The Art of Romance: "Flowers and Chocolates"

View of the "Flowers and Chocolates" exhibit in the Artists' Atelier gallery. "Garden Girl" is straight ahead. Hard to miss. Those are Terri Parent's beautiful photographs of New York store windowscapes above the door. Come in and take a closer look.

Each time we hang an exhibit in the Artists' Atelier gallery (part of the studio I share with 13 other artists), we swear this show is the best one yet. Guess what? This one is.

My (Jill Banks) paintings "Two Kittens" in the middle, "June Peonies" lower far right. Photographs by Walt Lawrence (love the swans!), collages by Roberta Beasley, still life (lower far left) by Mollie Vardell, still life (top far right) by Judith St. Ledger-Roty

The romantically-themed exhibit of art quilts, paintings and photography is titled "Flowers and Chocolates" and will be on exhibit throughout the month of February. It's a simply beautiful -- full of many new pieces -- and it's the first time I'm exhibiting "Garden Girl" and "Two Kittens." In the next week, too, I'll be rehanging my studio space also with some additional new work -- so there will be lots to see this month.

Come see it on Wednesdays or Saturdays during open hours from 12-4pm at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA.

This view features work by John McCabe, Judith St. Ledger-Roty, Roberta Beasley, Cindy Grisdela, Elaine Elinsky, Jennifer Duncan, Michela Mansuino, Jill Banks and Brenda Drake

Or enjoy the reception on Saturday, February 9, noon to 4pm with free chocolate tastings and artist demonstrations.

Or Sunday, February 10, noon to 4pm with a special presentation by Laurie Bell from 1-3pm featuring tea and chocolate pairings. Please call Terri Parent at 703-433-5358 to
reserve a spot for the Sunday tea seminar event. Tickets are $30 per person.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits

February 1 - February 28: "Flowers and Chocolate" Exhibit at the Artists'Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Receptions: Saturday and Sunday, February 9 & 10, noon - 4pm.

"Horsepower" Day Two and Sculpture Attempts Day Three

"Horsepower" work in progress Day Two, oil, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Today after my Still Life class, I was working on sculpting ... with a pretty cooperative husband (Randy) as my model.  It's interesting. I'm working on being just as patient with myself as I tell my students to be.  This is something new (or at least a return after an extended hiatus) -- and practice has no substitute. I can't be proficient at something without working on it.  Apparently, there's quite a bit more practice to go.

What's a little difficult for me is that I have the belief that "seeing" -- really observing -- is a good part of the battle in creating art.  I've got the seeing part down.  I use that all the time in transforming the three-dimensional world into something that represents it awfully well on a two-dimensional canvas.  Now, I'm seeing something in three dimensions and yet am unfamiliar with the tools and techniques to mold that form in clay.

Hopefully, something will click into place in this brain of mine soon.

My second day of painting on "Horsepower" came this past Sunday. There's plenty more to do, but the paint needs to set up and dry first. (The colors are way off. The photo was taken at night in my studio ... See day one for better color clues.)

We had a gorgeous, un-winterlike day today. If I wasn't determined to work in clay, you would have found me at Kidwell Farm -- seeing what animal resident wanted to be painted today.

Soon?

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January.

February 1 - February 28: "Flowers and Chocolate" Exhibit at the Artists'Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Receptions: Saturday and Sunday, February 9 & 10, noon - 4pm.

Equine Day... Painting a Horse

"Horsepower" painting start, oil, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Waking up this morning, I wasn't sure exactly what to paint. That's a bit strange for me ... usually there are a lot of pieces in progress, still lifes needing attention before they rot away, etc. The last week though, I finished  up pieces so it was time for a fresh start. 

One of the favorite pieces painted last year was "Stepping Out" -- of two Belgian workhorses.  "Stepping Out" has a new home and a lot of people -- including me -- miss it.  This start for "Horsepower" has a chance to fill the hole that painting left when it went out the studio doors. Wait until I get to the mane.  It looks just right for a Pantene commercial -- flowing in the wind.

Can't wait to see it emerge.

"Stepping Out," oil, 30"h x 24"w, private collection

Take a look at more paintings of animals in that collection on my web site: www.jillbanks.com.


Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January.

