Fun Weekend ... Art & Chocolate

Frog and Parakeet painting work in progress, oil, 36"h x 30"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

Thank you to many of you who showed up on short notice and helped make this such a great weekend! I truly enjoyed the opportunity of spending time with each guest. Some stayed for hours ... really getting a sense for what makes the Artists' Atelier, the studio space I share with 13 other artists (at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA) such a special place. Most had been there before, during studio tour or other events when there are so many visitors that it's much more difficult (impossible?) to have a one-on-one conversation.

The place smelled of chocolate. My contribution included made-from-scratch chocolate mini cupcakes from Ina Garten's (the Barefoot Contessa) chocolate cake recipe ... and chocolate-covered strawberries. (I don't usually bake -- but it was fun to see how much people enjoyed the treats.)

Spending time with visitors didn't leave much time to paint during the open hours but tonight I had the fun of continuing with my frog and parakeet painting. Plus, the still lifes and flowers strewn all over the studio gave me new inspiration  -- and the blue pitcher with tulips from studiomate Judith St. Ledger-Roty replaced their earlier placeholders. Such an improvement although I've spent many hours chasing the very fickle tulips.

If you didn't make it this weekend, consider joining us for open hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon to 4pm throughout the month. You'll want to see this show.

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.