"Boats in Burano" Painting Start Today

I'm typing one-handed today so this post should be quick. I managed to injure my left
(fortunately) hand yesterday rearranging furniture. Ouch.

Here's a new scene from Burano, Italy ... a small fishing village near Venice. I've got more to do on it, but I like the reflections, abstract building shapes, etc. I tried to approach it as I would a plein air painting with direct color, large simple shapes. I must admit that having a sore hand was a bit distracting. It made it a little harder to transport myself into the scene.

In the vein of ... "if you like this one ... you might enjoy this one" (that Amazon.com employs), here's another painting "Bridge in Venice" that's also available for sale. Or see more on my web site www.JillBanks.com gallery pages in the Places and Market galleries

"Boats in Burano" work in progress, 8"h x 10"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010
"Bridge in Venice", 11"h x 14"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2008

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

"Dante Ristorante" Plein Air Painting

I set up my easel in the parking lot right near the Artists' Atelier (my studio at 1144 Walker Road, Suite D&G, Great Falls, VA). I'm not an experienced plein air painter. There's a whole additional skill set I need to attain to "get" this, but I really wanted to work from life today, and not on a still life. Note: I'm not posting the "finished" product here. It's more than a bit messy. But here's evidence that I was out there trying. (That's my easel and painting on the right.)

I'm constantly challenging myself with new approaches. New tools. Tasks outside of my comfort zone. I always figure that I'll learn something that I can apply in future paintings. What's nice is that I allow myself the freedom to experiment and risk failure. Failure seems temporary. Just a precursor to success.

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

Something Different: "Eastern Bluebird" Painting Today

 Today I seemed to have trouble getting started. An odd problem for me. Usually I'm torturing myself over which of the dozen or so pieces I want to paint are going to get my attention. On my way to the Atelier I stopped to get something for lunch, thinking I could also pick up some pretty food item (like a frosted donut) to do a quick, little painting before an afternoon meeting. No luck. The baker hadn't baked.
 
I did work a little on my demo painting "Made in China" because the setup was there (leftover from my Still Life class) and the classroom was free for awhile.

Went to my meeting and came back looking for inspiration. The classroom wasn't available any longer and the view outside beckoned. Interesting sky today. But, it was going to take time to set up and the sun was going to disappear soon. So, I scrapped that idea.

So, finally I decided to tackle a painting of one of seven birds that Great Falls Studios artists are busy painting, photographing, quilting, sculpting, etc. for some events coming up in February. (The Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 16 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA are also planning a special exhibit of our bird paintings for December's First Friday ... info to come.)

After much deliberation, I chose the Eastern Bluebird to paint. I'm thinking of adding some other elements to this ... like nest objects, an Eastern Bluebird egg or a feather. Anyone have one of any of these they can loan me? Seems like they could be interesting additions.

Enjoy. Something different.

"Eastern Bluebird" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 12"x12", copyright Jill Banks 2010

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

Painting Like the Wind Today

Great day today. Taught class in the morning to my great portrait class gang. Had a bit of a chance to return to painting our model, Lilia. The result is shown here.

Then my dad brought in these beautiful sunflowers -- perhaps as a setup for my still life class tomorrow. He set them on the floor in my studio right in front of my painting of Lilia. He said they just looked like they needed to be painted. I agreed.

"Costumed (Lilia)", 24"h x 18"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
"Sunflowers in My Studio", 24"h x 18"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

"A New York State of Mind" Rainy Street Scene 1 Day Older

Really quick. This was my project for today. Lots of paint landed on linen today ... but it's a big painting. I spent some time using a palette knife, in honor of studiomate Elaine Elinsky's new best friend. (A palette knife.) See yesterday's post to compare.

"A New York State of Mind" work in progress, oil on linen, 40"h x 30"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

A Lemon and Wet NYC Street Paintings

I enjoyed just painting today. Spent a short time this morning painting in my home studio this lemon and mint plant. Those two items were just part of my nesting-instincts-on-overdrive grocery shopping trip. I didn't know they were going to be models, too. I was painting on a super-smooth Ampersand board. Hence, all the paint strokes show as they sit on top of the surface. No absorption. This is one of my mini paintings. Five inches by five inches. Perhaps I chose this subject and size because I have art-empty soffits in my kitchen that might look better with a lemon painting. (How do you spell soffit?)

This afternoon, I returned to "A New York State of Mind" ... one I've been wanting to get back to for awhile. Take a trip back through my older posts to see this as a work in progress and start. By the way, this one's a large canvas -- 40" x 30" to be exact. Quite a contrast from my painting from this morning.

I had a number of pieces that were works in progress during last weekend's Studio Tour. Tourgoers loved them and were curious how I was going to finish them. This one ("New York State of Mind") still needs a lot of work ... but I guess I'm trying to answer the question by painting. I'll be working on this some more tomorrow during open studio hours at the Artists' Atelier, noon to 4pm, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066.