February 1 - February 28: "Flowers and Chocolate" Exhibit at the Artists'Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Receptions: Saturday and Sunday, February 9 & 10, noon - 4pm.

"Two Kittens" Finished and Photographed

"Two Kittens," oil, 30"h x 40"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

The second part of the post title was the most difficult ... at least of today's tasks. Fresh paint is always a challenge to capture plus it was snowing (and cold) outside, limiting my options of where to shoot it.

This is another painting, like "Garden Girl" -- that you really need to see in person to get a good sense of the scene.  It's funny to me to observe the differences between the piece of artwork before me and the subjects of it during the final painting sessions. While I finished the kittens and objects on the table the last few days, I dare not look up. (The lilies were well past their prime.) That's what you get for trying to tackle a large canvas with perishables to paint.

Both "Garden Girl" and "Two Kittens" will be my submissions for the Artists' Atelier's February exhibit "Flowers and Chocolate." They may not both make it in the gallery -- but they will be in my studio space there (1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA) that month. I'm looking forward to sharing them with any of you who stop by during open hours, Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon to 4pm or a couple of receptions planned for the month.

Teaching Rewards
On Tuesday and Wednesday, it was the first time for my new still life and portrait students to paint in front of me ... and they all managed to make it through the class. As I remember doing this myself, it's a giant leap people make putting themselves out there to try something new. Painting is a far cry from easy -- but I'm glad they were up to the challenge and happy that they seemed to be having plenty of fun.

My greatest reward for the week was from a continuing student who was new to the portrait class.  He loved last Wednesdays class enough for all of us! For the past two days I keep thinking about what he said and just how excited he was to be in that class. He made every minute in front of the easel count. (As did a whole bunch of you. Yea!)

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January.

"Cat Tales" or "Two Kittens" Continued...

"Cat Tales" ? work in progress, oil, 30"h x 40"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Just a picture today. Hope it's in time for posting. More work to be done between now and Friday. The photo's not great ... but I'll work harder on that once the piece is done.

It's been a great week of classes.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January.

Lost in the Land of Flowers...

"Two Kittens" -- Name and Painting in Progress, oil, 30"h x 40"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Today brought me back to working on the large-scale still life set up by my Dad.  A week in ... the fruit and flowers are definitely the worse for wear, but not quite as bad as you might think.  Replacements will be hitting the table for some of the subjects, but not the flowers.  Those were what I worked diligently to capture today before soon turning to the foreground.

"Traffic Patterns," oil, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

When I look at this setup and the recent one for "Garden Girl," I get the sense of walking into a storybook.  The kittens are checking each other out under a bower of lilies. It's some sort of land of enchantment.

I'd like some help on a name.  Right now it's "Two Kittens" which is fine, but I've thought of "The Encounter," and wondered whether there was something else that evokes the magic of it. Your ideas are most certainly welcome.

Yesterday, I finished up "Traffic Patterns." (Husband) Randy has no idea why I named that one ... that ... so maybe he caused my naming indecisiveness. Seems obvious enough to me.

Yesterday, too, we had the wonderful privilege of helping Oscar Haynes (who became Face #13 on January 13, 2011 in my 100 Faces in 100 Days Project) celebrate his 97th birthday.  Most people might say when encountering someone of that age is I hope to look like/be like that at his/her age. Heck. In Oscar's case, I hope to look like/be like him at this age.

"Oscar Haynes" as Face #13, oil, 12"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2011

Quite an incredible man and we (Randy, Oscar, his wife Joan and I) enjoyed a really great lunch.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January.

"Alla Prima Portrait" Demo Today: So Much Fun!

"Greg," oil, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Today was sort of perfect. It was demo day for the first class session of "Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait" and our model was Greg Golem -- the same nice person who agreed on the spur of the moment to sit on a bench (to be included in "Fresh Bread") when I was painting in the Paint Herndon competition. ("Fresh Bread" won first place honors.)

I'm always inspired by having someone right in front of me to paint ... but today even more than usual.  Greg's not a professional model ... but was willing to sit anyway.  So he was out there on a limb with me. What would you do if someone asked you to sit for a four-hour portrait class?

The fun came from a great model, a new class of interesting individuals with half taking from me for the first time and a painting that emerged from the canvas awfully nicely. I appreciate students that are taking the leap -- way outside their comfort zones -- that I remember taking walking into my first classes ten years ago. Hopefully they are as glad they gave it a shot as I am. 

