"Tea Party" Continues and My New Studio Digs

The last two days I've been painting in my new -- not quite ready -- home studio. A little about our new (older) house. It's offered its full share of challenging surprises. The home we left, which husband Randy built, had to be the best maintained house on the planet. Everything worked. Light bulbs got changed. Air filters were fresh. Mouldings were caulked when necessary. Etc., etc. Here, it's almost funny. The list of what doesn't work is too long to mention here. But, just for an example... the bathroom downstairs didn't have toilet paper. I go get some and put it on the toilet paper roll holder and the holder falls to the ground. A similar result follows us everywhere. The house has beautiful bones. It will be beautiful ... and functional. But, it's sure going to take awhile.

The lower level (basement) is terrific ... and it's the area I had slated from the beginning for my home studio. It did have dark purple carpet through most of the space, and tile in another. We tore up the purple, perhaps on home ownership day two. Today we picked its replacement. I could easily offer workshops in what will be the newly carpeted space (big with nice light!) -- but will need to cover it up. My main personal space is a tiled area near a French door and windows. Despite the undone chaos around me ... I can tell this will be a great space to work. I really love it.

So, my work in progress for the last two days is the piece I started at the Old Brogue Irish Pub last Wednesday. I plan to paint there again tomorrow (Wednesday, July 29, noon-4pm) and some time on Thursday. These aren't really demos -- because I feel funny talking too much there while I paint -- but you're welcome to come, say hello, ask questions, watch, as you like. Find me somewhere at the Old Brogue Irish Pub, 760 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066. That's where my show "Painting the Town" hangs for one more week. (It ends July 31... so if you haven't seen it yet, GO!)

I've put up info on August workshops and Fall classes on my Web site. I'll be teaching portrait painting and drawing and still life painting in the Fall. Please sign up quickly. And, August workshops start next week. Let me know if you want to take part in those. Go to my web site: www.jillbanks.com, classes page for more info.

"Tea Party" is a work in progress. I will work more on the figures in particular and check colors/mood tomorrow. "Tea Party" work in progress, 20"h x 16"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Plus, a view of the nice part of my new digs.

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