Rooster Art: Cock-a-Doodle

I suppose this isn't quite a doodle ... those go a lot faster. But, here's my latest drawing, "Cock-a-Doodle". This drawing is of one of two ceramic roosters that reside in my kitchen. I guess it was about time it was captured, on paper.

In part, I created this drawing in preparation for my drawing class that started this past Monday. (For more information on classes, see my web site: www.jillbanks.com, click on classes.) For all my (massive) trepidation in teaching that class, it went very, very well. Every time I do something new -- like teaching drawing -- I fret, study, prepare, and finally go for it. I was talking to friend and fellow artist (and studiomate) Francie Vecchi today saying that I'm always jumping off cliffs and hoping for the best. This Monday's class turned out for the best. Again. I assume that the fact that each time I do something out of my element, the results are better than expected has something to do with my willingness to go out on a limb again and again.

My concerns about being able to teach this class are rooted in my not knowing how to "teach" drawing. When I teach painting, I'm teaching it based on a clear-cut understanding of how I learned painting myself. My painting instruction was recent and formalized. I could easily pass it on. But, with drawing, I've been drawing my entire life. While I've been trained in drawing (the focus was in learning to see more intensely and adapting to different mediums), I still needed to formulate a way to help students learn. Let's say I'm working on it and that I'll be studying my way through my nine-week class.

MPA Artfest (McLean Project for the Arts juried outdoor art festival) is a little more than two weeks away. I will be working on creating more drawings before that big day as well as organizing what I want to show, etc. The event is Sunday, October 4, 10am - 5pm in McLean Central Park (McLean, VA). Lots to do. Lots of fun. I hope to see you there.

I also posted "Rooster Ruminations", another piece of Rooster Art. It's not quite done ... note, no signature ... but almost. I made a new friend. A tube of yellow ochre, a color that's probably been on everyone else's palette, but not mine. It sure came in handy for the background. That is a Ty Beanie Baby.

"Cock-a-Doodle", 11.5"h x 8.5"w (inside mat), graphite, copyright Jill Banks 2009
"Rooster Ruminations" work in progress, 20"h x 16"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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

"Sarah" Drawing of the Day and the Grand National 2009

My daughter, Sarah, sat for me today. I'm "practicing" drawing in anticipation of teaching my drawing class next week through the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts. I spend most of my time painting, and draw more during vacations or sketching out ideas for portrait commissions. So, I get a little rusty at holding a charcoal pencil.

My still life painting class Fall session starts tomorrow at 9:30 am. I'm scoping out my house for set-ups and then will head to the grocery to find some more subjects. Get more information on my classes on my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

I found out this past week that "Sunflowers II" is accepted into the American Artists Professional League's 81st Grand National Exhibition 2009 that will be held at the Salmagundi Club (47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY) in New York City from November 3 through November 13. This is my first time applying to this juried show ... and second time this year at the Salmagundi Club. The name of the exhibit, The Grand National Exhibition 2009, sounds pretty impressive. I'll give more details closer to exhibit time.

"Sarah", black and terra cotta charcoal on paper, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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

New Pages on My Web Site -- Supply Lists & Class Listings

I'm playing webmaster again ... and just added a page on classes -- complete with supply lists for my drawing and painting classes. Take a look.

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

Bulletin and Registration for Fall 2009 Classes Up

Download the bulletin and registration form for the Great Falls School of Art on the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts web site (www.greatfallsfoundationforarts.org). I just got news that it was up.

I'll be teaching two classes this Fall ... "Drawing From Life" on Monday nights, 6:30-9:30pm, nine sessions starting September 14 and "Oil Painting from Life" on Tuesdays, 9:30am-1:30pm, nine sessions starting September 8. I currently have a few spaces left in my "Drawing from Life" class and the Tuesday class is full. I will take names for a wait list for the class and if there is enough interest, I may do something about it (you never know). Email me at jillbanks1@aol.com or call (703) 403-7435 if you are interested.

Here's info about my classes. I'll post more about some other select classes later -- probably today. Check back.

