"The Snuggery" Complete?

"The Snuggery," oil, 18"h x 24"w, ©Jill Banks 2014

Hopefully I won't wake up tomorrow bound and determined to do a complete overhaul.  That happens sometimes ... but as of tonight, I'm happy with "The Snuggery" as is. (Other than the photo -- taken at night, blurry, colors off.)

We shall see.

It's one of up to nine paintings to be hung this coming Saturday, February 1 at Katie's Coffee, next door (and part of) the Old Brogue Irish Pub in Great Falls, VA for my solo show that keeps changing names.

Today's name for the show is "Here and There" primarily because this painting is set right where my pieces will hang. Hence, "Here." And, I've been to "There," too. Lots. "There" will include Paris, maybe Carmel, Italy, New York (maybe). Those are an awful lot of maybes for a show to be mounted in five days.

Got to get a grip.

Tomorrow's my second day of still life class ... full of new students and returning ones. My refrigerator is stocked with some new setups plus some beautiful blue hydrangeas are calling me. I hope it's catching.

Fundraiser for the Great Falls School of Art
Saturday, February 8, 6:30-9:00pm

Join us for a fun Art Night Out with artists, art enthusiasts and the community as we raise money to support the Great Falls Foundation for the Arts and GF School of Art. The event will feature wine & chocolate tastings along with a variety of romance foods. Guests can enjoy the "Flowers, Chocolate & Romance" Exhibit in the Gallery and floral art demonstration! Location: Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, 3rd Floor (Suite G), Great Falls, VA

Tickets: Guest - $75
VIP - $100 (includes 1 yr GFFFTA membership)
Patron - $200 (includes 1 yr GFFFTA membership and special recognition)
Sponsor - $500 (includes 1 yr GFFFTA membership and sponsor promotion) A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible, amounts provided with ticket purchase.

RESERVE TICKETS online at www.greatfallsart.org

"The Toast," oil, 40"h x 30"w, ©Jill Banks

"Art Night Out" is an event coordinated by Great Falls Foundation for the Arts, a local charitable 501(c)(3) with a mission to provide opportunities for art education, expression & professional development in the Great Falls community. Visit us online at www.greatfallsart.org

My pieces in the "Flowers, Chocolate and Romance" exhibit in the gallery include "The Toast" and "June Peonies." 10% of sales during Art Night Out will be donated to the Great Falls School of Art.

Your support would be greatly appreciated -- to help the school continue to offer high quality art education to artists of all ages. Many thanks!!!

Workshop in Italy This August
Come paint with me this August in the Italian wine country.  Details coming very soon on this trip that I'm thrilled about. Hope you will be, too!

Price Increases on February 1
February 1, prices on all my pieces are heading up. Take a look at the website and if one of those works is on your list ... consider purchasing it at pre-February 1 prices. More specifics coming up here and on my site.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com 
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435
Artists Atelier, Great Falls VA website: GreatFallsAtelier.com

Events
January 10-28: Great Falls School of Art Student Exhibition, Gallery in the Artists Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA 22066. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon-4pm.

February: Flowers and Chocolates, Gallery in the Artists Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA 22066. One of our best exhibits of the year. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon-4pm. Receptions, events to be announced

February: Jill Banks Solo Exhibit at Katie's Coffee in the Old Brogue, Great Falls, VA. I'll be there painting at least one day during the month. See my web site (or the blog) for updates.

More to come.

A Day at the Bar, the Old Brogue

"The Bar at the Old Brogue" work in progress, oil on linen, 18"h x 24"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

After having painted outside the Brogue, in Katie's Coffee, in the Snuggery ... old days, I finally made it to the side of this (extremely) popular Great Falls, VA restaurant that houses the bar. I've always wanted to paint there ... and today was the day.

I spent the entire afternoon, early evening hours glued to my spot. Figuratively, not literally. It was an intense, but REALLY fun day of painting. Not all of the patrons painted in were present at the same time. My painting developed like one of those slow motion videos ... as people came to sit, I added them in.

I was stationed toward the front door ... not the perfect placement if you came to watch me ... but great for people to glance at as they came in. I did feel a bit like I should act as hostess. That was probably a funny scene to happen upon.

What helped make the day special ... besides the challenge and excitement of painting something I've wanted to do for a long time ... were all the great conversations enjoyed with paintbrush in my hand. There is something magical about the ability to create something out of nothing. I love watching it happen -- and lots of others enjoyed it today, too.

One of the treats was meeting a woman who said that her 14-year-old grandson was a talented oil painter. Turns out her grandson is my amazingly talented student, Cormac. Pretty cool!

I'll return to finetune the painting some afternoon next week. This was a ton to accomplish today but it will be good to look at it again with fresh eyes. Hopefully, many of my subjects will return another day.

"Cars and Coffee," oil, 16"h x 20"w

Farmer's Market This Saturday
I'll be displaying my work this coming Saturday, May 26, 9am-1pm at the Great Falls Farmer's Market. So look for me under a tent.

"Cars and Coffee" and "The Olive Seller"

Two of my paintings, "Cars and Coffee" and "The Olive Seller" on view now at the Old Brogue will be going to a new home right after my "Out & About" Exhibit comes down on June 1. I can't believe the month's almost over. There are a few paintings in my "Out & About" exhibit that I know many people would like to take home with them. Someone's going to do it. I hope it's you.

