Paint Great Falls Quick Draw Award

"What About Bob," oil, 10"h x 8"w, ©Jill Banks 2015 awarded First Place in the Quick Draw

Paint Great Falls, a first-year plein air competition held these past few days in and around Great Falls, VA brought painters from around the region to capture the charms of the Village Centre, local restaurants, and Great Falls parks from Thursday, May 28 to Saturday, May 30. On Sunday, May 31, there was a Quick Draw from 10am to noon.

"Too Hot to Trot," oil, 16"h x 20"w, ©Jill Banks 2015 awarded "People's Choice"

My painting, "What About Bob," was awarded First Place in the Adult Division at Sunday's Quick Draw by judge Armand Cabrera.

In the regular plein air competition, the awards went to:
First Place: Ted Reed, "Afternoon Falls"
Second Place: Christine Lashley, "Cool Stream"
Third Place: Lorrie Herman, "The Old Brogue"
People's Choice: Jill Banks, "Too Hot to Trot"

First through Third Place were chosen by Armand Cabrera.

I've got to tell you about "Too Hot to Trot." Participating in Paint Great Falls and this weekend's Artfest on the Green (an outdoor arts festival in the Village Centre in Great Falls, VA) involved a lot of juggling and compromise. Canvases were stamped for Paint Great Falls on Thursday between 5 and 7pm. That's also the night Randy and I set up my booth on the Green. Painters were to turn in their paintings at 3pm on Saturday but I'd be at my booth (and hanging paintings in it) from 8am to 5pm. That left Thursday night -- post booth setup and Friday as possible painting times.  Thursday night -- very late -- I painted a nocturne from inside my now lit tent of the Village Centre. Friday, figuring what to hang, where, took until about 3:30 in the afternoon so around 4:00pm I was in my spot to set up. Way late. There to paint horses. No horses.

The brave souls of the Paint Great Falls Quick Draw Event 2015 with judge Armand Cabrera (middle, back)

I have passed this scene hundreds of times. Wanted to paint it every single time. Graciously received permission to paint from a neighbor's driveway (so I wasn't standing in the grass and could park my car out of the way). Who knew the horses would be tucked away out of the heat?

It was boiling out. No shade. I started painting the barn and outbuildings figuring that sooner or later my protagonists would make it out onto the stage. Sweated my way through an hour and a half. Decided that I could not take the heat. Set up in my car with the door open, window down, air conditioning blasting, supplies on the ground on the driveway. Horses appeared and I wiped down what I had and started again.

This is the result. Once the horses arrived the fun began. They were worth the heat, sweat, erased first attempt. But it was too hot to trot.

It's so easy for a blog post after too long a delay to turn into a treatise. I'm stopping this one here (almost) but not before thanking the Arts of Great Falls Director Julie Casso for making the whole event happen, Armand Cabrera for offering to judge the event, fellow (and some reluctant) artists for giving something new to them a shot this weekend. The results included some wonderful views into this great town. Thanks!!!!!!!

Want to know more about plein air competitions, what they are, what it is like to be a participant?  Read my post: "Plein Air Competitions and Quick Draws: A Primer for Artists and Collectors" here. Tell me about your experiences.

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

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See the Events page for more info/updates

May 12-16:  Wayne Plein Air, Wayne and Philadelphia, PA. Juried as one of 30 artists nationwide to paint the area. Exhibit continues through June 26 at the Wayne Art Center

May 26 - June 5: Salmagundi Club Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, NYC. "Green Pastures" accepted into the exhibition.

June 5-7: Rittenhouse Square: The Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Sunday, June 7: I'll be the official demoist at the show at 1pm.

June 18-21: VA Beach Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach, VA. Visit my booth right on the boardwalk.

June 29-July 5: Telluride Plein Air, Telluride, CO.  Juried as one of 32 artists who will spend the week painting this very cool town lined with Victorian houses, bustling street against a gorgeous mountainous backdrop.

July 11-12: Wickford Art Festival, Wickford, RI
July 18-19: Westport Fine Arts Festival, Westport, CT

August 8-9: Mystic Seaport Outdoor Art Festival, Mystic, CT

August 29-30: Shadyside... The Art Festival on Walnut Street Pittsburgh, PA

September 20 & 21: Alexandria King Street Festival, Alexandria, VA

December 3-6: One Of A Kind Show & Sale, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL