Sunday, May 29, 2016

Granddaughter Emma, Month Two

"Emma, Month Two," oil, 8"h x 8"w, ©2016 Jill Banks
Quick post ... but the Memorial Day weekend has been spent with lots of neat family gatherings and lots of granddaughter Emma time. Plus my Mom's 86th birthday celebrating! Plus Emma meeting her second cousin (?) Nicholas who is four months' old.

Mom and Dad with two of their great-grandbabies: Emma and Nicholas
I am painting a mini portrait of Emma each month for her first year. Today was her two-month birthday and she agreed to model for me this morning. How's that for timing?

A joy related to the monthly portraits is that Sam and Michelle are sending us (at my request) daily photos or videos of Emma. I have plenty of potential resources plus a reason to smile ... big time ... each day. Yea!

I hope you are enjoying lots of time celebrating with loved ones!

UPCOMING EVENTS
May through December:  First Friday Art Walk, 6-9pm, Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA
May 22-June 3: Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's Member Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC, Salmagundi Club, NYC. "Seaside Sunset" awarded BEST IN SHOW -- the Board of Directors Award.
June 3-5: Rittenhouse Square 89th Annual Spring Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Official arts demonstrator: Saturday, June 4, 1pm. Free painting demonstration.
July 9-10: Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford Historic Village in North Kingstowne, RI.
September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Top Award for "Seaside Sunset" - Hip Hooray



"Seaside Sunset," oil, 16"h x 20"w, ©2015 Jill Banks wins Best in Show, the Board of Directors Award at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's Member Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC.

"Seaside Sunset," my oil painting of the beach at Carmel, California at sunset -- has been awarded the very top prize (the Board of Directors Award -- Best in Show -- by jurors Naomi Campbell and Rick Rosen) at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's Member Exhibition, on view at the Salmagundi Art Club (will be closed on Memorial Day). Yea!!!!!

Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Exhibition
Upper Gallery, May 22, 2016 - June 03, 2016
 
Open to the public. Gallery hours are Mon-Fri, 1-6pm, and Sat-Sun, 1-5pm.   Reception, Friday, June 3, 6-8pm. Call the Salmagundi Club at (212) 255-7740 to make sure the exhibition is open before visiting as private functions are also often on the schedule. 

The Awards Reception is on Friday, June 3, 6-8pm at the Salmagundi Club in NYC. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make that event since it coincides with the Rittenhouse Square Art Show on June 3-5. Can't be in two places at one time -- but if I could, I would! The reception is free and open to the public though ... so hopefully, maybe you could drop in!

The Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club (CLWAC) is a national organization dedicated to show and promote works of professional women artists founded in 1896. The CLWAC sponsors an Open Juried Exhibition in the fall at the National Arts Club in NYC -- open for application to all women artists, regardless of membership status (you do not need to be a member to apply). I've participated in a lot of those, winning awards in three.

Unlike the Open Exhibition, the Members' Exhibition is for Full Members of the CLWAC only.  To become a Full Member of the club, an artist must have been accepted into the Open Exhibition three times within a ten year period.  I passed that test and was accepted by the board.

Two of my pieces are in the exhibition at the Salmagundi Club -- "Seaside Sunset" and "Out of Water" shown below.

"Seaside Sunset" is now a two-time award winner, receiving a Certificate of Merit in Oils at the Rock Stars! exhibit at the United States Geological Survey in the fall of 2015.

"Out of Water," oil, 16"h x 12"w, ©2015 Jill Banks ($1250).
Painted on the same trip to the Monterey Bay area in California as "Seaside Sunset."

"Seaside Sunset," oil, 16"h x 20"w, ©2015 Jill Banks ($1950).




UPCOMING EVENTS
May through December:  First Friday Art Walk, 6-9pm, Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA
May 22-June 3: Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's Member Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC, Salmagundi Club, NYC
June 3-5: Rittenhouse Square 89th Annual Spring Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Official arts demonstrator: Saturday, June 4, 1pm. Free painting demonstration.
July 9-10: Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford Historic Village in North Kingstowne, RI.
More of my Belleville booth setup.
September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com

Friday, May 13, 2016

"Belleville Fountain" Wednesday Night

"Belleville Fountain," oil, 10"h x 8"w, ©2016 Jill Banks

Shortly after arriving on Wednesday night to Belleville, Illinois (near St. Louis), I set up to paint the fountain in the middle of the town square ... the place that is now transformed with artist tents for this weekend's Art on the Square event.

