Dinner With the Poker Club Times Two

My Dad's poker club buddies (and me, to the left) in front of "The Poker Club"

Tonight, my Dad's poker club buddies came to the Old Brogue to see the painting of them "The Poker Club" for the first time finished ... and to have dinner where it's being displayed all month. It was fun watching them stream in the room with big smiles on their faces. In the painting, they are all pretty animated. Same is true in real life. What intrigued me was the interaction between all of them.  A sign of friendship is giving each other a hard time. There always seems to be plenty of that.

"The Poker Club," oil, 30"h x 40"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

My "Out & About" exhibit of twelve paintings,  is on display in Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, May 1-31 at 760-C Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066.

Reception: Sunday, May 6, 2-5pm ... plus I'll be painting there on Wednesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 23. Check back here or my web site for those times.

There were other special parts of the day ... including delivery and installation of two of my NYC paintings to a collector. They look gorgeous there. Photos and text to come some time soon. It's been a long day... and another adventure awaits tomorrow.

Exhibits and Events

April 14-May 4, Salon International 2012, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX.  “Contrapposto”

May 1-31, "Out and About" Solo Show, Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, 760-C Walker Road, Great Falls, VA. Reception: Sunday, May 6, 2-5pm.  
 

May 15-19, Wayne Plein Air Festival 2012, one of 34 artists juried to participate in a plein air competition and exhibit in and around Wayne, PA. Gala Preview and Artists' Reception, Saturday, May 19, 6-10pm at the Wayne Art Center. Exhibition to follow May 20-June 23 at the Wayne Art 
Center. 

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

Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

"The Poker Club"

"The Poker Club," oil, 30"h x 40"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

Today was a scheduled, have Greg Staley photograph our art day at the Artist's Atelier (the studio I share with 12 other artists). Because this was on the calendar, and the fact my show "Out & About" is just around the corner, I've been painting like mad. Yesterday was marathon, elbows in paint day. My goal was to finish "The Poker Club."

It was interesting and productive to put in one long session to finish. I moved from face to face, and grew to be happy with my poker players, one by one, although I'd spent days on each before. In a shorter session, there wouldn't have been the opportunity to work on multiple subjects. This was the right way to pull it all together.

I'd started this painting last Fall when seven members of my dad's poker club agreed to two special poker sessions to let me paint them. Four of these seven members had sat for my 100 Faces in 100 Days project last year and part of the conversations we had revolved around the poker club. What was intriguing to me is how important these Wednesday night gatherings were to them.  It seemed to me that I could witness the dynamics of male friendships just by showing up.

This is a guys only poker club, and that also made me want to come paint and listen. Wearing a smock and holding a paintbrush gained me admittance. What I hoped for was a glimpse into a world that wasn't my own. My dad messed with that a little on me when he insisted on a few rules for my painting nights. The worst was "no swearing" which probably made them considerably quieter and definitely mindful that I was in the room. (I'm pretty sure I could have handled it.)

Thanks to Dad, Russ, Walt, Pepper, Wade, Stan and Frank for letting me paint you!

"The Poker Club" will be included in my solo show "Out & About" in May at Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, 760-C Walker Road, Great Falls, VA. A reception is on Sunday, May 6, 2-5pm.

Exhibits and Events

April 14-May 4, Salon International 2012, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX. Opening Reception: Saturday, April 14, 10am-8pm. “Contrapposto”

See "Classical Painting Atelier" in the April Art League Exhibit

April 3-30, "Classical Painting Atelier" was accepted for the April All-Media Membership Exhibit at the Art League in Alexandria. "Torpedo Factory Dock" is in the Bin Gallery. Both can be seen this month at the Torpedo Factory, Art League Gallery, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA.

April 2 -30, "Sunflowers and Gladioli" and "Cup of Tea" are on exhibit as part of the Great Falls Studios group exhibit at the Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA throughout the month.

May 15-19, Wayne Plein Air Festival 2012, one of 34 artists juried to participate in a plein air competition and exhibit in and around Wayne, PA. Gala Preview and Artists' Reception, Saturday, May 19, 6-10pm at the Wayne Art Center. Exhibition to follow May 20-June 23 at the Wayne Art Center. 

May 1-31, "Out and About" Solo Show, Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, Great Falls, VA. Reception: Sunday, May 6, 2-5pm.
 
Web: www.jillbanks.com
 Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project

Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

"The Poker Club" Continued

"The Poker Club" work in progress, oil, 30"h x 40"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

I've lost track of how many days have been spent on this painting ... and that's a pretty good sign that it's been many. The deadline for completion approaches, as it is one of those twelve canvases planned for my May solo show "Out & About." With so much time invested, the pressure builds to get it all right. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'm hoping to finish it with two more days invested...