I was asked by one of the students if I was happy with the result on the last break before the end of class.  At that point, I saw a couple of things that needed some work. With those issues fixed ... in the last five minutes ... yes. I'm very happy with it.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January.

Still Life Class Demo

"Cherries, Pears and Wine" work in progress, oil, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Well, I kept working on this after class today (it's tough to stop), and there will be more time spent later, but it was started and got pretty far in the span of the first three-hour class of the Winter term (at the Great Falls School of Art). 

It's also the world's worst photo. I will try to get a replacement put up here tomorrow. I took this one in the classroom which always ensures that colors and contrast are skewed ... big time!

After three hours of talking -- a lot -- and painting -- it's time to rest all of me. Including my voice.  Tomorrow is the first day of my portrait class -- with another demo to come.

I didn't try very hard with the title. The wine is Bricco dei Tati Dolcetto from grapes grown on 80 year old vines on the southwest side of Mary Beth and Emanuele Gaiarin's hill in Piemonte. Mary Beth brought in the bottle (at my request) to be our "model" for the day.  So, the title might have been some sort of toast in Italian -- except that a trip to Paris looms in my future -- and what little grasp I have of any language other than English is slight indeed.  So, I'm not messing with Italian words until later in the year. Even for a title.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Student Exhibit of the Great Falls School of Art in the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.  Through the end of January. 

Two Kittens?

"Two Kittens" work in progress, oil, 30"h x 40"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

After the success of "Garden Girl," (see my web site: www.JillBanks.com where it's on the home page) my Dad offered to set up another still life before heading south for a bit -- and I've been working on this on and off for the last four (or five?) days. (Days seem to be a blur lately.  That's a good reason to blog daily. At least I'd know what I did.)

Turns out I've become quite dependent on my Dad's super still life setup skills.  In getting ready for tomorrow's demo for the start of the Winter term class, (husband) Randy accused me of being like a cat chasing its tail. I guess he wasn't impressed.

My thought was to include a Raggedy Ann doll and I was pretty excited about that.  No doubt a painting including it is in my future.  Our now grown daughter Sarah used to carry around hers everywhere she went. Problem with including the doll in tomorrow's demo was -- we no longer have the "used" model and there wasn't any place I could go shopping for one on short notice.

I did end up putting together a very nice painting to be. Hopefully, by tomorrow night -- the day's demo will be up here. Now it's time to concentrate on what I need to bring, pack up, print out, etc.

Back to school time.

Oh, and I'm not sure about the "Two Kittens" title.  They seem to be checking each other out. And then, the whole setting seems sort of enchanting. So, I may work on the wordsmithing.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Register now for Winter classes.  See my web site: www.JillBanks.com, Classes page for Still Life Painting in Oils and Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait -- offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA. Still Life is now full with a wait list. Sign up for the Portrait class -- it's going to be a great one! 
 

Back to the NYC Street Painting

"Traffic Patterns" work in progress, oil, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

I was in the studio (the Artists' Atelier, the space I share with 13 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA) today after a long hiatus. I love being there ... combining comraderie and the chance to paint.  There were many of us in there painting, plus some visitors including a family from Italy who came to the studio chatting in Italian with Michela Mansuino (my studiomate). That, along with an afternoon filled with opera coming through the afternoon made it a cultured sort of day indeed.

While more is left to do, the afternoon was spent working on "Traffic Patterns."  A pleasure.  The pigeon appeared today.

Last night's reception for the Great Falls School of Art Student Exhibition was fantastic.  It really is my favorite art opening of the year -- particularly because the artists are of all ages -- and they get the chance to show what they've been working at and toward during the year. I thought that most of this post would be about that ... but one of my students, Christine Flack-Blazier, put up a blog post of her own that is a better report than any I might add. So go to hers at: http://cfblazier.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/student-art-show/.

