Sketching Around Williamsburg: My Parents' 60th Anniversary

Sorry for the long absence. I have plenty of reasonable excuses.

For the last few days, we've been enjoying an extraordinary weekend in celebration of a banner year for my parents (Ken and Shonnie Johnson) in honor of their 60th anniversary (on September 3) ... the the whole family in attendance. It's not an easy thing to pull four generations together ... but if anyone could do it ... my mom and dad could. And did. I met my neice's two beautiful kids, Maya and Maddox and some of the family met my son's fiance Michelle -- for the first time. All three of the new M's were a big hit. All easy to love and welcome.

The weekend was full of "happy" tears, great stories, and gratefulness ... that we have had a chance to witness a lifetime of a very special love that at 60 years is going stronger than ever. Despite a very funny string of technical glitches, my mom (who has trouble hearing) sang "Through the Years" (I think that's the name of it ... at least that's the refrain) to my Dad with the faint accompaniment of a poor rendition played on my brother's laptop. The words were perfect. Just in tune with their lives together. Good thing they didn't look at the rest of us crying our eyes out. To say it was touching ... would be quite an understatement.

I have had a chance to sketch ... since I don't golf, shop, or go to the spa. My parents sent around a survey in advance to check out individual interests to balance out the family together time ... and apparently I was the only taker on sketching/painting as a leisure activity.

So, here's one of them. Done today at Merchants' Square in Williamsburg. On a bench with a variety of visitors hanging out from time to time on a bench next to me. This one's started with General's layout pencil, then I added a watercolor sepia wash finished with line work using a sepia Faber-Castelli pen.

There are just a couple spots left in my "Portrait Drawing and Painting" and "Still Life in Oils" classes that start in one week (September 13 and September 14, respectively). Go to my web site: www.jillbanks.com, click on Classes for more information, supply list, and registration info. Let me know that you're signing up, too -- since there's so little time left -- by emailing me at jillbanks1@aol.com.

"Scene from Williamsburg's Merchant's Square", pencil/watercolor wash/ink pen on Zecchi's paper, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435
For info on Fall classes: www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/Classes_3.html
Great Falls School of Art registration form: www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/Registration_Form.html