Jill Banks at King Street Art Festival This Weekend September 17 & 18 in Alexandria

Where you'll see two very fresh new paintings created in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia that will hanging out in my booth ... hopefully not for too long.

"Sundown Downtown," oil, 16"h x 12"w, ©2016 Jill Banks

Jill Banks
Capturing Life in Oils
I got down to Alexandria twice this past week, and "Sundown Downtown" plus "Riverside View" are the results. See more like those on my website: www.JillBanks.com. Subscribe for my email newsletter.

What: ALEXANDRIA KING STREET  FINE ART FESTIVAL

When: SATURDAY, September 17, 10am-7pm; SUNDAY, September 18, 10am to 5pm

Where: Booth #90, front of Monaco Hotel at 480 King Street, Alexandria, VA (220+ artists exhibiting on King Street from Union to Washington Streets)

Why: Original art, great place to be!



So now you know two pieces that will be there. What else? Special requests generally honored as long as you're quick AND you plan to be there. 

REGISTER FOR CLASSES -- START NEXT WEEK
Alexandria may be one of the spots I lead my "Painting the Plein Air Landscape" class this term (first class starts September 22 and there's still room for you).  Get more info on it and other classes that resume this coming week on my web site here.

Get more info on classes with a link to register for each class below.
Evening Paint -- Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30pm -- starts September 20
Still Life Plus -- Tuesdays, 10:30am to 1:30pm -- starts September 20 
Painting the Plein Air Landscape -- Thursdays, 9:30am to 2:00pm, starts September 22. Classes are held in various locations throughout Northern Virginia
NEW! Portrait Painting Three Day Workshop -- November 4-6, 2016.

HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON! 

Jill Banks
www.JillBanks.com

Lots of Art Events and News
Right around the bend...

September 9-October 24: "Island Life" Exhibition of work by artists juried to paint in the inaugural Long Beach Island Plein Air competition, Long Beach Island Foundation, Loveladies, NJ.

September 17-18: King Street Art Festival, Alexandria, VA

September 24-25: Armonk 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, NY

September 30-October 29: Oil Painters of America Salon Show, Castle Gallery of Fine Art, Fort Wayne, Indiana. "Janssen's Market" selected for this prestigious show.

Sunday, October 2: McLean MPA Artfest, McLean Community Park, McLean, VA

October 14-16: Great Falls Annual Studio Tour, Great Falls, VA
 

Blog: For my latest news and works, visit or subscribe to my blog Life as an Artist at jillbanks.blogspot.com

Email: jill@jillbanks.com

Website: www.jillbanks.com

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Art and Produce ... And More

My "Practice" Booth Set Up for the Farmers Market

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, May 26, 9am-1pm) will find me hanging paintings under a tent at the Great Falls Farmers Market (Great Falls, VA) ... and marveling over produce in the next tents. I've set up quite a few times at the market and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I like bringing art to where people are versus waiting for someone to suddenly decide to go looking for art... and art only. Granted, though, more purchases are made with the produce/pastry/food vendors at the Farmers Market than at my booth. But my paintings of fruits and veggies have a very long shelf life. No refrigeration necessary.

The Great Falls Farmers Market is located in the parking lot at the Great Falls Village Centre, 750 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA.

"Grazing On Buttercups," oil, 20"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

And, the good thing is the Farmers Market is right around the corner from Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue where my "Out & About" Exhibit is up for just one more week. That means you can see 29 of my paintings within walking distance.

Signing and Touch-Ups

As I'm selecting paintings for the Farmers Market booth, I picked out two ("Grazing on Buttercups" and "Down By the River") that haven't been signed yet. While Randy was upstairs varnishing some others, I took the two paintings to my downstairs studio to sign. After a good while, I hear Randy's footsteps coming downstairs. There he finds me, in my studio, with the two paintings on the ground ... getting quite a bit more attention than just a signature. "You're painting on them, aren't you?" he asks ... or accuses. Somehow my husband doesn't think that right before packing up for a show is when I should decide to do some extensive ... slow-drying, wet paint touch-ups. They look so much better, though. I could decide to bring two other paintings instead ... but I want to show them. So here's the warning ... some wet paint ahead.

"Down By the River," oil, 16"h x 20"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

Indian Yellow

One of the things that has been bugging me about plein air painting is that it is so difficult to achieve brilliant contrast. When I paint in the studio, it takes multiple sessions and layers to capture the effect of light. But, I came across a clue yesterday ... and that's part of what made me paint on those almost ready to go paintings. I'd removed some colors from my palette when putting together the color charts and supply lists for my classes. One of the colors I got rid of was Indian Yellow, because it's so intensely bright it can cause trouble. I realized that super intense colors are needed to come anywhere close to capturing light outside. There are experiments to come ... but I think I'm on to something.

Exhibits and Events

May 1-31, "Out and About" Solo Show, Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, 760-C Walker Road, Great Falls, VA. Painting on site: to be announced (the Brogue's closed Monday, May 28).  Check back here before coming in case times change or dates/times are added. Thanks! Preview the exhibit here.
 

May 20-June 23, Wayne Plein Air Exhibition 2012, one of 34 artists juried to participate in a plein air competition and exhibit in and around Wayne, PA (May 15-19). Gala Preview and Artists' Reception, Saturday, May 19, 6-10pm at the Wayne Art Center. Exhibition to follow May 20-June 23 at the Wayne Art Center.  Eight pieces for purchase/on exhibit.

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

Email
Phone: 703.403.7435