I'm heading to my tent in just a minute to get it ready for tonight's (Friday, May 13 -- oh, I just realized that) opening.  "Belleville Fountain" will be up and hanging there -- hoping to be snatched up by a patron this weekend.

Check back to yesterday's blog post at jillbanks.blogspot.com where all four portraits from my stint as Artist in Residence are now up.

Hope to see some of you this weekend at Art on the Square - Belleville, IL, Outdoor Juried Fine Art Festival from May 13-15!



UPCOMING EVENTS
May through December:  First Friday Art Walk, 6-9pm, Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA
May 13-15: Art on the Square - Belleville, IL, Outdoor Juried Fine Art Festival (Ranked #1 by Art Fair Sourcebook), Belleville, IL
June 3-5: Rittenhouse Square 89th Annual Spring Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Official arts demonstrator: Saturday, June 4, 1pm. Free painting demonstration.
July 9-10: Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford Historic Village in North Kingstowne, RI.
More of my Belleville booth setup.
September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 12, 2016

A New First: A Four Portrait Day

Portrait 1: "Bryce," oil, 14"h x 11"w, ©2016 Jill Banks
Today I was an Artist in Residence, meeting and hopefully inspiring four classes of art students from grades fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth ... creating portrait sketches within each 45 minute class period.

Portrait 2: "Caitlyn," oil, 14"h x 11"w, ©2016 Jill Banks


Portrait 3: "Kevon," oil, 14"h x 11"w, ©2016 Jill Banks
I'm posting the four portraits but please check back at jillbanks.blogspot.com later (maybe tonight ... maybe not ... with in progress photos and pics with my sitters with the painting and me).
Portrait 4: "Morgan," oil, 14"h x 11"w, ©2016 Jill Banks
To say the time flew would be an understatement. A few minutes were subtracted from each 45 minute period. I'd like to have spent more time on each, without a "bell" to beat but the downside of that would be not having the opportunity to meet and paint all four.

Big thanks to Brad Keim, all my sitters and students in each class and Rhonda Ross and crew with the Artist in Residence program for Art on the Square in Belleville, IL. Bryce, Caitlyn, Kevon and Morgan -- You were terrific!!!!

Hope to see some of you this weekend at Art on the Square - Belleville, IL, Outdoor Juried Fine Art Festival from May 13-15!


UPCOMING EVENTS
May through December:  First Friday Art Walk, 6-9pm, Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA
May 13-15: Art on the Square - Belleville, IL, Outdoor Juried Fine Art Festival (Ranked #1 by Art Fair Sourcebook), Belleville, IL
June 3-5: Rittenhouse Square 89th Annual Spring Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Official arts demonstrator: Saturday, June 4, 1pm. Free painting demonstration.
July 9-10: Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford Historic Village in North Kingstowne, RI.
More of my Belleville booth setup.
September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

"Morning Joe" Heading to Art on the Square - Belleville, IL

"Morning Joe," (Paris Café) oil, 24"h x 18"w, ©2016 Jill Banks
 
The wettest painting heading to Art on the Square - Belleville, IL is "Morning Joe" -- just one day old today (although I started it last week). It will get pride of place on the back wall of my tent, unless on Friday night. The scene is from Montmartre where I was drawn to every inch of the square with beautiful light, intriguing gatherings of people, anticipation.

Coming up on soon, I'll be teaching in a Middle School near Belleville, IL for one day, one class each of fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders. I'm catching them one week before school is out for the summer, so their teacher has warned me to expect silliness. Sounds good to me.

Look for a report from that adventure here in a couple of days.

My booth layout plan with "Morning Joe" in the upper right and "Back Story" in the middle.
I'm really looking forward to the whole weekend of greeting a whole lot of visitors at my booth on Friday through Sunday, May 13-15. See below for a link with more info. Do you know anyone attending the show? It looks like it will be unbelievable -- the art, food, hospitality, entertainment, activities.

