Sunday, April 21, 2019

Meeting Madelyn, Special Delivery and Heading to Tennessee

"Once Upon A Time II," oil on linen, 30"h x 24"w, ©2019 Jill Banks
One day after our second granddaughter's arrival, I started painting "Once Upon a Time II" - destined from the beginning to brighten her nursery room.  In it are all sorts of treasures. Lilies to mark her near Easter arrival. An elephant covered with color yarn that's been waiting to get included in a painting.  An iron bench that has provided a perch for my Mom's doll collection. A pink flamingo to star in the show.  Well-read kid's books. A teacup for plenty of tea parties ahead. The set-up moved several times from the classroom (where it began as the first day of class demo), to my home studio and back to the Artists' Atelier.  Then this past Friday, the painting was hung in little Madelyn's room in between getting to know her a bit.  At almost two weeks old, she's not full of action ... but sure is beautiful and a joy to hold.

In all of my paintings, I hope that you continue to see something new and interesting that hadn't caught your eye before.  While painting, the piece slowly reveals itself - little by little. The whole is what made me paint it. There's something that garners the majority of attention.  Then, there's something else special that I hadn't been ready to see ... and that goes in. In developing "Once Upon a Time II" for Madelyn, I thought about how all those discoveries will come over time. How someday she'll recognize one of those book covers, take an interest in flamingos or elephants or mice.

Knoxville, Here I Come

Tomorrow is the orientation for Artists on Location: Knoxville Plein Air  -- where 30 painters have been selected to paint the "town" for a week, culminating in an awards reception and sale at the Knoxville Museum of Art on Saturday, April 27.  During the ride there, I was researching the suggested painting locations -- finally realizing that is a poor substitute for just getting there and looking around for myself. There are nooks and crannies to explore ... and I'm SO looking forward to doing just that. If I can, I'll post during the week. (Usually these events are fun but exhausting.)

See my Events Page for more info about Artists on Location and a whole lot of other art happenings right around the corner.

Visit "The Gathering Place" Solo Exhibit Before it Comes Down on April 30

Randy and I have hung out more than usual at the Old Brogue Irish Pub in Great Falls VA this month -- enjoying my exhibit in the Snuggery Dining Room/Katie's Coffee. I hope you have had a chance to do the same ... and if not, can  plan a visit in the next week and a half.

"Dinner Rush," oil, 24"h x 36"w, ©2019 Jill Banks -- currently on exhibit at the Old Brogue

Get more info and view the exhibit online here.

For those of you who celebrate it, I hope you had a wonderful Easter! We enjoyed the non-traveling part of the day with some of the people we love which was wonderful.  This is a time of new beginnings, fresh growth, hope.

Thanks for reading,
Jill
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/JillBanksStudio/ (Please like that page if you like it...)

Read the Article: Southwest Art Artist to Watch,  July 2017 Here's a link to the PDF of the wonderful Artist to Watch article written by Kim Agricola.  
Read the Article: "Christmas Card Paintings: 46 Years and Counting"Here's a link to the article in Fine Art Today, published by Fine Art Connoisseur December 2018.  
Read the Article: "A Paris Plein Air Adventure" published by Outdoor Painter (from Plein Air Magazine)

Events

April 22-27 - Artists on Location: a Plein Air Painting Event - Juried artist, plein air competition and sale, Knoxville TN
April 1-30 - "The Gathering Spot" Solo Exhibit, Katie's Coffee/The Snuggery in the Old Brogue Irish Pub, Great Falls VA
May 3 - First Friday Art Walk, the Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls VA - 6-8pm (Art Walks run from April to December)
May 4 & 5 - Great Falls Spring ArtFest at the Artists' Atelier in Great Falls. 10am to 5pm each day.
May 11 - Reception, Solo Exhibit, Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls VA - details to come
May 17-19 - Northern Virginia Fine Art Festival, Reston VA
June 1 - August 31 - American Impressionist Society (AIS) Small Works Showcase, Petoskey MI - "Cat House" chosen by AIS jurors as one of approximately 200 small works by some of the nation's finest impressionist artists.
June 7-9 - Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, Philadelphia PA
June 28 - American Women Artists Museum Exhibition Reception - Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs CO (exhibit runs from May 24-September 2 - "On Top of the World" selected for this prestigious show)
June 29 - July 6 - Telluride Plein Air - Telluride CO
July 13 & 14 - Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford RI
 




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Thursday, April 11, 2019

Arlington Festival of the Arts - April 13 & 14, 10am to 5pm Each Day in Arlington VA

Some of the 30+ originals I'll be bringing to the Clarendon District of Arlington VA this weekend.