Winners were chosen in both Youth and Adult categories by guest juror, award-winning painter Vicki Vidal Blum. The winners are:

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Youth Category

1^st Place Amrita Sahu for “Yellow Flower”  Super Sculpy and Acrylic Paint

2^nd Place Mary Jones for “Flying in the Meadow”  Paper Collage & Watercolor 

3^rd Place Maryam Bade for “Sugar Pot”  Acrylic on Paper 

Honorable Mention Grace Kugler for “Ducky in the Pond”  Acrylic & Watercolor on Paper

Honorable Mention Maryam Bade for “American Girl Doll”  Charcoal & Pencil on Paper

Honorable Mention Grace Kugler for “Seafood”  Watercolor on Paper



Adult Category

1^st Place Nancy Keane for “Still Life with Ball Jar and Red Onion”  Oil on Canvas

2^nd Place Amy Zavrel for "Cove Point"  Oil on Canvas

3^rd Place Mary Beth Gaiarin for “Treasures from Italy”  Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention Henry Haigler for “Carolina Lady”  Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention Nancy Keane for “Lilia”  Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention Barbara Marhoefer for “Onion with Mason Jar”  Oil on Canvas

I may put some photos up from the evening ... but on another day. Currently, there seems to be more to do than hours in the day.

Classes start next week! There are lots of great offerings with new classes and new teachers. It's always difficult to get new classes going -- the best way to help is to sign up. The Great Falls School of Art is a great place to learn, with excellent teachers, and supportive, fun fellow students. Plus, parking is easy and convenient and your art could be in the gallery next January. Come join us!  Go to my web site's classes page for more info on my offerings and a link to the school.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Register now for Winter classes.  See my web site: www.JillBanks.com, Classes page for Still Life Painting in Oils and Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait -- offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA. Still Life is now full with a wait list. Sign up for the Portrait class -- it's going to be a great one! 

 

Ready, Set ...

Newly Formatted Web Site: www.JillBanks.com

Today was like getting ready for the starting line. It's January. The start of a new year -- full of promise, unknowns, exciting adventures to come, paintings to be, new directions.  Next week classes begin -- with new and returning students, a new curriculum for my portrait class (you can still sign up and join us!).  My calendar is filling with deadlines, events, receptions.

Time to get my equipment and art materials (brushes, canvases, class stuff), art business (web site, blog, other) and thoughts (what will I be creating in 2013?) in order before the deluge.

I have literally hundreds of brushes -- many or most of which have been woefully neglected.  My MO is to create for as long as I can -- well zapped of the energy needed to clean up after myself.  Hence, the sad brushes.  Yet, they need to be in tiptop shape to work well.  To make intended strokes.  So, today was the first of many, many, many hours of brush cleaning ahead.  I'm reclaiming a substantial investment in them.

I'm also figuring out what to do with the many acres of canvases that are on hand.  For the last two years, I've been experimenting with different surfaces and have shifted to liking a smoother oil-primed linen surface that has been toned also with oils in a neutral gray.  Now, I just have to get the canvases I have to resemble the newly favored one.  It will help not to be constantly changing the texture and look -- plus the new surface fits with the paintings I imagine lying ahead.  "Garden Girl" was painted on the perfect surface. I want more of that.

And, today I changed the format on my web site.  Check it out and tell me what you think.  What I like about it is that it shows eight of the most recently added works to the site. (These aren't necessarily the most recently painted -- but are automatically chosen to appear there when I add images to my web site. It usually takes me awhile before adding work officially to the web.)  It also highlights upcoming events and makes it really easy for you to subscribe to my email newsletter (that's sent out every two months or so).  But, that's what I like.  What do you?

"Stepping Out" Selected for the FAV 15 for the December BoldBrush Painting Competition
BoldBrush is a monthly online painting competition and each month the Fine Art Views staff (the competition's sponsor) select their favorite 15% of the entries.  My painting "Stepping Out" was chosen for that honor.  This is independent of the official juror's selection of winners and finalists to come -- but it is still nice to be included. Go to the FAV 15 December 2012 of the BoldBrush contest to see it and the rest of the works selected at: http://faso.com/boldbrush/fav15/98.

Reception: Great Falls School of Art Student Exhibit
Come see and celebrate what the students have created this year during Friday's (January 11) reception, 7-9pm, held at the Artists' Atelier gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA 22066.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Register now for Winter classes.  See my web site: www.JillBanks.com, Classes page for Still Life Painting in Oils and Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait -- offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA. Still Life is now full with a wait list. Sign up for the Portrait class -- it's going to be a great one! 

