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"Traffic Patterns" work in progress, oil, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

I was in the studio (the Artists' Atelier, the space I share with 13 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA) today after a long hiatus. I love being there ... combining comraderie and the chance to paint.  There were many of us in there painting, plus some visitors including a family from Italy who came to the studio chatting in Italian with Michela Mansuino (my studiomate). That, along with an afternoon filled with opera coming through the afternoon made it a cultured sort of day indeed.

While more is left to do, the afternoon was spent working on "Traffic Patterns."  A pleasure.  The pigeon appeared today.

Last night's reception for the Great Falls School of Art Student Exhibition was fantastic.  It really is my favorite art opening of the year -- particularly because the artists are of all ages -- and they get the chance to show what they've been working at and toward during the year. I thought that most of this post would be about that ... but one of my students, Christine Flack-Blazier, put up a blog post of her own that is a better report than any I might add. So go to hers at: http://cfblazier.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/student-art-show/.

Winners were chosen in both Youth and Adult categories by guest juror, award-winning painter Vicki Vidal Blum. The winners are:

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Youth Category

1^st Place Amrita Sahu for “Yellow Flower”  Super Sculpy and Acrylic Paint

2^nd Place Mary Jones for “Flying in the Meadow”  Paper Collage & Watercolor 

3^rd Place Maryam Bade for “Sugar Pot”  Acrylic on Paper 

Honorable Mention Grace Kugler for “Ducky in the Pond”  Acrylic & Watercolor on Paper

Honorable Mention Maryam Bade for “American Girl Doll”  Charcoal & Pencil on Paper

Honorable Mention Grace Kugler for “Seafood”  Watercolor on Paper



Adult Category

1^st Place Nancy Keane for “Still Life with Ball Jar and Red Onion”  Oil on Canvas

2^nd Place Amy Zavrel for "Cove Point"  Oil on Canvas

3^rd Place Mary Beth Gaiarin for “Treasures from Italy”  Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention Henry Haigler for “Carolina Lady”  Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention Nancy Keane for “Lilia”  Oil on Canvas

Honorable Mention Barbara Marhoefer for “Onion with Mason Jar”  Oil on Canvas

I may put some photos up from the evening ... but on another day. Currently, there seems to be more to do than hours in the day.

Classes start next week! There are lots of great offerings with new classes and new teachers. It's always difficult to get new classes going -- the best way to help is to sign up. The Great Falls School of Art is a great place to learn, with excellent teachers, and supportive, fun fellow students. Plus, parking is easy and convenient and your art could be in the gallery next January. Come join us!  Go to my web site's classes page for more info on my offerings and a link to the school.

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

Events and Exhibits
Register now for Winter classes.  See my web site: www.JillBanks.com, Classes page for Still Life Painting in Oils and Draw, Paint, Sculpt the Portrait -- offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA. Still Life is now full with a wait list. Sign up for the Portrait class -- it's going to be a great one! 

 

New Market Series Painting Start Today: "Fruit and Wine"

I started "Fruit and Wine" today -- the latest painting in my new Market series. This last week I've been working on a portrait commission and it was time to let it rest for a few days. Later I'll be able to return to it with a fresh perspective. Always a good thing!

"Fruit and Wine" depicts a fruit stand in Burano, Italy ... a fishing village near Venice. All of the buildings are painted unbelievably bright, beautiful colors to help the fishermen find their way back home. Arriving there on the ferry, you pass one impossibly vibrant building after another. Randy and I went there during Easter week last year on Robert Liberace's art historical tour. Artist friend Linda Wharton missed the ferry the rest of the group took because she got engrossed in a painting done on the spot. That happens. She rejoined the group many worried hours later.

For day one, I wanted to get the base, loose drawing in place and roughly block in the colors. The blue of the walls will get knocked down in intensity later ... to make it drift back in space. It's interesting that I'll have to do that, as blues are the most difficult colors to keep bright. They look bright and intense on the palette, and as soon as you mix them with another color, they immediately dull. An exception I've found is Winsor Blue (made by Winsor and Newton). To dull it, I will probably use a glaze made with Gamblin's Neomegilp and Transparent Earth Orange (a complementary color). We'll see if that works.

"Fruit and Wine" work in progress (day one), oil on Senso linen, 24"h x 36"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

See more of my Market paintings ("Limoni", "Rialto Market", and "Rainy Day Market") on my web site, www.jillbanks.com in the gallery pages. Since I can't figure out whether they are "still lifes" or "places", you'll have to look at them both. Or, better yet, stop by this weekend at my new upstairs, downstairs studios at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D & G, Great Falls, VA. I'll be participating in the Spring Arts Festival sponsored by Great Falls Studios, a membership organization of 84 artists who live or work in Great Falls. 30 of those 84 will be taking part in the Festival that occurs in two locations near the intersection of Walker Road and Colvin Run Road. That's this Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm. I'll give more details in another post.

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