Day at the Phillips Collection

Edgar Degas (French, 1834-1917) The Dance Class c. 1873

I've been needing a day of play and inspiration ... badly. I might just need more than a day but this afternoon's adventure definitely helped.

I had never been to the Phillips Collection, even though I live in the DC area. It was time to branch out from my regular museum haunts. The draw for the Phillips is the current exhibition "Degas's Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint." There are some truly beautiful pieces in this special exhibition, including my favorite, The Dance Class on loan from the Corcoran, the William A. Clark Collection. The greatest part of that painting (for me) are the dancers descending the spiral staircase in the upper left. That's simply brilliant. There's a real sense of intimacy, and space and light.

Edgar Degas, Dancers At the Barre, oil, early 1880s-1900

Exhibition wall text drove home the fact that Degas worked and reworked and reworked his art. When it didn't appear that he had reworked a piece, it was explained that the painting had quickly sold so he hadn't had a chance. I completely understand this with some of his obviously complex pieces like this one. I could see how others were improved with additions and changes. In one case, I found it strange however. For Dancers At the Barre, Degas drew sketch after sketch with minimal changes over a long period of time. As attractive as the painting is, I wonder what he had to spend so much time working out. I made the mistake of mentioning this to (husband) Randy ... who I thinked laughed at me. The reason I needed a break ... is because I've been fretting and redoing and improving my own work, lots, of late.

The exhibit has wonderful text, too. Degas collected ... and some of the paintings he once owned were on view. He owned Manets but had a falling out with Manet when that artist cut his wife out of the double-portrait canvas that Degas had painted of them. Well, that conjures up a lot of potential stories, doesn't it? I hope none of the portraits I paint suffer the same fate.

William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916), Hide and Seek, oil, 1888

The Phillips Permanent Collection held many gems as well. (Many of the paintings in the Degas special exhibition are also part of the permanent collection.) Favorites included paintings by John Henry Twachtman (American, 1853-1902) and Pierre Bonnard (French). When Duncan Phillips liked an artist, he bought a lot of his work.

The museum held lots of unknown territory for me -- I've been tuned in elsewhere. Of those artists I knew, their pieces at the Phillips still held surprises in one form or another. William Merritt Chase's Hide and Seek is fascinating. I love the composition, the spareness of the interior and tension within.

Jill Banks, Hide and Seek, oil, 2005. Private collection.

Speaking of Hide and Seek, I painted one by the same title that appeared as my postcard image for my first solo show. Fruit as protaganists.

The Phillips Collection Degas exhibit closes January 8.

A GREAT Holiday Gift for the Artist You Love...

The Audition, oil, 20"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2011

Registration is going on now for classes and workshops that start in January at the Great Falls School of Art. I'll be teaching Portrait Painting and Drawing on Mondays, 10am-1pm, 9 classes starting January 16. There's just one spot left...

And, I'm teaching Still Life Painting in Oils on Tuesdays, 10am-1pm, 9 sessions starting January 17. There's just one spot left in it.

Get more information on classes on my web site, classes page ... and if you are registering, please email me to let me know. Thanks!!!

There are a lot more exciting classes and workshops from terrific instructors ... for artists of all ages. 


For more information on other class offerings, go to the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts web site: www.GreatFallsFoundationForArts.org and click on Winter Catalog to download.

Current Exhibitions
Mainly ... my home is filled with lots of art from my December Home Studio Open House. Want a tour?

Richeson 75 Animals, Birds and Wildlife Online Exhibition, November 7- December 15, 2011. "Pretty Girl Hen" was selected as one of 75 finalists viewable online at www.richeson75.com/wildlife/index.html and in a full-color catalog.

To read more about the 100 Faces in 100 Days project on my web site (www.jillbanks.com), go to the 100 Faces Project Pages 1 and 2 where you can see all 100 of my volunteers. Click on the paintings, and go to my blog post for that person's sitting.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 1 (faces 1-54): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project.html
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 2 (faces 55-100): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project_2.html
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What a Difference a Varnish (and a Supportive Spouse) Make...

Not necessarily in that order.