"Traffic Patterns" Work in Progress

"Traffic Patterns" work in progress, oil, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

"Cabs in NYC," oil, 8"h x 10"w, private collection

The NYC street scene with fruit stand continues.  Each painting is somehow a combination of so many more that came before it.  "Traffic Patterns" at this point reminds me of three past favorites: "Cabs in NYC," "Venezia Market" and "Rainy Day Market."  That's a good thing.

The similarities are 1) action, 2) color and 3) abstraction.

All that's missing is the rain (or water).  Bearing that in mind,  some of that fun contrast between color and cool can be accentuated here.

I'll add photos of those three shortly.  Check back on the blog if you get this by email -- with no extra paintings.

"Venezia Market," oil, 18"h x 24"w, private collection

In addition to painting, today included a field trip to Framemasters (my framer) to help pick out the right moulding for one of 2012's portrait commissions.  Assistance in framing, if wanted, is part of the "package." Anyway, this was fun and after helping choose the frame for the portrait, my client did a heck of job selecting a frame for "Garden Girl." Quite a collaboration. It will be exciting to see the paintings in their new surrounds. The showroom at Framemasters looked a little different between our coming and going. Hopefully, they forgive us.

"Rainy Day Market," oil, 30"h x 24"w, private collection

Tomorrow is receiving for the Student Show (Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA).  I love seeing back in one place some of the highlights of the year.  There's a reception and awards presentation for that show (fun to attend) next Friday, January 11, 7-9pm in the gallery at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA.

Randy and I took five paintings yesterday to the Vienna Arts Center, 115 Pleasant Drive, Vienna, VA to be part of the Winner's Wall of work by the top prize and "people's choice" winners from last November in the Annual Treasury of Art Show.  (I was one of those) The show is up until February 4 and there's a reception on Sunday, January 13.  My

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Register now for Winter classes.  See my web site: www.JillBanks.com, Classes page for Still Life Painting in Oils and Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait -- offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA. Still Life is now full with a wait list. Sign up for the Portrait class -- it's going to be a great one! 

Not Sure Yet...

Well, tonight's post was intended to tell you what plans lay ahead for art in 2013.  But, I'm not ready yet ...

So instead, here are some of my (non-commissioned) favorite paintings from 2012 -- and a little bit about why.  The numbers aren't significant.  Just a way of keeping track.

"Stepping Out" by Jill Banks 2012

"Sunset in NYC" by Jill Banks 2012

"Sunflowers in My Studio II" by Jill Banks 2012

"The Brogue Bar" by Jill Banks 2012

"Purple Mountain Majesty" by Jill Banks 2012

1. "Stepping Out," oil, 30"h x 24"w, private collection. There is just something so regal about these two -- and the painting struck a chord with me within the first 5 minutes.  I thought so highly of it -- it was consistently on view -- and spent just a few days in our house.  I was already too attached. Having it grace the walls too long would have made me more so.
2. "Sunset in NYC," oil, 24"h x 36"w, private collection.  Started in my NYC hotel room shower equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows, I loved watching the city change -- and figuring out how to paint it at its best. The painting itself responds to the changing light. You should see it at sunset.  It looks amazing!
3. "Sunflowers in My Studio II," oil, 30"h x 24"w.  This was painted during my month-long stay as a guest resident artist at the Torpedo Factory -- with the second of my NYC scenes (still in progress) as a backdrop.  It puts you right in there with me ... and it tells a story. I like coming up with solutions and finding my way. 
4. "The Brogue Bar," oil, 18"h x 24"w, private collection.  I started this at my easel inside the Brogue -- capturing people as they appeared and when the painting surroundings were ready to accept them.  This is it -- with many twists taken into account. It was such a fun adventure with a happy ending.
5. "Purple Mountain Majesty," oil, 12"h x 16"w, oil, private collection.  Actually, I could have picked any of the three from Tubac/Tucson or maybe others done plein air this year.  This trip (and the other adventures) were so much fun and somehow that fun found its way into those paintings.

It's been a pretty terrific painting year.  And, I would have included "Garden Girl" -- but she made her appearance just yesterday.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits
Register now for Winter classes.  See my web site: www.JillBanks.com, Classes page for Still Life Painting in Oils and Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait -- offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA. Still Life is now full with a wait list. Sign up for the Portrait class -- it's going to be a great one!