"Five Umbrellas" New NYC Street Scene Today

I've been painting away ... this week ... in addition to house hunting, but this is the first I've wanted to show you. While this is a work in progress (like all the rest I've touched this week), I'm pleased with it at this stage. (I will add in my warm brights: yellows and reds. Coming soon.)

My inspiration for this one? "Rainy Day in NYC" getting accepted into the Salmagundi Club's Annual Painting and Sculpture Exhibition ... that coincides with my July solo show at the Old Brogue Irish Pub in Great Falls, VA. I really wanted "Rainy Day in NYC" to be part of that show (though I'm very excited about it getting accepted to the Salmagundi Club!). The only solution was to paint another rainy New York City street scene.

I'm sure I was also inspired by last weekend's trip to the city and the fact I was discouraged with my progress on other paintings. I just read an article about staying productive and the author shared her method. She allows herself to procrastinate ... put off one art task ... but only by substituting it with another art task. Brilliant!

A confession. I did use Photoshop Elements to touch up this work in progress since the photo I took (at dusk) looked, well, dusky. I "despeckled" it and then "unsharp masked" it. So, this isn't completely true to the painting at this stage but I like it. Now I know a bit more of what I want to do with this next painting session.

I did hear today that three of my paintings were accepted into artReston, the League of Reston Artists Annual Juried Open Exhibition. The exhibit runs from Monday, June 7 to July 6th at the JoAnn Rose Gallery. Lake Anne Reston Community Center, 1609-A Washington Plaza, Reston, VA 20190. A reception is being held Sunday, June 13th, 2-4pm. Daniel Wise is the juror.

"Five Umbrellas" work in progress scene from Chelsea in NYC, 18"h x 24"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.


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