Art in the Great Falls Village Centre

The First Friday Art Walk was really wonderful last Friday -- held in three joint studios plus the gallery space in the Great Falls Village Centre in Great Falls, VA. Despite very soggy weather -- lots of folks showed up to enjoy the art and festivities. I hope you'll join us for more of those events ... the first Friday of every month now through December (with one exception: we're open September 9 instead). 6-9pm for a Night on the Town!

UPCOMING EVENTS
May through December:  First Friday Art Walk, 6-9pm, Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA
May 13-15: Art on the Square - Belleville, IL, Outdoor Juried Fine Art Festival (Ranked #1 by Art Fair Sourcebook), Belleville, IL
June 3-5: Rittenhouse Square 89th Annual Spring Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Official arts demonstrator: Saturday, June 4, 1pm. Free painting demonstration.
July 9-10: Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford Historic Village in North Kingstowne, RI.
More of my Belleville booth setup.
September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com


Thursday, May 5, 2016

First Friday Art Walk at the Atelier - May 6, A-RTS @ Rockville Town Square - May 7 & 8

"Moon Glow" -- painted plein air in the Great Falls Village Centre. Oil, 16"h x 12"w, ©2015 Jill Banks. This painting will be in my studio during the First Friday Art Walk.

Friday to Sunday -- Art.
Sure hope you can come!

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK IN THE VILLAGE
Friday, May 6, 6-9pm
Join us for our 1st First Friday Art Walk in the Village at the Great Falls Village Centre.
27 artists in three locations PLUS a reception for the Great Falls Studios "Small Gems" exhibit located in the Arts of Great Falls Gallery.

Get more info on the First Friday Art Walk here.

I'll be in my studio at the Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22033. Come make an art-filled evening of it!

A-RTS @ ROCKVILLE TOWN SQUARE, May 7 & 8

May 7, 11am-6pm & May 8, 11am-5pm

Link for more info on A-RTS @ Rockville Town Square
 
I'll be setting up my booth in the Rockville Town Square in Rockville, MD.

Meet me at Booth #211 -- on East Middle Lane in Rockville ... almost across address from Gordon Biersch (Their address is 200 E Middle Lane, Unit A, Rockville, MD 20850).

160 Master Artists (That's What They Said)
Walk the streets of downtown Rockville as it is transformed into a brilliant spring outdoor art gallery highlighting the industry’s best local, regional and national artists. See the industry’s best in glass, ceramics, jewelry, painting, photography, sculpture, woodwork and more.


So, here's what I think you'll find in my booth this weekend (I create a mock-up of the layout each show).
I've included seven of my framed 6"x6"s in the booth display. Browse those online here.
 For Rockville ... IF the rain stays away, I'll have use of three walls inside the tent and one out. Fingers crossed.

I hope to see you soon ... in Great Falls or Rockville. You'd make my day!

Plein Air Class Today
The weather forecast called for chilly weather and rain for day three of my plein air class.  All week I've been looking around and racking my brain for a place that would allow some shelter for students from both cold and precipitation ... plus restrooms etc. My solution was to invite the class to my house where some painted interiors, some painted exteriors looking out an open door, one used my studio and one braved the outdoor under the deck view. It proved to be fun for me and fun for them. I would appreciate some sunny Thursdays, though, for the rest of the session.

I did miss out on taking photos of the day.


UPCOMING EVENTS
May 6: First Friday Art Walk, 6-9pm, Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA
May 7-8: A-RTS@Rockville Town Square, Outdoor Juried Arts Festival, Rockville, MD. Booth #211
May 13-15: Art on the Square - Belleville, IL, Outdoor Juried Fine Art Festival (Ranked #1 by Art Fair Sourcebook), Belleville, IL
June 3-5: Rittenhouse Square 89th Annual Spring Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. Official arts demonstrator: Saturday, June 4, 1pm. Free painting demonstration.
July 9-10: Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford Historic Village in North Kingstowne, RI.
September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com