Walt Lawrence Is Face #41 ... Amidst a Ruckus in the Studio

"Walt Lawrence: Face #41", oil, 12"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2011

Walt Lawrence and I have been a bunch of co's together ... co-chairpeople of the Great Falls Studios Shows and Exhibit Committee (going back a few years), co-emerging artists (he as a photographer and me as a painter), co-exhibitors (Walt and I spent lots of years next to or across from one another at art shows), and co-studiomates (at the Artists' Atelier, shared studio space at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA). The two of us ... again, for years ... somehow got to be the fearsome duo who put out signs throughout Great Falls for the latest exhibit and shows. We've hung lots and lots of shows together ... and he's the only person other than my husband who realizes that it's extremely important to raise or lower a piece by that 1/4-inch I'm requesting.

One more challenge. Working without light on the easel.

Walt was slow to sign up to sit for my 100 Faces in 100 Days Project. My husband Randy thinks he remembers Walt saying something like "no way" when asked if he was going to become a "face." When he realized that I want to talk to people throughout the sitting, he vowed to be the first person to keep completely silent. Tough customer.

He enjoyed giving me a hard time. This painting turned out great and it's 100% Walt. As usual, we enjoyed each other's company. He sent me an email that "Today was a total gas." And, he really likes the end result. Ta da!

Ruckus At The Atelier

For today's sitting I had planned on painting Walt in the downstairs (from the Atelier) school area ... while letting Greg Staley photograph bird and other art upstairs for Great Falls Studios artists. (You really need to read this blog daily to keep up.) When I got there, though, Walt informed me that the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts board (confused yet?) was meeting downstairs ... so we'd have to figure out a spot in the Atelier to set up to paint ... face #41. The gallery area (an alternative spot to paint) was the designated photo shoot area  ... so I used my studio area, turning my easel around from its usual spot. Voila! It was perfect.

Except... I'm glad I don't need peace and quiet. Get a bunch of Great Falls Studios artists in one area and they go a bit wild and crazy. At least it was pretty darn entertaining for Walt. We did witness some fantastic bird art coming in. Cindy Grisdela created a wonderful, quilted pileated woodpecker. Jon Fisher created a wood relief tree of birds. Linda Jones experimented with mixed media creating a bird with flower parts. Laura Nichols sculpted a ceramic wall relief with a Great Blue Heron. (Obviously I wasn't solely focused on Walt's face.) There's a bird exhibit planned for June at the Great Falls Library. Should be quite a show. The Atelier has a bird exhibit going on ... now through the end of March of art created by Atelier artists.

All the ruckus did really add to the fun. Not that I needed that.

See you tomorrow ... I hope!

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project: www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project.html
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

"Rainy Day Market" Painting in Progress

I was having so much fun today ... working on this painting of a market husband Randy and I ducked into in order to get out of the rain. Sometimes it's almost impossible to put down my paintbrushes. Today was one of those days.

I do have a few paintings that I want to tweak before Tuesday when Greg Staley comes in to photograph some recent work. Tweaking is a whole lot less fun than starting and moving around lots of wet paint. So, it will be a struggle to keep away from this one. Watch what happens.

Greg Staley has been photographing my art for a couple of years now. While I take my own photography for the purposes of this blog ... his are so much better and are what I rely on for publications, entering competitions, etc. His client list includes the Phillips Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art ... to name a few.

"Rainy Day Market" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Nocturne Revisited

For those who had taken a look at my first plein air night scene previously, here's a revision a little easier on the eyes. This is Deli Italiano's awning seen from a patch of grass in the Great Falls, VA Village Centre. I loved the flowers, twinkling lights and overflowing green vines.

"Night in the Village Centre," 16"h x 20"w, oil on Senso linen canvas, copyright Jill Banks 2008. Photo by Greg Staley.