Back to Burano Italy

"Burano Boats," oil, 8"h x 10"w, ©Jill Banks 2014

Well, not really. But my thoughts are revisiting the place.

This is the second painting worked on canal side in this fishing village/island filled with impossibly bright-colored buildings, boats, scenes, things everywhere you look. Here again, I tucked myself away from the bulk of the crowds, later in the afternoon when many visitors had already headed home.  Still, there were plenty of appreciative, enthusiastic onlookers happy with my take on the scene.

"Like Colors: Burano Italy," oil, 10"h x 8"w, ©Jill Banks 2014

The first painting from the one-day visit was "Like Colors." The smaller paintings were done as multiples on an unmounted piece of linen (Centurion Deluxe Oil-Primed linen available in pads)... necessitating cropping and mounting the paintings once back home (as in now). 

That's what's been going on in my kitchen over the last week.

Both of these paintings, along with more, will most likely be found under a tent on May 31 and June 1 for "Art on the Green" in Great Falls, VA.

I'll be missing from there on May 31 -- still painting and participating in festivities at Mountain Maryland Plein Air, held in Cumberland, MD from May 27 to May 31. There I will be one of 30 artists chosen from around the country: painting, competing and exhibiting in this plein air event.

Husband Randy will be setting up the display and hoping you'll visit in Great Falls on May 31. Then, I'll be there, too or instead ... on June 1.

I hope you had a wonderful Mothers' Day! I sure enjoyed spending time with our kids, son Sam's in-laws, the Anonicks and my Mom and Dad. Couldn't be better!!!

Jill

Phone: 703.403.7435
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Web: www.JillBanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
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May 27-May 31: Mountain Maryland Plein Air I join 29 other artists juried from around the country to capture Cumberland MD and surrounding areas in this plein air competition and exhibition. Second time around.

May 31 & June 1: Great Falls Studios Spring Outdoor Art on the Green Festival  Two days with my work under a tent in the Great Falls Village Centre, corner of Georgetown Pike and Walker Road,  Great Falls, VA. Husband Randy will hold down “the Fort” on Saturday while I finish up at Mountain Maryland and then I hope to see you on Sunday, June 1!
 
March 5 - December: Richeson75 Still Life and Floral 2014  Two of my paintings: "Honey Bunny" and "Garden Girl" were chosen as finalists in this online competition and exhibition. 75 total works were selected for this exhibition from entries/artists worldwide. See the exhibit at http://richeson75.com/stilllife/index.html

Paint with Me in Italy: August 3 to 10, 2014. For more info, itinerary and links to register, see the classes page on my web site. Great folks are signing up to join me on this wonderful adventure. I hope you can, too! 

New Market Series Painting Start Today: "Fruit and Wine"

I started "Fruit and Wine" today -- the latest painting in my new Market series. This last week I've been working on a portrait commission and it was time to let it rest for a few days. Later I'll be able to return to it with a fresh perspective. Always a good thing!

"Fruit and Wine" depicts a fruit stand in Burano, Italy ... a fishing village near Venice. All of the buildings are painted unbelievably bright, beautiful colors to help the fishermen find their way back home. Arriving there on the ferry, you pass one impossibly vibrant building after another. Randy and I went there during Easter week last year on Robert Liberace's art historical tour. Artist friend Linda Wharton missed the ferry the rest of the group took because she got engrossed in a painting done on the spot. That happens. She rejoined the group many worried hours later.

For day one, I wanted to get the base, loose drawing in place and roughly block in the colors. The blue of the walls will get knocked down in intensity later ... to make it drift back in space. It's interesting that I'll have to do that, as blues are the most difficult colors to keep bright. They look bright and intense on the palette, and as soon as you mix them with another color, they immediately dull. An exception I've found is Winsor Blue (made by Winsor and Newton). To dull it, I will probably use a glaze made with Gamblin's Neomegilp and Transparent Earth Orange (a complementary color). We'll see if that works.

"Fruit and Wine" work in progress (day one), oil on Senso linen, 24"h x 36"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

See more of my Market paintings ("Limoni", "Rialto Market", and "Rainy Day Market") on my web site, www.jillbanks.com in the gallery pages. Since I can't figure out whether they are "still lifes" or "places", you'll have to look at them both. Or, better yet, stop by this weekend at my new upstairs, downstairs studios at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D & G, Great Falls, VA. I'll be participating in the Spring Arts Festival sponsored by Great Falls Studios, a membership organization of 84 artists who live or work in Great Falls. 30 of those 84 will be taking part in the Festival that occurs in two locations near the intersection of Walker Road and Colvin Run Road. That's this Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm. I'll give more details in another post.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435