"The Olive Seller," oil, 18"h x 24"w

Exhibits and Events

May 1-31, "Out and About" Solo Show, Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, 760-C Walker Road, Great Falls, VA. Painting on site: to be announced (the Brogue's closed Monday, May 28).  Check back here before coming in case times change or dates/times are added. Thanks! Preview the exhibit here.
 

May 20-June 23, Wayne Plein Air Exhibition 2012, one of 34 artists juried to participate in a plein air competition and exhibit in and around Wayne, PA (May 15-19). 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.  Eight pieces for purchase/on exhibit.

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

Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

The Old Brogue's Mike Kearney Is Face #66

"Mike Kearney: Face #66", oil, 12"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2011

Mike Kearney is Great Falls best-known face ... and personality. As owner of the Old Brogue Irish Pub (the neighborhood gathering spot in Great Falls, VA), he's met/talked to almost everyone in town. He's completely immersed in the community and works diligently to make our town a better place to live. (Go to celebrategreatfalls.org/index.html for more info.)

I was happy he wanted to sit for my 100 Faces in 100 Days Project.

His reasoning: The project sounded interesting. He'd never sat for a painting before. He figured I'd be good company. (I try.) It would be nice to do something different.

Today was another case of realizing that my sitter didn't know exactly what he had agreed to ... time-wise. Since this was the second time this has happened (in 66 sittings), I was cool as a cucumber and kind of sneaked reality in there. Mike adapted. (Sittings are for 3-4 hours. You do not need to stay still except very rarely. We just talk and I paint.)

While we've had many conversations in the many, many, many times Randy and I have eaten at the Brogue (over the last 23 years), I got to know him so much better this afternoon. His bio and road traveled make for a very interesting story. It was fun, too, to combine his experiences as restaurant owner with all the people I'm getting to know better through this project ... and it feels a lot like the six-degrees-of-separation thing.

When asked how it was going, I responded that I hadn't addressed his ears yet. Then I found out that Mike can wiggle his ears. Strange and not particularly useful but amusing talent.

We talked about having him hold up a pint next to his head. I suggested putting a Guinness sign back behind him. That actually would be a neat effect ... but painting a head a day is enough of a challenge.

Painting today was not a piece of cake. (Okay, it never really is ... but some days are harder than others.) I wasn't sure I had captured him but it was pretty close. Then what do I do? The painting falls and I try to catch it ... wearing a good bit of his face. It was funny, but it did take half of his eye off plus misplace a few parts.

Aiming for a solution, I pulled the mirror trick. Looked at the painting with Mike side by side in the mirror. He had to squat because he was too tall to appear in the mirror. Then tried to mimic the pose I chose by turning his head. Then squinted his eye so the half eye on my canvas matched the mirror image. I wish someone was in my studio to photograph that!

It was time to take a few photos and send Mike out the door. I gave him two full eyes. Fixed most of my mess. So here you have it.

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

Painting at the Old Brogue, Day Two

Today, I pulled out my paintbrushes again at the Old Brogue Irish Pub (760 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066)... where my "Painting the Town" show hangs thru July 31. This turn at my easel was a good bit more challenging than last week's. I feel a little funny posting my progress ... looks a bit like an abstract at the moment ... but I promise it will turn out just fine.

Okay, here it is.

Every time I paint, I learn a lesson. As an artist, I think all things are possible. I think I can do anything ... at least, anything art related. Every problem has a solution. I just have to figure out how and give myself a chance to learn any necessary skills. This attitude comes from creating something out of nothing on a regular basis. Each hard-earned success along the way gives me the confidence to face the next challenge. It's a great phenomena.

The lesson's coming up.

Just last week, I created my first-ever painting done from life with non-model subjects at the Brogue. That was the "Tea Party" of two women shown in yesterday's post. It worked. I could handle all the factors out of my control. I could go with the flow.

But, that was of two women. In a corner. Simple background.

So, today, for my second-ever paint it from life attempt I choose six wonderful women (my mom and her Stratford House buddies) having lunch near the window with the backdrop of Katie's coffee shop's gear and goodies. Even I have to admit that's impractical.

What I've found is that I simply cannot pass up an opportunity like painting my mom having lunch with her friends. I do not currently have the skill set I need to do a great job painting that scene in three hours with six animated subjects, but I will be able to turn this into a beautiful painting and I have their conversations to fill my brain when I work on it again ... using a ton of photo references to help guide me a bit. If I keep doing work like this ... working from life under changing circumstances ... eventually I'll have the skill set to create such a painting on the spot.

Tomorrow I'm painting there again ... this time starting at 10am, with three sons of one of the Brogue's patrons as my subjects. Should be interesting.

This life as an artist requires constant leaps of faith. I've taken so many of them,  I'm often not aware that I'm leaping. Like today. Like tomorrow.

Today's lesson: Keep jumping. 

With the show coming down on Sunday, I'm hoping that buyers of those beautiful paintings and drawings start calling and emailing me. It's time. What are you waiting for?

See you tomorrow?

You can view my "Painting the Town" show online on my web site: www.JillBanks.com and see more on my Gallery Pages.

"Mom and Friends" just barely begun, 16"h x 20'w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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