"Lemon Below", oil on Ampersand board, 5" x 5", copyright Jill Banks 2010
"A New York State of Mind" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 40" x 30", copyright Jill Banks 2010

See my web site: www.JillBanks.com for more still lifes and city street paintings on the gallery pages.

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

"Dining Room": Painting of an Interior Finished

I had "Dining Room", in an almost-finished state, on an easel during the Great Falls Annual Studio Tour this past weekend ... and it garnered lots of attention. It's the dining room from the home I moved from in July. I started it there ... with my easel in the dining room, with most of the lights off and a clamp light attached to the mast of the easel so I could make out what I was doing.

I'm always painting what I love. Lots (and lots) of nights in our former home, I'd wander around ... just enjoying the beauty of it from a doorway, or over the landing, staring out a window to the patio with lights from a tree shining on the brick pavers below. It whispered warmth and welcomed life.

As I finished this, now in a different house, I peeked at photos but relied on those wanderings and the memory of standing at my easel set up in the dining room ... working on letting you see what I see.

Even though the dining room seems empty, it holds all those Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners we shared. Birthday parties. Great get togethers. Happy meals. It's just quietly waiting for the next one. And looking mighty pretty in the meantime.

Most of my previous interiors have been of restaurant scenes including views from the Inn at Little Washington (Washington, VA), L'Auberge Chez Francois (Great Falls, VA), Pasquale's (Santa Fe, NM), The Old Brogue Irish Pub (Great Falls, VA) and Tutto Mondo (Carmel, CA). (You can see these restaurant interior paintings under Places in the Gallery page on my web site.) This past summer, I started painting inside a restaurant from life (as opposed to using photos as a reference) ... something I plan to do again soon. Lots of fun. Challenging. Painting what I love.

I plan to be at the Artists' Atelier (the studio I share with 16 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066) for our regular Saturday open hours (noon to 4pm) this coming Saturday. The place is still pretty well decked out from Studio Tour so it would be a nice time to stop by. For folks who visited last weekend, you'll have a chance to see how I finished two paintings ("Dining Room" and "Magnolia Leaves and Gourds") this week. I hope you can stop by.

By the way, this is my second post today. Read about my painting "Sunflowers" welcoming me home in the previous post.

"Dining Room", oil on linen, 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

"Sunflowers" Welcome Me Home

Last night (husband) Randy and I hung our first piece of art (my painting, "Sunflowers") in our still-under-renovation house we closed on July 15. That's a little over three months ago ... for any of you counting. For three months, all I had to look at on the walls were patched over shades of paint transitioning from old owners to new owners (us). I've been unhappy. (Changed from miserable since) I know that there are so many things worse than blank walls and life in boxes waiting to be unpacked. There's been no sign of life here, especially not my own. We've had no time to relax and enjoy our new surroundings. Home wasn't home.

But now, with "Sunflowers" in place, I have one corner of the house -- a hallway seen from the family room couch -- that's smiling at me and welcoming me home. It changes my whole attitude about the house. While the kitchen still shows signs of renovations and unsettledness, I cooked a pot roast and egg noodles there ... then ate with Randy, and (daughter) Sarah at the kitchen table ... with a view of my corner. The kitchen felt like mine. The countertops seemed shinier. I was anxious to enjoy just being home.

I know I have other corners to clean up. Many. But I also now know the rewards. Having art around me, including and maybe especially my own, is really important to my state of mind. We were "camping out" in a house before. Now we're on the path to living in our home.

The power of art.

"Sunflowers" is the first of a series of large-scale still lifes set up by my dad. It features a number of family heirlooms and an antique book that coincidentally was open to a chapter on the "Secret of Making Things Turn Up." The philosophy of the author dovetails that of my dad and my own. That you make "luck" or at least your ability to take advantage of some. This painting hung in the front hallway of our previous home ... and made me smile every time I passed it. Nice. Take a look at it and other still lifes ... including other paintings of sunflowers in the gallery section of my web site.

And since I've been painting yesterday and today ... at home ... there will be another post today.

"Sunflowers", oil on linen, 30"h x 30"w, copyright Jill Banks 2005.

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

Studio Tour Updates, Today's Portrait Class and More...

Honestly, given the title this post would be WAAAAY too long. I'll try an abbreviated version.

The Great Falls Annual Studio Tour weekend was fantastic thanks to the brilliant efforts of the Great Falls Studios artists, leadership, board, Great Falls Foundation for the Arts board, support of the community, businesses, friends and family. We drew unbelievable crowds at the Artists' Atelier (the studio I share with 16 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066). My estimate is approximately 500 studio visitors each day at our location. AMAZING. I've never talked so much in my life. (I listened too.)

"Made in China" demo work in progress

I sold two paintings ("Beets and Orange" and "Pizza and Pesce") and two drawings ("After Caravaggio" and "Quiet"). Lots of other paintings received plenty of real interest. We'll see what happens.  I already miss my sold works. That's just part of the package of being an artist.

Over the weekend -- incredibly -- I didn't take any photos. Hopefully some of my studiomates have pics I can share later. The place looked better than ever.

