey's Kiss, reminds me of a pageant queen ready to put on her sash. Interesting to imagine her in a swimsuit contest.

I painted this on gessobord (that's how Ampersand spells it) made by Ampersand.

I'm conducting a materials experiment. The materials really affect both the painting experience and the end results. I was noticing a big difference between my two recent street scenes of New York and my portrait commission. The "Rainy Day in NYC" painting, my portrait commission and the Hershey's Kiss painting were all done on different materials (Raymar panel, Angel super-smooth lead-primed linen, and Ampersand gessoboard, respectively)  -- all of which are very smooth surfaces. In all three cases, it is difficult to get the paint to adhere (it slides off) for the first pass of the painting. The paint needs to set up a bit. The surface isn't absorbing the paint ... it sits on top. Another result is that all of your paintstrokes show -- which can be good or bad. If I don't like that effect for the entire painting, I knock down some of the strokes -- something that can be done with a soft brush and soft touch after the paint has set a bit.

My "Birds of a Feather" painting of the NYC street was created on Senso linen canvas -- a material I find attractive to look at and to paint on. It is absorbent and has a medium tooth -- making it enjoyable to paint on from beginning to end. Because of its absorbency though, I often need to go back to a painting later (after it's dry to the touch) to restate edges, highlights and darks. (You can purchase Senso linen canvases through Jerry's Artarama or  ASW Express.)

Next painting up I believe will be another street scene, though I also have another intriguing painting that I started last week of a market/snack shop that I might work on. Plus, a restaurant painting dancing around in my head. We shall see.

"Give Me A Kiss", oil on gessobord, 7"h x 5"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Snow! First Friday and Saturday's Open Hours Cancelled

I'll post something new later today (after I've painted it) ... but First Friday and Saturday open hours at the Artists' Atelier are cancelled (tonight and tomorrow, February 6). We might try another day this month ... stay tuned.

Off to paint!

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Pink Flower Painting: A Valentine Bouquet

I know Valentine's Day is 11 days away ... but something seems to happen automatically to my painting subjects right about now. (Check out my posts from last February to see that it's a definite trend.) Or see Monday's post of the "Red Velvet Cupcake".

I started this during my Still Life class (see my web site, click on classes) yesterday and finished it up this afternoon as a "warm up" before working on a portrait commission. This Spring bouquet is in great contrast to the dreary, snowy world outside the window.

My guess is this will also be newly hung in my studio for our open house for First Friday ... this Friday, February 5 at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066 ... from 7-9pm. Check this blog first, though. There may be a brand new snowstorm heading our way.

"In the Pink", oil on linen, 12"h x 9"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435  

"Red Velvet Cupcake" Painting Today

After teaching my portrait class today, I wanted to create something quickly. This one's perfect for Valentine's Day ... a "Red Velvet Cupcake" painting with red sprinkles. This one came from the Canteen, part of Mon Ami Gabi that has a great Sunday jazz brunch. I bought this to paint ... honestly.

"Red Velvet Cupcake", oil on canvas, 5"h x 5"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Come see it in person at our First Friday regular event at the Artists' Atelier, Friday, February 5, 7-9pm. 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066.

A new still life show will be hanging in the gallery.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435