"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

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

"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