Weekend Painting

"Al Fresco," oil, 12"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2015

The last three days have been spent in Staunton, VA ... as a guest artist in Ron Boehmer's "Essentials I" workshop. I'll be wrapping my head around his philosophy and teachings ... as soon as it's had a little rest. Seems Ron is a believer in art bootcamp, as am I.

He's also an incredible landscape painter -- true as you get.

Today was spent painting a still life of a wild assortment of objects. See "Crayon Colors" below. Although I was treating my painting ... as a painting ... it was step one of an exercise to come.

From this painting ("Crayon Colors") should come ten more. Five up the value scale toward almost white on white, five down toward almost black on black. Almost is the key. The gist of the exercise is to  help deal with the landscape ... as air changes the saturation and contrast from close by to the mountain range. Or prepares the painter to pull out the scene in a nocturne.

"Crayon Colors," oil, 8"h x 10"w, ©Jill Banks 2015

Events and Exhibits

• January 13-February 22, 2015: "Warm Observations: People and Places" Solo Exhibit, ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center Street, Herndon, VA. Hours: Closed Monday, Tue-Thur: 10am to 2pm, Fri&Sat: 10am to 5pm, Sundays: 1pm to 5pm.
• February: "The Art of Romance," Atelier Group Exhibition, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA.Open Wed. and Sat., noon to 4pm
• Paint with Me in Italy Plein Air Workshop: July 27 to August 2, 2015. Registration is now open. (This is where "Piemonte Lunch" was "born"!)
• See the Events page for more info/updates
• Ongoing: Visit the studio I share with 14 other artists at the Artists’ Atelier, Great Falls, VA open Wed. and Sat.,
  12- 4pm

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

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