I did a sort of demo for one hour on both Saturday and Sunday. I wasn't trying to accomplish anything other than give a general idea of materials and how to start a painting. "Made in China"... this painting start was the "result."

Today was the first day with a new model and pose in my portrait class. I painted, too ... and am looking forward to hiring Lilia (our model) to pose for a portrait on my own. Wow.

Lastly, sorry for the lousy photo but "Magnolia Leaves and Gourds" is looking like it might be done. I'll take a look in the light of day tomorrow to reassess. Visitors on the tour were fascinated to look at this as a work in progress along with the setup in my studio. One visitor accidentally moved my gourd.

Thanks to all who came out to visit!

"Magnolia Leaves and Gourds", 30"h x 24"w, oil on linen

 "Made in China" work in progress, 24"h x 18"w, oil on linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
"Costumed"
"Magnolia Leaves and Gourds" done?, 30"h x 24"w, oil on linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

Cobalt Blue Color Chart, Studio Tour This Weekend

I've got to be quick with this post ... I'm getting ready for the Great Falls Art Studio Tour this weekend where you'll find me ... Saturday and Sunday, October 16&17, 10am-5pm at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066. Sign up for a chance to win $50 in Art Bucks (certificates for $50 worth of purchasing power to be spent on art from one of the 48 artists participating in this self-guided tour all around Great Falls) at www.GreatFallsStudios.com. Winners will be selected soon.

I'm planning on giving a demo both Saturday and Sunday for about an hour each day from 1 to 2pm. The rest of the time I just want to talk to you about the process, inspiration, tools, etc. Anything you want to know or discover. 

Cobalt Blue Predominant Color Chart

I have lots to tell you, but no time. I'll hopefully get to other posts soon. For now, here's my latest color chart -- from yesterday, a Cobalt Blue Predominant Color Chart. See earlier posts for an explanation. And here's my painting of magnolia leaves, a gourd and tomato ... as a work in progress from last week. (It's further along now, but I don't have a photo of it.) This is one of the pieces that you'll have a chance to see this weekend. Come!

"Magnolia Leaves and Gourds" work in progress day three, 30"h x 24"w, oil on linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

"Rialto Market" Wins Award at Art League's "Dinner Party"

"Rialto Market", oil on linen, 24"h x 36"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009 wins Honorable Mention

This month's themed juried exhibit at the Art League (105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA at the Torpedo Factory), "Dinner Party," featuring food, our relationships with food, dining, etc. is certainly up my alley. It was tough to choose my two submissions, of which only one can get in -- but I made the big decision. "Through the Window" and "Rialto Market" were my two choices, and "Rialto Market" got in and won an Honorable Mention. It was actually fun at receiving on Monday night -- even though both Randy and I were dead tired from our Artfest weekend. "Rialto Market" received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Art League volunteers. It's a nurturing organization that has taught me so much as I became a professional artist -- with such a strong sense of camraderie.

This does mean that "Rialto Market" won't be in my studio during the Great Falls Annual Studios Tour on October 16&17, 10am-5pm (I'll be at the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 15 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066 -- get more info about this self-guided tour of the studios of 44 artists scattered throughout Great Falls at www.GreatFallsStudios.com.) But go take a look at it ... at the Torpedo Factory where it hangs through the month of October.

See my web site: www.JillBanks.com for more of my market series paintings. Go to the gallery pages.

"Rialto Market", oil on linen, 24"h x 36"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009, winner Honorable Mention at the Art League's "Dinner Party" juried exhibition, October 2010

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

Painting Magnolia Leaves, Seeds and Gourds

For today's Still Life class today, one of my students brought in these beautiful magnolia leaves and seed pods ... and gourds ...  and tomatoes to paint and to share. It wasn't until the class had ended that this setup sucked me in ... and made me pull out my paints. (The class keeps me hopping from beginning to end, anyway.)

This is definitely a complicated scene to paint. The work in progress, today's start, probably doesn't look all that exciting to you, but I'm liking it. What I'm drawn to in this setup is its three-dimensionality. It is filled with movement and spikes in height, roundness and striking shadows, plus beautifully open spaces of abstract shapes. So that's what I have to get at. I'm not sure how the objects will change each day. Pretty sure the tomato doesn't have long so I tried to develop it a bit more. Lots and lots to do, plus this canvas is pretty large -- 30"h x 24"w -- so I'll have to "paint like the wind."

The McLean Artfest this weekend was really nice. Lots of very enthusiastic visitors who stayed, chatted, worked on figuring out what to buy, oohed and aahed, etc. Two drawings (real favorites) "View from the Pantheon Steps" and "Barrel" plus "Stacked," a brand new donut painting sold, plus I believe more will sell during Studio Tour (October 16&17) as a result of this weekend's show. Get more info on the Great Falls Annual Studios Tour at www.GreatFallsStudios.com. I'll be at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA for this terrific self-guided, free, art tour event.

"Magnolia Leaves and Gourds" work in progress day one, 30"h x 24"w, oil on linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
"Stacked," 10"h x 8"w, oil, copyright Jill Banks 2010, SOLD.



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