"Sitting with Statues" Inside the Loggia, Piazza della Signoria, Florence ... Finished

"Sitting with Statues," Florence, Italy, oil, 30"h x 40"w, ©Jill Banks 2014

Finally.  I've been wanting to finish this painting ... based on a plein air piece created at this spot in April. Read about "Sitting with Statues' in progress and its inspiration on my earlier post here.

Today was spent working away in the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 14 other artists. With a full schedule recently it's been awhile since painting there, enjoying the company of many of my studiomates. We caught up some, and then settled in to work at our own easels. It was a pretty wonderful day.

If you read my last post, you know that Randy and I have put our home on the market, ready to move into a townhouse condo (still local, with a fantastic home studio space) to make it easy to take my art on the road -- with workshops, painting trips, juried art festivals. Getting ready has slimmed down my painting escapades and made me cranky. Two full days of painting exactly what I wanted have provided the cure.

Later this week I'll be participating in the Paint the Shenandoah invitational paint-out. That means painting the town of Washington, VA (where the Inn of Little Washington stands), and vineyards, mountains ...

Sooner or later I'll put up the posts from those days.

Check out my website's events page for more info on what else is ahead... like the Amagansett Fine Art Festival with a fantastic roster of artists in the Hamptons July 4, 5 & 6.

Coming Up

• June 26-29: Paint the Shenandoah Plein Air Paintout, Sperryville, VA and vicinity
• July 4, 5, 6: Amagansett Fine Art Festival, Amagansett, New York (just east of East Hampton)
• July 12 & 13: the 52nd Wickford Art Festival, Wickford, RI. Over 200 artists from New England, US and beyond.
• July 19 & 20: the 41st Annual Westport Fine Art Festival, Westport, CT.
• Aug. 16-Oct. 12: Paint the Shenandoah Exhibition, River District Arts, Sperryville, VA
• Aug. 23-24: Shadyside: The Art Festival on Walnut Street, Pittsburgh, PA
• September 20 & 21: Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Armonk, New York
• October 5: McLean MPA Artfest, Sunday, October 5, McLean, VA. 52 artists in McLean Central Park
• Oct. 17-19: Great Falls Annual Studio Tour, Artists’ Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA
• Ongoing: Visit the studio I share with 14 other artists at the Artists’ Atelier, Great Falls, VA open Wed. and Sat., 12- 4pm
• Jan.-Feb. 2015: Solo Exhibit, ArtSpace Herndon, Herndon, VA
• See the Events page for more info/updates

Thanks for reading,

Jill

Phone: 703.403.7435
Email: jill@jillbanks.com
Web: www.JillBanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Subscribe to my Email Newsletter: News from the Easel (This link takes you to the subscription page.)


Paint with Me in Italy: August 3 to 10, 2014. For more info, itinerary and links to register, see the classes page on my web site. Great folks are signing up to join me on this wonderful adventure. I hope you can, too!

"Seat By the Window: Montmartre" Painting Continued

"Seat By the Window: Montmartre" in progress, oil, 24"h x 36"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

It's not quite done yet ... but it is getting there. Every minute working on "Seat By the Window: Montmartre" has been enjoyable as it sends me (at least my thoughts) traveling back to a favorite day in Paris.

Late afternoon was spent at open life at the McLean Community Center painting first a figure and then a portrait during the last hour.  I'll have to take a look at the two tomorrow to see if they improved while I slept. You never know.

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


Events

"Primary Colors," a plein air painting of McLean Central Park in on view at Greenberry's

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.

Expanded Studio and Colvin Run Historical Street Fair This Sunday

My newly expanded, spiffed up space at the Artists' Atelier in Great Falls, VA

The Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 15 other artists, will be open tomorrow, Sunday, May 15, noon to 4pm at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066. The Colvin Run Historic Street Fair celebrates the Colvin Run Neighborhood's 200th anniversary. Lots going on in the School House, at the Atelier and Great Falls School of Art, and at the Colvin Run Mill. Please stop by to see some art and enjoy refreshments.

Expanded Studio Space

The new wall

On May 1, I took out additional space upstairs in the Atelier, widening and deepening the space for more walls to hang art and more foot space ... so I have room to set up a still life or have someone sit for me and I can still stand back. Today, Randy and I hung more work, put down some more gray rubber tile (easier on the feet) and settled in. I haven't utilized the extra foot room but ... I can't wait!

My house currently has a lot of hooks missing their paintings. With the Artists' Atelier show (with "Dining Al Fresco," "Through the Window," "Elizabeth" and "Summer Reading") at the Candy Factory in Manassas, my 100 Faces in 100 Days exhibit at the Great Falls Library (with my 100 Faces plus five more favorite paintings) and all the additional paintings in my studio, it's never been clearer that I have lots of  painting to do. Well, great!

Register Now for My "Mastering the Business of Art" Workshop

Creating a successful art career requires more than just creating appealing art.  This two-part workshop covers the fundamentals of planning and establishing a career as a professional artist.  Topics include goal setting, studio setup, purchasing supplies, pricing your work, exhibiting and selling, grants, marketing, social media and more!  Jill began art classes in 2003 and has successfully built a rewarding art career  through sales, commissions, awards, grants, gallery representation and teaching.  This popular class is held once a year.  Do not miss this opportunity!  For more information on me visit: www.jillbanks.com.

Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26, 6:30-9:30pm

$100 plus $20 booklet fee (booklet fee paid directly to instructor)

Please register by May 19. Late registrations are tough to manage. Thanks!

Registration Form

100 Faces in 100 Days Exhibits

All 100 faces will be on view two times this Spring/Summer.  Come see!

May 3-31 at the Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA

Demo/Artist’s Talk: Saturday, May 21, 2-5pm

August 1-31 at the Gallery in the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA 22066

Reception: Friday, August 12, 6-9pm

Ice Cream Social: Saturday, August 13, 2-4pm

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

"Il Gatto": Italian Cat Painting Today

Finally. A new post. "Il Gatto" was meant to be something simple to paint. It wasn't for some reason. Randy and I passed this fellow on one of our long walks in Florence. He seemed to have plenty of attitude. (Most cats do.) While I was painting this, I was thinking about what he might have been saying. I figure that it was "What are you looking at?"

The reason I think it was difficult to paint was the surface. I used a Raymar panel for this one ... in preparation for a workshop I'm taking next week. The slick, non-absorbent support gets me every time. Hopefully, dealing with those issues will be one of my "takeaway" pieces of knowledge from the workshop. That would be great!

Because the panel wasn't absorbing the paint, I ended up with a soupy mess. I did find a solution though, and that was to wipe away the lights ... a way I started paintings in workshops at Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. That was one of those "aha" moments today. Painting requires pulling on all of the knowledge you've accumulated. Lots of problem solving opportunities.

I started this as a grisaille. Using just burnt sienna, French ultramarine and white. Eventually the other colors on my palette crept in.

One of my projects that kept me quiet this past week was constructing a mini website for the Artists' Atelier -- the studio I share with 14 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G in Great Falls. Check it out at www.theartistsatelier.blogspot.com.

"Il Gatto", oil on Raymar panel, 14"h x 11"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010

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