Hope to see you in Arlington this weekend! It's my first art festival of 2019 - which means you may just be getting first "pick" for the show season.  The Festival offers free admission, great art, interesting dining options in between art viewing and it is rain or shine. Find me on N. Highland Street ... I think fairly near the intersection of N. Highland and Washington Blvd.

Emma Has a Baby Sister

Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! and Yay!  Now we have two granddaughters to cherish! I'm working on a fresh painting for the new arrival - Madelyn's room.  At the moment, only I know how neat that will be.

We have yet to meet her in person. That's happening next week. Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! and Yay!

New Painting at the Brogue - Immediately Purchased

"Spring Gathering, Great Falls," oil, 24" x 36", ©2019 Jill Banks. Private collection
Well, that was fast! Over the past two weeks I've been painting during any nice spring day found on "Spring Gathering, Great Falls" - on the hill across from the Old Brogue. At 5pm, Randy and I replaced "Sunday Marche" with this new painting in "The Gathering Spot" solo exhibit of mine at the Brogue.  Then we headed over to the Atelier to collect paintings that are heading to the Arlington show. Then, at about 6, we went back to the Brogue for dinner. 

Before figuring out my dinner order, a friend/collector/supporter who was dining at the corner table there added "Spring Gathering" to her collection. I really believe in serendipity. This was it.

You can see it before it leaves for its new home this week.  Old Brogue Irish Pub, 760 Walker Road, Great Falls VA.

See list below for all the neat art events coming up...soon.
Thanks for reading,
Jill
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/JillBanksStudio/ (Please like that page if you like it...)

Read the Article: Southwest Art Artist to Watch,  July 2017 Here's a link to the PDF of the wonderful Artist to Watch article written by Kim Agricola.  
Read the Article: "Christmas Card Paintings: 46 Years and Counting"Here's a link to the article in Fine Art Today, published by Fine Art Connoisseur December 2018.  
Read the Article: "A Paris Plein Air Adventure" published by Outdoor Painter (from Plein Air Magazine)

Events

April 13 & 14 - Arlington Festival of the Arts - Clarendon District in Arlington VA - 10am to 5pm each day
April 22-27 - Artists on Location: a Plein Air Painting Event - Juried artist, plein air competition and sale, Knoxville TN
April 1-30 - "The Gathering Spot" Solo Exhibit, Katie's Coffee/The Snuggery in the Old Brogue Irish Pub, Great Falls VA
May 3 - First Friday Art Walk, the Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls VA - 6-8pm (Art Walks run from April to December) - I am also participating in the Spring Artfest that weekend - May 4 & 5 - at the Atelier in Great Falls. 10am to 5pm each day.
May 11 - Reception, Solo Exhibit, Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls VA - details to come
May 17-19 - Northern Virginia Fine Art Festival, Reston VA
June 1 - August 31 - American Impressionist Society (AIS) Small Works Showcase, Petoskey MI - "Cat House" chosen by AIS jurors as one of approximately 200 small works by some of the nation's finest impressionist artists.
June 7-9 - Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, Philadelphia PA
June 28 - American Women Artists Museum Exhibition Reception - Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs CO (exhibit runs from May 24-September 2 - "On Top of the World" selected for this prestigious show)
June 29 - July 6 - Telluride Plein Air - Telluride CO
July 13 & 14 - Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford RI


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Wednesday, April 3, 2019

First Friday Art Walk and "The Gathering Spot" Solo Exhibit Is Up! Plus Great News


A glimpse of my exhibit "The Gathering Spot" inside one of those type of places.  We hung eight paintings at the Old Brogue during the two-hour (3-5pm) break for the busy Katie's Coffee/Snuggery dining room that keeps plenty busy from morning to night.

