"Pumpkin": Surrounded by Gourds

"Pumpkin," oil, 16"h x 12"w, ©Jill Banks 2014

Each shopping trip for my still life class -- for weeks -- has resulted in a growing collection of gourds. They are piled in the kitchen, in the back seat of my car, in my studio.  Obviously, at least one was meant to make it onto the canvas. And, other vestiges of still life class -- brilliant, curly-petaled orange tulips in a favorite vase (made by Laura Nichols of PigPen Pottery), purple grapes and an old school chair joined the scene. I'd mentioned to my students on Tuesday that they would probably find me there late that night, painting away, since this view called pretty loudly. They could have.

This is a painting that deserves a close-up, since a great deal of the action is in the brushstrokes.

Close-up of "Pumpkin," oil, ©Jill Banks 2014

A trip to the Chastain Park Art Festival in Atlanta lies ahead this week -- where my art makes its last appearance under a tent for 2014. 

Lots of paintings are underway and planned for my solo show at ArtSpace Herndon which opens mid-January.  Each solo show involves a countdown and checklist as I figure out the exhibit's story, what to show, what to paint, and then paint, contemplate, frame, present.  Sounds simple and straightforward. Nope. But each time I really think about where my art is presently, where I want it to go, contemplate my own personal story ... the work itself takes a giant leap forward. Worth every minute, hour, week, month.

Events and Exhibits

• November 1&2: Chastain Park Arts Festival, Atlanta GA
• November 3-December 1: Large Works Show, Art League, Alexandria, VA. "Garden Girl" chosen as one of 16 works for this exhibit (out of 80 entries)
• 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

Subscribe to my Email Newsletter: News from the Easel (This link takes you to the subscription page.)