The newly varnished "NYC Street" on our mantel

Yea for Spouses!
For any of you who follow my blog or attend my art events, you already know I lucked out in the supportive spouse category. My husband Randy has an awful lot to do with my success as a professional artist. He's my framer, picture hanger, packager, agent, mailer, money guy, bookkeeper and more. Thank goodness! All his work leaves me the time I need to paint, teach, blog and market my work.

Perhaps spurred on by collectors turning October into a very financially successful month and upcoming art sales events, Randy's helping out in new ways. He's now in the push-me-to-finish business, meaning Randy is:

• collecting unframed drawings (a big job)
• looking for paintings that are missing my signature (and getting me to sign them)
• figuring out which paintings need to be varnished (and varnishing them)
• figuring out which paintings need to be framed and checking the frame inventory to see what we need to order/select

These are all tasks that need to be done to turn this artwork into purchasable/ready-to-hang art. And yet, they are all exceedingly difficult to get around to doing, i.e., my most procrastination-prone pile of "stuff to do."

Yea for Varnish!
I'd told you that on Sunday, one collector purchased two of my paintings -- one of which is "Lots of Peppers" and the other is one of my two large-scale New York City street scenes. She couldn't decide which one yet -- but that will happen this week. Both of those paintings needed a final varnish. Randy took care of that -- and they look fantastic! Varnishing brings out the true colors and contrasts of a painting -- bringing it back to its wet-paint finish. Before the varnish, darks in particular look lighter, a little milky. By varnishing "NYC Street," all the colors in the light pop, the image looks crisper and the painting is more interesting. I figured I'd let you see it, propped on my mantel, just in case its the one to go. (I use Gamvar Final Picture Varnish.)

Saturday

I plan to be in the Artists' Atelier for open hours this coming Saturday, November 5 from noon-4pm before heading to the reception for the Expressions Portrait Exhibit at ArtSpace Herndon. The Atelier still looks pretty terrific from Studio Tour in case you want to stop by at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA 22066. And, because I'll be there, I'll miss all the activities going on at the Phillips Collection on that day in honor of their 90th Anniversary. Here's the scoop on that:

The Phillips Collection

90th Anniversary Birthday Bash

Saturday, November 5

10am-8pn

Free admission

On the day D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has proclaimed "Phillips Collection Day," celebrate the museum's 90th anniversary with a day of free activities, gallery talks, and live music. Highlights include:

• Free admission to Degas's Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint
• Cupcake party favors while supplies last (10am-noon)
• Hands-on art-making inspired by Will Ryman's outdoor sculpture of colossal pink roses (10am-noon)
• Hourly gallery talks on Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party and European Masterworks (11am-6pm)
• "Happy Birthday" sing-along led by Ben Eisler from ABC7/WJLA-TV (noon)
• Ballet students from the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington D.C. practicing in the Degas exhibition (12:30-3:00pm)
• Interactive self-guide to the collection by illustrator Elizabeth Graeber
• Musical performances throughout the day, featuring Parisian-inspired accordionist Manny Bobenrieth, the Capital Hearings a cappella group, Teiber Trio, Tommy Cecil Quartet, Yvonne Johnson Trio and DJ Neville C.
• Cash bar with wine, beer, champagne, and light snacks (4:15-8:00pm)

Sponsored by AON Huntington Block Insurance. Media partner ABC7/WJLA-TV.

Exhibits & Events

Expressions Portrait Exhibit at ArtSpace Herndon, November 1 through 27. Reception and awards, November 5, 7pm. "Tranquility" was chosen as one of the finalists. 750 Center Street, Herndon, VA.

The Art League's October All-Media Membership Exhibit,  105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA. My charcoal drawing of "Oscar" was juried in and will be on view through November 7. "Cubanelle and Roses" is in the Bin Gallery.

American Artists Professional League 83rd Grand National,Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, NYC, Nov. 1-11. "Alan" was juried into the show.

To read more about the 100 Faces in 100 Days project on my web site (www.jillbanks.com), go to the 100 Faces Project Pages 1 and 2 where you can see all 100 of my volunteers. Click on the paintings, and go to my blog post for that person's sitting.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 1 (faces 1-54): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project.html
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 2 (faces 55-100): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project_2.html
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