Back to "The Produce Seller"

Quick post ... because I'm starving. Type ... then eat.

I've been working on this one the past two days, trying to finish it up. It's not easy.

I'll put it aside and see what I think tomorrow a.m. Actually, I swear it doesn't look that much different than two days ago's version. What's up with that? Hmmm.

"The Produce Seller" (it used to be named "Fresh Produce" ... which do you like better?, oil on Senso linen, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

Painting Garlic: New in My Market Series

Tonight (any moment now), Randy and I are heading out for a wonderful Rome post-trip reunion party. Can't wait. Carciofi alla Romana (Artichokes Roman Style) is simmering on the stove. With Rome on my mind, I painted "Rope of Garlic" in the studio today. This garlic was hanging in the Campo dei Fiori market in Rome. That's the same market that inspired my "Fresh Produce" painting. Apropos, no?

See more of my market series on my web site in the places and still life galleries: www.jillbanks.com.

Tomorrow ... early ... I'm off to New York to paint/draw and see some Joaquin Sorolla (my favorite artist) murals for inspiration at the Hispanic Society of America. I'm really excited. I'll let you know what I think.

"Rope of Garlic" work in progress, oil on Raymar panel, 16"h x 20"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

Painting of Rome's Campo dei Fiori Market

Today was wonderful. I struggled for the rest of last week in Sherrie McGraw's workshop ... trying to get it, thinking while painting (a tough combination ... as I tell my drawing 101 students), learning new materials, attempting to be a good student, absorbing all I could. I created some funny-looking work even though I had great inspiration. (Coming out with acceptable paintings wasn't the point ... learning was.)

But, today, I just breathed. Painted and reflected and found that I'd learned some invaluable lessons that are going to greatly influence my work. I picked back up on "Fresh Produce", a painting of a produce vendor from the Campo dei Fiori market in Rome. Husband Randy and I took an art historical trip there over Easter week this year. This was a break from art history.

One lesson I applied here was to think about what function I wanted each of the parts of my painting to play ... did I want it to be a dark or light. And, regardless of reality, how did I want to orchestrate the music of light and dark on the canvas to tell my story? An unusual approach, but one I see clearly taken in the work of Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Raphael. It's all about the light and its shape.

See more of my market paintings in the Places and Still Life Galleries on my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

This is still a work in progress. Check back.

"Fresh Produce" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

"Marvelous Market" Painting Today

This is day two for this painting, the latest in my market series. Each series blends with the thoughts and directions of other ones. One thing leads to another. And another. Like one's lineage. Probably the closest to it is "Gelato Shop" (shown below). I will continue to work on "Marvelous Market", refining work on some of the apples on the right and adding reflections and glow with glazes once this layer has dried. I actually took the photo prior to being done with it for the day -- to get a tiny bit of daylight helping the photo process.

Randy's been out shoveling the driveway on and off all day. I have sympathy back pains. How's that for an empathetic wife?

"Marvelous Market" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 18"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
Also shown (right): "Gelato Shop, oil on linen, 20"h x 16" w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Marvelous Market is a great bakery, sandwich, soup and take home snack shop at Reston Town Center (in Reston, VA). It looked so inviting ... and warm. More contrast with the frigid surroundings outside. When the outside's not too hospitable, my thoughts turn inside. And where my thoughts go, my paintbrush follows.

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

"Arance, Oranges" New Painting in Progress

This is Day Two on this painting of oranges and lemons from a market in Florence, Italy -- the latest work in my Market series. This is one of those paintings that looked phenomenal just in the underpainting stage -- when I first lay in the darks with Burnt Sienna and French Ultramarine Blue to "deign" the painting. You can see some of that underpainting on the parts of the painting I haven't touched yet.

I'm definitely having fun. Large forms, generous scale, loose brushstrokes, intense color, happy painting -- the perfect formula for me. It's hard not to love it.

My son Sam turned 21 today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAM!

His birthday present from Randy and me was "Michelle II". See yesterday's post.

I'm not sure "Arance, Oranges" will be the final title on this, but it will do for now.
"Arance, Oranges" work in progress, 24"h x 36"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

By the way, Randy and I had dinner tonight at the Old Brogue in Great Falls where my painting "Lemon Yellow" hangs as part of the Great Falls Studios group show through the end of August. Check it out and these other exhibits before they close at the end of this month.

"On the Bright Side" solo show of 23 paintings and drawings at the Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA through August 31. See my web site for more information about that show.

and "Still Life Poetry", a group invitational (fantastic) exhibit at ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center Street, Herndon, VA -- where I have four still lifes -- on exhibit through August 30.

And, come see me at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA. Open Saturdays, noon-4pm and the First Friday of every month, 7-9pm. Plus, by appointment -- call 703.403.7435.

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

"Venezia Market" Painting -- So Close

This one's really close to done. I'll tweak some of my edges, do a little clean-up and sign it. I love the yellow apples in the middle front. The colors in the shadows hold all sorts of surprises. My goal is to finish this one and put the finishing touches on "Food and Wine" and then work on photographing work, framing, signing, getting postcards out, etc. for my solo show "On the Bright Side" by the end of the month.

This past week, I've been MIA from my blog -- working on portrait commissions including one of a couple that's 99.999% done and two other major projects that are in the drawing stages. At the supermarket today, I ran into my client for the 99.999% done portrait. Since I work in the Atelier where we get plenty of visitors ... lots of friends and acquaintances of the couple I've been painting have seen it ... and passed on how terrific it is. (It is.) The client hasn't seen it however. I take it as a sign that I've captured them ... since everyone recognizes them. Still, I better get the .001% left done so I can reveal it properly.

My "On the Bright Side" exhibit is being held at the Great Falls Library, July 2-August 31. I'm giving a painting demonstration on Saturday, July 11, 1-4pm (rsvp at jillbanks1@aol.com for that event) and will have a reception, Saturday, July 18, 3-6pm. See my web site (www.jillbanks.com) for more details and a preview of that exhibit. (I'm still adding to the preview -- so check back.) Mark your calendars! I hope to see you there.

Randy and I are also going up to New York City this coming Friday for the Awards Reception (and closing reception) for the Salmagundi's Club Annual Graphics and Photography Exhibition where two of my works are hanging. See my post about that acceptance and the drawings that are on exhibit. The Salmagundi Club is a beautiful, esteemed Art Institution ... and I'm ecstatic to have my work exhibited there. Pretty great.

"Venezia Market" with close-up, oil on linen, 18"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

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