"Seat by the Window: Montmartre" Painting In Progress

"Seat by the Window: Montmartre" work in progress, oil, 24"h x 36"w, ©Jill Banks 2013

Less than a week ago, I was occupying a seat next to Randy at the window of our newly favorite restaurant in Paris. When picking what to paint -- I went for the memory of that fantastic meal, day, trip, place to guide me. It was a great spot, too, to people watch with interesting characters inside and lining the tables right outside the window.  It was tough to stop painting today -- too much fun and it was a great way to relive the afternoon.

It really doesn't get any better than that ... or this.

Tomorrow's the first day of my Spring Still Life class. There's still room if you'd like to register on the spot. Go to my web site (www.JillBanks.com), classes page for more info.  Then, on Wednesday, my Landscape class starts. We'll be painting in different locations all over town.

This coming Thursday, April 12, there's a coffee at the Artists' Atelier (the studio I share with 14 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA)  at 9:30am sponsored by Celebrate Great Falls, the group that brings together five big community events throughout the year. Come get to know that group and enjoy our Windows and Doors show in the gallery. Nice treats, too!

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

Events and Exhibits

Don't miss out. Sign up now for Spring Classes that start April 9 (Still Life in Oils -- but you can work on your own projects from reference materials in this class as well, Tuesdays, 9:30am-1:30pm, $375) and April 10 (Painting the Landscape, Wednesdays, 9:30am-1:30pm, $375 -- full of plein air adventures) offered through the Great Falls School of Art, Great Falls, VA.  Go to my web site: www.JillBanks.com, click on Classes for supply list and registration info.  You need to be pre-registered for classes -- especially for landscape -- to know where each class will be held. Class size is limited.  I hope you can join us!

Mike Pahner Is Face #65

"Mike Pahner: Face #65," oil, 12"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2011

Mike Pahner came to sit to become today's face. #65 in my 100 Faces in 100 Days Project. Mike and I met ... a number of years ago when I was in charge of exhibits for Great Falls Studios and we hung a show for the opening of the RE/MAX Gateway office in Great Falls. I remember Mike introducing himself and then asking me to take him on a tour of the exhibit. From that point on, he's come to see countless exhibits and just generally been there to support the local arts.

He took a few of my Still Life painting classes and credits me with getting him into painting and opening his eyes to what it takes to produce a beautiful piece of art. Hopefully, at some point he'll take from me again. (He was one of my best recruiters for new students and a pleasure to have in class.)

Only Mike...

We talked some about business careers, his pets (a new puppy Stonewall Jackson and a sweet cat who passed away), wild days, art, painting ...

Mike's most endearing quality (to me) is that he really is "in love" with his wife Pam. I witnessed phone calls during today's sittings (and formerly during class or other times) and they just take such great care of each other. He loves talking about her. Just beams. If I ever painted a portrait of the two of them ... that's what you'd see. (In my painting "Randy and Me," of my husband and me ... I made sure Randy was looking adoredly right at me.)

"Through the Window" Accepted in the Art League Show

"Through the Window," oil on linen, 30"h x 40"w, copyright Jill Banks 2007

Randy and I made the trip last night to the Art League to submit artwork for this month's juried show "Carnivale." Almost every month, artist members from the Washington DC area can bring in up to two paintings for possible inclusion in the exhibit. Over the years, my work has been accepted regularly (each month by a different, rather stellar juror), won Best in Show three times, and Honorable Mentions quite a few times. I thought "Through the Window" fit the theme in its celebration of life and vibrant colors ... but I'd love to have already seen and painted Venice's Carnivale celebration and entered that. That would be right up my alley. Someday.

"Through the Window" was based on a photo taken while in Florence, Italy in 2006. (My first trip to Italy.) I loved the contrasts of the ancient dulled buildings and windows of stores and restaurants overflowing with vibrant colors and warmth. I showed this painting during my solo show "Place Settings" at the Art League, January 2008.

I updated my web site's 100 Faces in 100 Days Project page yesterday so go take a look at 64 of my faces with links from each photo to the blog post about my sitters. 

Web: 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

"Dining Room": Painting of an Interior Finished

I had "Dining Room", in an almost-finished state, on an easel during the Great Falls Annual Studio Tour this past weekend ... and it garnered lots of attention. It's the dining room from the home I moved from in July. I started it there ... with my easel in the dining room, with most of the lights off and a clamp light attached to the mast of the easel so I could make out what I was doing.

I'm always painting what I love. Lots (and lots) of nights in our former home, I'd wander around ... just enjoying the beauty of it from a doorway, or over the landing, staring out a window to the patio with lights from a tree shining on the brick pavers below. It whispered warmth and welcomed life.

As I finished this, now in a different house, I peeked at photos but relied on those wanderings and the memory of standing at my easel set up in the dining room ... working on letting you see what I see.

Even though the dining room seems empty, it holds all those Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners we shared. Birthday parties. Great get togethers. Happy meals. It's just quietly waiting for the next one. And looking mighty pretty in the meantime.

Most of my previous interiors have been of restaurant scenes including views from the Inn at Little Washington (Washington, VA), L'Auberge Chez Francois (Great Falls, VA), Pasquale's (Santa Fe, NM), The Old Brogue Irish Pub (Great Falls, VA) and Tutto Mondo (Carmel, CA). (You can see these restaurant interior paintings under Places in the Gallery page on my web site.) This past summer, I started painting inside a restaurant from life (as opposed to using photos as a reference) ... something I plan to do again soon. Lots of fun. Challenging. Painting what I love.

I plan to be at the Artists' Atelier (the studio I share with 16 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA 22066) for our regular Saturday open hours (noon to 4pm) this coming Saturday. The place is still pretty well decked out from Studio Tour so it would be a nice time to stop by. For folks who visited last weekend, you'll have a chance to see how I finished two paintings ("Dining Room" and "Magnolia Leaves and Gourds") this week. I hope you can stop by.

By the way, this is my second post today. Read about my painting "Sunflowers" welcoming me home in the previous post.

"Dining Room", oil on linen, 18"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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