"Doe A Deer," Holiday Show and Van Gogh

"Doe, A Deer," oil, 20"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2013. Commission.

"Doe, A Deer" has been progressing over the last week. A couple of factors have made it a challenging subject. 1)Sparkles. They take time.  2) Color shift. New colors that are outside of what I'm accustomed to require color mixing experiments. Pretty purples have been arrived at many different ways. (Cobalt blue and quinacridone red; Dioxinine purple and cobalt violet, ...)  3) Many objects with similar values and hues.

This is a commission in progress. Delivered in a purple bag.

Great Falls Studios Holiday Show and Sale
Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 10-5 each day, join me at the Great Falls Studios Holiday Show and Sale, to be held in a NEW LOCATION this year--at the Education Center at Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna, VA. Sponsored by Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, an award winning renovation firm, the show will feature 36 artists, plus a team of designers from Sun Design. The artists include painters, photographers, potters, jewelers, sculptors and fiber artists. Shop local to find the perfect holiday gift for someone special or maybe the perfect thing for yourself! Visit www.GreatFallsStudios.com and click on “Holiday” for more information. Visitors on Saturday will be able to enter a drawing for one of four $50 gift certificates good toward the purchase of art on Sunday. I hope to see you there!

Van Gogh's "Repetitions" at the Phillips Collection Today
Life's full of finally getting around to's ... but that is better than not.  I've been wanting to see the Van Gogh exhibit at the Phillips for a bit ... and today was the day. Randy and I spent a celebratory day with a wonderful lunch at PAUL Maison de Qualite in Georgetown (they have macarons and the quaint dining area upstairs transported me to Paris) before landing at the Phillips.

Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles 1889 now at the Phillips

Standing face to face with a Van Gogh is pretty darn great.  I LOVED his drawings. They are beautiful, intimate, powerful.  Two in particular stand out. One of his sketches of a weaver and one from Montmartre. LOVED the textures in his backgrounds. Lines. Can't believe he painted such a large portrait in an hour's span. That would have been fun to see in person.

Van Gogh's "Repetitions" is on exhibit at the Phillips Collection through January 26, 2014. The exhibition is organized by The Phillips Collection and The Cleveland Museum of Art.


Sign Up for Classes and Workshops that Start January
Mastering the Business of Art -- two-day workshop January 4 & 5
Still Life in Oils -- Tuesdays, 10am-1pm
Portrait Painting -- Sundays, 1:30pm-5:30pm
All taught through the Great Falls School of Art (1144 Walker Road, Suite D, Great Falls, VA).  See the Classes page on my Web site: www.JillBanks.com. Don't wait! (Please. I don't want you to miss out.)

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com 
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435
Artists Atelier, Great Falls VA website: GreatFallsAtelier.com 

Events
See the events page on my website.  Thanks!

COMING UP Soon: Great Falls Studios Holiday Art Show and Sale Saturday and Sunday, December 14 & 15, 10am - 5pm both days. 35 artists exhibiting at a new location: Wolftrap's Education Hall, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna, VA 22182.  I'll be there! No refreshments this time ... but plenty of art and good cheer!  Please help spread the word!

Squares Show in the Gallery

See me at the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 14 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon to 4pm and whenever an artist is in. Squares is up until the end of December -- with work in a variety of mediums from members of Great Falls Studios. We had a great turn-out. Come see!