"Free As A Bird"

"Free As A Bird," oil, 24"h x 18"w, ©Jill Banks 2014

Over the last three days, this painting has been on my easel. It started as "Nic-Naks" ... with an eggplant, peach and orchid atop my pile of moving boxes. You saw that version in my last post.

Then I kept painting on it yesterday -- and nothing was going right. I may have painted the subject true to form, but it wasn't any fun.

Same thing earlier today.

I fired the eggplant.

Replaced it with a talking, Italian bird Randy and I met in Florence, Italy this Spring at Torre di Bellosguardo. So. Much. Better!

Thanks to the Internet ... I'm thinking my surprise visitor (the bird) is a galah or rose-breasted cockatoo ... and a male with his very dark eyes.  Any bird watchers or experts out there?

All day, I thought of titles for this one.

"What's That Peach Doing There?"
"It's A Jungle Out There"
"The Odd Couple"

But, "Free As A Bird" kind of summed up what the bird was doing perched on top of a pile of moving boxes.

I strongly suspect that this painting will be in my booth at next weekend's (September 13 & 14) Alexandria King Street Art Festival in Old Town Alexandria, VA.  Festival hours are Saturday, September 13, 10am to 7pm and Sunday, September 14, 10am to 5pm.  I hope to see you there!

What's in store for tomorrow (Friday, September 5)? More painting, art errands and a reception at the "A Sea of Sticks and Stones" exhibit at the US Geological Survey where my pieces "Harborside Happy Hour" and "Green Pastures" are part of the Great Falls Studios show.

"A Sea of Sticks and Stones" Exhibit hangs September 3 to September 30 at the Art Hall at the US Geological Survey in Reston VA. Visitors are welcome Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm at 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive. The reception is Friday, September 5, 4 to 6:30pm. Photo ID required. (Standard government security.)

Coming Up

Back to School  Fall classes start mid-September when I'll be teaching Still Life (8 sessions, Tuesdays, 9:30am to 12:30pm, September 16 to November 4, $325) and the Plein Air  Landscape in Oils (6 sessions, Thursdays, 9:30am to 1:30pm, September 18 to October 30 -- no class October 16, $325). For more info, see my web site's classes page. Classes are taught through the Great Falls School of Art (Great Falls, VA).  See my web site, Classes page for more info and a link to register. 

Events and Exhibits

• Aug. 16-Oct. 12: Paint the Shenandoah Exhibition, River District Arts, Sperryville, VA
• September 13 & 14: Alexandria (King Street) Art Festival, Alexandria, VA
• September 20 & 21: Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, New York
• September 3-29: "A Sea of Sticks and Stones Group Exhibit," US Geological Survey, Reston, VA
• October 5: McLean MPA Artfest, Sunday, October 5, McLean, VA. 52 artists in McLean Central Park
• Oct. 17-19: Great Falls Annual Studio Tour, Artists’ Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA
• Ongoing: Visit the studio I share with 14 other artists at the Artists’ Atelier, Great Falls, VA open Wed. and Sat., 12- 4pm
• Jan.-Feb. 2015: Solo Exhibit, ArtSpace Herndon, Herndon, VA
• See the Events page for more info/updates

Thanks for reading!

Jill

Phone: 703.403.7435
Email: jill@jillbanks.com
Web: www.JillBanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com

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