Great Falls School of Art
FALL 2009 ART CLASSES
Offering Adult, Teen and Children's Classes

School Address: 1144 Walker Road, Suite D, Great Falls, VA 22066
To register, complete the registration form (download from the GFFFTA web site) and mail with full payment to : Great Falls Foundation for the Art, Inc., c/0 Terri Parent, 325 Sinegar Place, Great Falls, VA 22066. Questions? Contact school registrat Terri Parent, 703-433-5358 or terrikate@aol.com

Drawing From Life – Jill Banks
Learn to master values and drawing working from life in various media including charcoal, ink wash and pen and ink, and watercolor washes. Multiple demos per session. Subjects include models and still lifes. A supply list will be provided. For information on the instructor, see Jill’s blog at http://jillbanks.blogspot.com or www.jillbanks.com.

Mondays, Sept. 14-Nov. 9, 6:30pm-9:30pm $300 plus models and materials fee to be determined and paid directly to the instructor



Oil Painting from Life – Jill Banks
Working with varied subject matter (still life, interior, portrait), this course is for students of all levels. Beginners will learn the fundamentals including laying lights/darks (grisaille), color, materials and form. More advanced students will apply skills to new subject matter, refine color and produce finished paintings, learn to see as artists, simplify forms into abstract shapes and how to construct compositions. A model will be hired for some sessions. Information on the instructor can be found at www.jillbanks.com and on her blog at http://jillbanks.blogspot. Supply list will be posted.

Tuesdays, Sept. 8-Nov. 3, 9:30am-1:30pm
$400 plus $60 model/materials fee (materials fee paid directly to instructor)
CLASS FULL -- BUT JOIN THE WAIT LIST -- ANOTHER CLASS MAY BE ADDED.

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

"Florentine Dolphin" Drawing of the Day

I don't know if this one will be framed by our First Friday opening tonight ... but I hope so. This is the second drawing I've done of this subject -- a dolphin fountain in a museum in Florence, Italy. The inspiration for this morning's drawing came from having returned to the painting "Standing By" of husband Randy in Florence yesterday and enthusiasm over teaching a drawing class in the Fall through the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts (Great Falls, VA).

This drawing was started with General's Sketch and Wash pencils: drawn then washed. I added a burnt umber watercolor wash and then charcoal. Actually, this was also inspired by some beautiful acrylic and charcoal landscape paintings that fellow studiomate Elaine Elinsky is creating right now. Come see hers and mine tonight at First Friday at the Artists' Atelier, 7-9pm, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066.

"Florentine Dolphin, Sketch & Wash pencil, watercolor and charcoal on Fabriano Artistico paper; 7.5"h x 9.5"w inside mat dimension framed in 11"h x 14"w frame; copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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

"Peach" Painting and New Drawing Class Offered

Today's (better hurry typing) class was great. I teach a Still Life class through the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts (www.greatfallsfoundationforarts.org) on Tuesday mornings -- and I love it. Peaches were part of the act in two of my still life setups and I didn't see students "get" the shadow/light patterns on the also-patterned peaches. So, I painted an example, albeit a little too late for class, but I hope it will help for next week. That happens to be the last day of class.

I'm still looking for two-three more students for my portrait painting workshop offered through the same organization August 14-16. Contact me for more info at jillbanks1@aol.com or 703.403.7435. This will be an extraordinary class!

Today we also came up with a brand new class offering. I will be teaching drawing on Monday nights, 7-10pm in the Fall (starting September 14), running for nine weeks. The location is 1144 Walker Road, Suite D, Great Falls, VA. The cost will be $300 plus model and material fees (to be determined). Students are enlisting our models -- friends, spouses, people they'd love to draw. Students not ready for drawing people will have still life setups to choose from. I'm excited about offering this class. I've been influenced (a lot) by one of my teachers, Rob Liberace, in exploring drawing across many media -- and it's become part of my soul as an artist. Drawing materials can be with you anywhere ... so you can create while the rest of the family sits on the beach. I'll do multiple demos, especially when we're moving to a new medium. Classes are small -- maximum 9-10 due to space constraints -- so contact me if you'd like to be one of this special group. I think classes will fill up quickly!

I also worked today on one of my two Michelles, portraits of son Sam's girlfriend. Since Sam loves Michelle, he's one heck of a critic. But then again, I do enjoy a challenge.

"Peach"; oil; size: not sure, but little; copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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

Sepia-Toned Watercolor Figure Painting

Yesterday morning, in Robert Liberace's figure drawing class, I had a chance to revisit one of my favorite media: watercolor wash, and rendered this piece. It's an unforgiving media, which is part of its charms for me. There's a great sense of emotion that it elicits. I used burnt sienna artists' watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. hot press watercolor paper. This will be framed and in the Atelier soon.