Today's work added a smile to one of the players in my dad's Poker Club. I generally try to avoid teeth at all costs ... but one of the reasons for tackling this painting was to capture the friendships/comraderie between the Club's members. My dad, whose back is to you, tends to make it difficult to keep a straight face. There are other factors weighing in on my approach overall. Let's see where it goes from here.

Tomorrow's the second day of my portrait class. Time to see my students paint. During breaks in last week's demo, I was warned by one of my students to keep an eye on him. So that's part of the plan.

Exhibits and Events

April 14-May 4, Salon International 2012, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX. Opening Reception: Saturday, April 14, 10am-8pm. “Contrapposto”

See "Classical Painting Atelier" in the April Art League Exhibit

April 3-30, "Classical Painting Atelier" was accepted for the April All-Media Membership Exhibit at the Art League in Alexandria. "Torpedo Factory Dock" is in the Bin Gallery. Both can be seen this month at the Torpedo Factory, Art League Gallery, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA.

April 2 -30, "Sunflowers and Gladioli" and "Cup of Tea" are on exhibit as part of the Great Falls Studios group exhibit at the Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA throughout the month.

May 15-19, Wayne Plein Air Festival 2012, one of 34 artists juried to participate in a plein air competition and exhibit in and around Wayne, PA. Gala Preview and Artists' Reception, Saturday, May 19, 6-10pm at the Wayne Art Center. Exhibition to follow May 20-June 23 at the Wayne Art Center. 

May 1-31, "Out and About" Solo Show, Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, Great Falls, VA. Reception: Sunday, May 6, 2-5pm.
 
Web: www.jillbanks.com
 Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project

Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

"The Poker Club": Day Two

"The Poker Club" work in progress, oil, 30"h x 40"w, ©Jill Banks 2011

Tonight was Day Two -- painting my Dad's Poker Club buddies "live" at their condo. It was quite a night ... and my models are getting a very big kick out of being captured together in paint.

I had worked on this some from photos -- to place my Dad in the scene (his back is toward you), to correct some serious drawing issues from Day One ... and to paint Stanley (the Poker Czar) dealing standing up. I made the last brave task  ... to move Stanley with 45 minutes to go before packing the painting and my gear in the car. It made all the difference in the world.

I'm going to let this rest, and dry in its present stage, and then will tackle the chips and cards ... and  drinks on the table from photos.

That's it for tonight. Time to rest.

Web Site Updates

Animals are definitely on my mind, what with these Beanie Baby paintings and the Richeson Exhibit ... so today I added a new gallery to my web site: Animals, Birds and Wildlife. My own version of a virtual/online farm and zoo. Please take a look and tell me what you think.

Exhibits & Events

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

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.

The Art League "Small Works" Exhibit, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA. "Kiwi" and "Ostrich and Polka Dots" are on view November 9-December 5.

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
Email

"The Poker Game": Day One

"The Poker Club" work in progress, oil on linen, 30"h x 40"w, ©Jill Banks 2011

I will have to write another post (not tonight) about Randy modeling for my last day of Portrait class.

But, tonight I started painting my Dad and his poker buddies. Version One of the Fall/Winter group. I wasn't sure how this would work  -- but it did. I broke all sorts of my own rules to speed up getting a lot of the background in there. I resorted to using Turpenoid (odorless mineral spirits) to cover a big area -- fast. This abbreviated poker club group had a bunch of rules to follow -- like very clean language in the company of yours truly. They held it together pretty well.

I went with a very large canvas (30"h x 40"w) -- because I figured each head would be small enough. I'd like to work larger still -- but working from life -- the width of the canvas obscures your view. The image that comes to mind is the Norman Rockwell painting with him peering from being the canvas. Imagine trying to paint the right side from all the way on the left. (No, you can't peer sometimes from the right and sometimes from the left. The perspective on the drawing would be way off.

My dad & mom with me (the smocked one) in the background

I am truly appreciative to Pepper, Wade, Stanley, Frank, Russ, Walt and my Dad -- for agreeing to be part of my experiment and play poker two times this week. The only one missing from the painting -- so far -- is my Dad who had his back to me. I'll look through some of the photos I took tonight to figure out where to place him in the scene. I will definitely be painting a draft of the chips and cards on the table from photos -- to be adjusted, from life, next week.

To Frank: the name of the painting is not official yet.

Exhibits & Events

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

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
Email