The Figure Show and a Bit of a Snag

The Figure Show at the Artists' Atelier was hung today ... with the official opening this Friday, March 5 from 7-9pm. Come visit the gallery and studio spaces I share with 15 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA. And, this is unusual ... I won't be there this First Friday or April's First Friday ... but enjoy the show and great company for me! The studio is also open on Saturdays, noon to 4pm for open hours or whenever an artist is in.

My contributions to the show are "Caffe Bar" and "Corner Couple". They join 20 other pieces in the show. Plus, because the First Friday opening for last month's show was canceled due to our mammoth DC snowstorm ... we held over the Still Life show in the gallery ... so BONUS! Two shows in one.

See more of my street and restaurant scenes in the gallery section of my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

The Snag: My camera's dead. Amazing how critical that particular tool is to me. So far, (as in since yesterday afternoon) I haven't been able to:

• photograph a still life set-up so that I can put it back together for class next week.
• photograph a little new painting I started yesterday.
• photograph the new show at the Artists' Atelier to post here -- as an enticement to come to First Friday this Friday, March 5, 7-9pm at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA. (I won't be there this First Friday or next month -- but my paintings and fellow artists will be -- so come!)
• you get the idea.

Randy's researching the camera purchase online so I should be back in business soon.

P.S. I'll be posting info about Spring classes at the Great Falls School of Art in the next day or two.

"Caffe Bar", oil on linen, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.
"Corner Couple", oil on Raymar panel, 24"h x 18"w, copyright Jill Banks 2007.

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

Back to "Rainy Day in NYC" Painting ... Fun!

After working ALL day yesterday on my portrait commission ... until, again, my arm felt like it was going to fall off ... I took a break to return to one of my latest street scenes. Considering that my works in progress (i.e. not finished paintings) are really piling up, it seemed wiser to work toward finishing than to start something new. Plus, I've been dying to get back to this one.

This one's not about color (I understated it, at least for me). It's about contrast, mood and movement.

This is day three. I'll set it aside again and see what I think it might still need.

To read prior posts about this painting, see:
"Rainy Day in NYC" Painting, Day Two
Rainy Day NYC Street Painting Just Started

More street paintings can also be seen in the places section, gallery pages of my web site: www.jillbanks.com.

"Rainy Day in NYC" work in progress day 3, oil on Raymar panel, 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

"Rainy Day in NYC" Painting, Day Two

Quick post -- here's what I worked on today. More to be done ... but hopefully not too much. I do remember making a similar statement about "Tranquility" -- and look where that got me!

Take a look back to my earlier post about this painting's start.

Actually in looking back, I love the burnt sienna, reddish undertones. I'll try to bring some of those out as I move forward.

See? Trouble already.

But I did have lots of fun today.

"Rainy Day in NYC" work in progress, oil on Raymar panel, 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

Rainy Day NYC Street Painting Just Started

Finally! I started my first new painting of 2010. I have to admit that it seemed more important than I think it really is ... what my first painting of the New Year would be. I have a LOT of paintings I'm dying to create. I'll just have to start them one at a time. One right after another.

This painting is barely started ... I just wanted to take a photo of it before the light fades. It is inspired by two of my favorite paintings of 2009: "Rainy Day Market" and "Venezia Market", both sold and hanging in new clients' homes. What's most appealing to me about those two paintings are the reflections and sense of depth. When in New York City in November for the Allied Artists of America show (my market piece "Arance, Oranges" was in the exhibit at the National Arts Club), I loved what I was seeing and experiencing on this rainy day. I will be adding my characteristic bright colors, oranges and reds, but wanted to start this one with a really limited palette.

More to come!

"Rainy Day in NYC" work in progress, oil on Raymar panel, 18"h x 24" wide, copyright Jill Banks 2010.
Shown below: "Rainy Day Market", oil on linen, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009 and "Venezia Market", 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

Painting "Rainy Day Market" on a Rainy Day

Today I worked on the flowers and more on the baskets and fruit. This is one of those paintings that I could keep painting on indefinitely... but I won't. These market paintings ("Limoni", "Rialto Market" and "Rainy Day Market") are a real joy for me. There's something so generous, abundant and hopeful about them. It's my personal antidote for the current economy and difficult times.

See more of my still lifes, market and street scenes in the gallery section of my web site: www.jillbanks.com and right here, on my blog.

This one's not quite done, but almost.

"Rainy Day Market" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

"Rainy Day Market" Painting Continued

Excuse my recent absence from the blogging world ... but I've been working on a redo of my web site. That should be going live by tomorrow. This time around I tackled building it "myself", instead of utilizing web expert and friend, Christine Flack. She's still been helping me out, though, with some much needed technical assistance.

But, today I had to get some painting in. So here you see "Rainy Day Market" in progress after spending two more very full painting days on it. I probably have two to three more days to go.

"Rainy Day Market" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 30"h x 24"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

"New York City Street" Painting Almost Done

I'm almost done with this one ... and it's been challenging! Sometimes I just wish I could get it right from first stroke to the last, but that rarely happens. There is a huge difference in complexity when dealing with a large canvas over a smaller one. Perhaps that's due to the added pressure that comes with trying to make sure all the time spent is worth it.

I do like the excitement of the street. The vibrancy and action.

See an earlier version of this painting here. This also follows with the same contrasts and similar palette to my "Dining Al Fresco" painting.

"New York City Street" work in progress, oil on Senso linen, 30"h x 40"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

"Pretzel Stand" Painting On the Easel

This painting is definitely not done yet... but it is what I was working on yesterday and today. I'm painting it on a linen-lined panel (a Raymar panel) and by tonight the paint was just sliding around and not obeying me at all. I'll get back to it in a few days to finish it up.

I first thought my pretzel stand was a hot dog stand. Maybe it's both. Even though this is a bit of a stretch, I figure this fits into my restaurant series.

You should see my space at the Artists' Atelier, my studio in Great Falls. I have been painting like crazy lately and it looks like it! As soon as some of the almost done ones are really done, I'll move some of them out of there. I am getting ready for my library solo show this summer, but also want to be ready to approach more galleries or restock work at Chasen Galleries (in Richmond, VA and Charlotte, NC) and Chelsea 32 (NYC).

"Pretzel Stand" Work in Progress, oil on Raymar panel, 24"h x 18"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

"Dining Al Fresco" Finished

Here's the final for "Dining Al Fresco". As soon as I post this, it's on to the next painting.

By the way, First Friday at the Artists' Atelier was great last night. I know that I had a great time visiting with our visitors.

"Dining Al Fresco", oil on Senso linen, 24"h x 20"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Painting the Streets

Last night I finished this little painting that I'd started one morning this summer in Easton, MD. I've actually been dying to get back to this painting. I was in a workshop with Kim English -- an artist I admire. I had captured the backdrop of the toy store with the toy soldier, alla prima -- but couldn't come anywhere close to painting moving kids on site. I'll have to practice that.
Hopefully, you can feel the sunshine with this one.
"Toy Shop", 9" x 12", oil on linen (Senso canvas), copyright Jill Banks 2008.