Michelle and My Son Sam: BIG News

The REALLY, really big GREAT news I have to share is that my little kid, son Sam had quite a week and proposed to his girlfriend Michelle last night. It wasn't enough that he went through surgery for a deviated septum (on Michelle's birthday), a stomach virus, and healing this week ... during Spring Break at Virginia Tech. He bought an engagement ring (with a bandaged nose) and proposed. And, Michelle said yes.

We are thrilled. Both Sam and Michelle are lucky people to have each other to spend the rest of their lives with. They are just fun to be around and terrific individuals. Even better together!

I've so enjoyed getting to know Michelle. How lucky I am to be getting her as my daughter-in-law! She's an incredibly caring, supportive person who obviously deeply loves my son. When Sam (nose bandaged, sick to his stomach) asked Michelle if she wanted anything ... she said "yes, for you to get better." To know her is to love her.  I'd say Sam agrees.

To know Sam is to love him. They are just right for each other.

Last summer I painted two portraits of Michelle while she was staying with us for the month. Her parents own "Michelle I" and Sam owns "Michelle II".  Something I found interesting is that her Mom (and Michelle) like their portrait ("Michelle I") the best and Sam likes his portrait ("Michelle II") the best. How'd that happen?

You can read more about those portraits on earlier blog posts:
"Michelle II"
"Michelle I Getting Better"
"Two Alla Prima Portraits: Lots of Michelles"

The only odd thing for me about this news is that I'm now the Mom of someone getting married. That must mean I'm out of my 20s. I've noticed that as I grow older, I find myself on the other side of events ... you remember when the same moments happened to you ... and now you know what your parents felt and experienced during those big moments in your life. Sam talked to Randy and I about his plan last Friday night. On Saturday, while Michelle was taking care of Sam, Randy and I walked around the quad at Virginia Tech ... taking it all in. Excited but still adjusting to this new stage in our life. It just so happened that a wedding was taking place at the chapel there as we walked. I kept thinking of the song "Time Passages".

Congratulations Sam and Michelle!

Left: Michelle's newly adorned left hand.

Top: "Michelle I", oil on linen, 24"h x 18"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Middle: "Michelle II", oil on linen, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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

Back to Michelle I and More on Life

My husband Randy's mom passed away peacefully yesterday morning. We're not mourning. We are celebrating her life. Randy and I brought together two beautiful families. That makes for a lot of lucky people. We've got each other.

I have been painting ... just not quite as much. Yesterday and today, I worked on "Michelle I", the painting I started this summer as practice for my public demo as part of my "On the Bright Side" solo show. I'm close to finished. I cherish every moment I get to paint. I need it.

I've also been working on a portrait commission and my Wednesday live model session painting, "Tranquility." I have big hopes for it and I really like the portrait.

I did ship "Sunflowers II' up to New York City yesterday for the American Artists Professional League's Grand National Exhibition being held at the Salmagundi Club.  That's one of two NYC shows I've been juried into for November. Since I knew it was accepted into the show, I've had it sitting on my family room mantel for the last few weeks. I miss it. It was extraordinary to live with. A spirit-lifter.

"Michelle I" work in progress, oil on linen, 24"h x 18"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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

"Michelle I" Getting Better

Last night I worked more on this portrait of Michelle Anonick, my son Sam's girlfriend. Husband Randy asked me how Sam's latest critique went, and I had to hesitate and then laugh. My response was approximately this: "Let me start by saying that Sam thinks this is the best portrait I've ever done. But, he also thought I made her left eye look a tad bigger than her right. Which, we then agreed really was the case. So, he left me to work a while longer and I told him to take a look at it when I finished. Then I get the question, 'What did you do to her eye? Now it looks smaller than the other one.'" My conclusion, the kid's nuts. Nice, but nuts.

I will work on her hair, ear, background, clothing, and arms ... but not her face. In the words of Goldilocks, "This one's just right."

I have been really busy lately with some great goings on with more to come this week. I started a great new painting on Sunday that I'll show you in a post coming up, plus enjoyed the opening at ArtSpace Herndon of the "Still Life Poetry" exhibit I'm participating in. I'll also post photos of that fantastic show. It's beautiful! You have to see it. See ArtSpace Herndon's web site for open hours.

Tomorrow's the last day of my still life class for the summer session ... so I'll be spending all day teaching. Wednesday I'm being interviewed by Brian Trompeter from the Sun Gazette. Thursday, I'm giving a tour of the Artists' Atelier (the studio space I share with 15 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G) in the morning and my "On the Bright Side" exhibit at the Great Falls Library (9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA) in the afternoon. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday I'll be teaching a Portrait and Figure Painting in Oils workshop through the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts. There's still a space or two in that workshop. If you're interested in signing up, email me at jillbanks1@aol.com or call 703.403.7435.

"Michelle I" work in progress day 4, oil on linen, 24"h x 18"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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