Painting Payton

Payton with Me ... End of Demo at ArtSpace Herndon, January 31, 2015. She's the one in the tutu.

What a joy today!

Getting Started. I'm guessing this isn't the best view. I'm laying in the darks in brown and blue on an ochre ground

Thanks to Payton, her mom Lauren, grandmother Meg ... all who attended, Randy, Mom & Dad and Les at Herndon ArtSpace.

It was iPad entertainment needed toward the end for Payton

I'll do my best to post photos ... more to come, probably past when this might show up in your (subscribers) mailbox so check back at jillbanks.blogspot.com -- where they look better anyway.  Tomorrow will come my photo of the painting. My camera is indeed on the blitz. Fuzzy photos anyone? These are all from various iPhones.

Really, more to come! I don't want you to miss out on the day.

Events and Exhibits

• January 13-February 22, 2015: "Warm Observations: People and Places" Solo Exhibit, ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center Street, Herndon, VA. ArtSpace Gallery Hours are:
  Monday: Closed
  Tuesday thru Thursday: 10am to 2pm
  Friday through Saturday: 10am to 5pm
  Sunday: 1pm to 5pm
  ArtSpace Herndon is closed due to inclement weather whenever Fairfax County cancels school.
  

  

  Payton's view

  If in doubt, you can contact the gallery at http://www.artspaceherndon.com/  or call:
  703-956-6590.
  RSVP for painting demo.

• 

  About mid-point in the demo.   Good view of our super model!

  February: The Art of Romance, Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Reception: Friday, February 6, 6:30pm to 9:00pm.  Featuring a guest jewelry artist, chocolates, wine, hors d'oeuvres and a beautiful art party.  In the gallery and around my studio, still lifes with lots of flowers, an indoor picnic, cozy interiors.   See the show through the month of February, Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon to 4pm.
  June 5-7: Rittenhouse Square: The Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. 
  June 29-July 5: Telluride Plein Air, Telluride, CO.  Juried as one of 32 artists who will spend the week painting this very cool town lined with Victorian houses, bustling street against a gorgeous mountainous backdrop.
  July 11-12: Wickford Art Festival, Wickford, RI.
• Paint with Me in Italy Plein Air Workshop: July 27 to August 2, 2015. Registration is now open. (This is where "Piemonte Lunch" was "born"!)
• See the Events page for more info/updates
• Ongoing: Visit the studio I share with 14 other artists at the Artists’ Atelier, Great Falls, VA open Wed. and Sat.,
  12- 4pm

Thanks for reading!

Jill

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

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Plein Air Painting at the Reston Town Center

"Early Evening at the Reston Town Center" work in progress, oil on linen, 22"h x 28"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

The whole afternoon into early evening was spent on two different scenes around the Reston Town Center -- with my easel set up at least close to the thick of things. While both pieces need more work (I'll return there next week and maybe beyond), "Early Evening at the Reston Town Center" is the most promising. (Translation: I really like it.)

Paint. Visit. Paint.

I started it about 3pm today -- after already having painted for awhile ... and then worked, waiting for sunset to play out its magic or the lamp posts to come on. The challenge is ... they come on when the canvas in front of me is getting tougher to see.

All day long I was covered in paint, too.  I managed to keep it just on me, though.  Scary looking Pthalo Blue and then, Pthalo Green hands ... with some red, yellow, white thrown in for good measure.

Tomorrow -- Saturday, May 11, from noon to 4pm we're having a reception at the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 14 other studiomates at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Come out and see the new show.  I'm hoping some of today's easel visitors come by for a visit.

You can take a look at more of my street/urban paintings on my web site: www.JillBanks.com, click on Works and go to the Places Collection.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events

Women Painters of the Southeast Juried Members Exhibit and Sale
Imagine Gallery, 230 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN 37064
"Sunflowers in the Studio II" juried into the exhibit that runs April 19 to May 20.

"New Works" Exhibit: the Artists' Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon to 4pm through May 31. On view in the gallery: "Ballerinas I," "Ballerinas II" and "Red Pillow." 

Solo Show at Greenberry's Coffee & Tea
6839 Redmond Drive, McLean, VA 22101
(703) 821-9501
Exhibit of six paintings including "Two Kittens," "Traffic Patterns," "Primary Colors," "Spanish Steps," "Second & Pine Streets," and "Sunlight, Sunflowers and Orange." Through June 30.

"The Brogue Bar" and a Birthday Celebration

"The Brogue Bar," oil, 18"h x 24"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

Secret project #1 revealed. I started "The Brogue Bar" back in May, setting up my easel in the pub part of the Old Brogue in Great Falls, VA. The Brogue has served as the backdrop of many of my paintings, each of them has been set in the Katie's Coffee/Snuggery side. My plan was to paint the bar itself and the people who populated it when I was ready (had gotten to that part of the painting).

Jed on left, and David, on right in front of the painting

The day following my first session there, I was contacted by Marjorie Fox who had been told by friends that her husband (David Fox) was featured in my painting. She wanted to purchase it as his 70th birthday gift -- a gift that was delivered tonight at his "surprise" 70 party.

David is in the hat to the far right, talking to his best friend, Jed, who is leaning against the post in the white shirt. Thing is, Jed wasn't at the Brogue the first day I painted there. And, David was originally sitting to the left of the post. Since it was a surprise gift, I couldn't exactly ask them to cooperate with my original painting start. By the end, I painted David three times ... but as they say, the third time's the charm. It definitely was in this case.

Because I painted this as people appeared in the scene, it didn't allow me to see the painting as a whole composition. All three of my original subjects to the left of the pole were facing to the right -- which was definitely not good. My husband, Randy, helped me correct the problem by sitting in the seat second to the right, and facing to the left.

Marjorie graciously invited Randy and me to attend tonight's celebration of David's 70th, a private party at the Brogue (Katie's Coffee/Snuggery side this time) ... with "The Brogue Bar" hanging over the mantel  -- the prime spot -- for the occasion. She considers meeting me -- and my having been in the bar painting her husband -- serendipitous. Serendipity works both ways.

It was fun to be there at the party and witness the guests' reactions. That's a real understatement. People loved it. They loved the way it captured the atmosphere of a spot so familiar. That felt great.

And, this is one of those days, I can't write about all the wonderful parts. There were way too many.

New Web Site
One drawing was added today to the Drawing Collection on my Works page. ("Buckingham Palace Fountain" -- one of my favorites from last year's London trip. Go to www.JillBanks.com. Sign up for Fall classes, now listed. Please join my email newsletter list. Thanks to those of you who already signed up! (Oh, and subscribe to this blog for more frequent updates.)

Exhibits and Events (Now look at this on the Events page at www.JillBanks.com)

July 7- August 31, Artists' Atelier, "Water, Water, Everywhere" group exhibit, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA.  Open Saturdays, noon - 4pm.

August, Visiting Resident Studio Artist, Torpedo Factory, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA, Studio #333. See regular hours/days, reception, demo dates on the events page on my web site.

 August 1-10, "Quiet" in Salmagundi Club's Annual Photography and Graphics Exhibition held at Denise Bibro Fine Art, Chelsea, NYC.

Sunday, October 14, MPA Artfest Outdoor Juried Arts Festival, McLean Central Park, McLean, VA

Saturday and Sunday, October 20&21, Great Falls Annual Studio Tour, 10am-5pm, visit artists in their studios throughout Great Falls on a self-guided tour. I’ll be at the Artists’ Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA 22066

Web: www.jillbanks.com
 Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project

Email
Phone: 703.403.7435