The choices have been made and eight paintings have been hung at the Old Brogue Irish Pub at 760 Walker Road, Great Falls VA ... just steps away from my studio at the Artists' Atelier (756 Walker Road).  Husband Randy and I had dinner in the Brogue's Snuggery Dining Room (Katie's Coffee by day), and the paintings really glow at night.

"Picnic in Paris," oil, 18" x 24", ©2018-19 Jill Banks - shown far left in the photo of the show.  I had painted this plein air in the gardens next to the Louvre and finished it recently in time to take its place in the show.

Another view of "The Gathering Spot" show. You can't rely on my photography to get a real sense of the paintings - but it may help with scale. Right?

So, if you can...
Visit for First Friday Art Walk, April 5, 6-8pm and spend the rest of the night on the town at the Brogue.

Join us for First Friday Art Walk in the Village, two group studios, two galleries - start at the Atelier at 756 Walker Road, Great Falls VA - Friday, April 5, 6-8pm.


If not, visit throughout the month of April, catching open hours at the Atelier on Wednesdays, noon to 4pm and Saturdays, 10am to 2pm.

"Tidal Basin Pinks," oil, 12" x 24" - painted plein air in DC last week will be at the Artists' Atelier for First Friday Art Walk.  Lots more to see there, too.


View the exhibit online here. 

 American Impressionist Society (AIS) Small Works Showcase Acceptance. Yay!

"Cat House," oil, 12" x 16", © 2018 Jill Banks - painted during Telluride Plein Air 2018
The AIS jurors have excellent taste. I just found out on Monday that "Cat House" is one of the approximately 200 pieces juried into the exhibit to be held June 1-August 31 at the Crooked Tree Art Center in Petoskey, Michigan. This marks two major acceptances for 2019 into highly prestigious, thus exceedingly-hard-to-get-into shows. (The other is with "On Top of the World" - American Women Artists National Exhibit at the Steamboat Art Museum in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.)


Classes Start Next Week -- Some Spots Left for You!

Find out more and link to register here. Tuesday classes start April 9. Thursday Plein Air class starts April 11. I hope you'll join us!

See list below for all the neat art events coming up...soon.

Thanks for reading,

Jill
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/JillBanksStudio/ (Please like that page if you like it...)





 

Read the Article: Southwest Art Artist to Watch,  July 2017 Here's a link to the PDF of the wonderful Artist to Watch article written by Kim Agricola.  

 

Read the Article: "Christmas Card Paintings: 46 Years and Counting"Here's a link to the article in Fine Art Today, published by Fine Art Connoisseur December 2018.  

 

Read the Article: "A Paris Plein Air Adventure" published by Outdoor Painter (from Plein Air Magazine)

Events

April 5 - First Friday Art Walk, the Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls VA - 6-8pm (Art Walks run from April to December). Come attend this one and head over to enjoy dinner and see my solo exhibit at the Old Brogue right after. A neat night out on the town!

April 13 & 14 - Arlington Festival of the Arts - Clarendon District in Arlington VA - 10am to 5pm each day

April 22-27 - Artists on Location: a Plein Air Painting Event - Juried artist, plein air competition and sale, Knoxville TN

April 1-30 - "The Gathering Spot" Solo Exhibit, Katie's Coffee/The Snuggery in the Old Brogue Irish Pub, Great Falls VA

May 3 - First Friday Art Walk, the Artists' Atelier, 756 Walker Road, Great Falls VA - 6-8pm (Art Walks run from April to December) - I am also participating in the Spring Artfest that weekend - May 4 & 5 - at the Atelier in Great Falls. 10am to 5pm each day.

May 11 - Reception, Solo Exhibit, Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls VA - details to come

May 17-19 - Northern Virginia Fine Art Festival, Reston VA

June 1 - August 31 - American Impressionist Society (AIS) Small Works Showcase, Petoskey MI - "Cat House" chosen by AIS jurors as one of approximately 200 small works by some of the nation's finest impressionist artists.

June 7-9 - Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, Philadelphia PA

June 28 - American Women Artists Museum Exhibition Reception - Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs CO (exhibit runs from May 24-September 2 - "On Top of the World" selected for this prestigious show)

June 29 - July 6 - Telluride Plein Air - Telluride CO

July 13 & 14 - Wickford Fine Art Festival, Wickford RI


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