Chris Rollins is Face #22 of My 100 Faces in 100 Days Project

"Chris Rollins: Face #22", oil, 12"h x 12"w, copyright Jill Banks 2011

Quick post for now ... and I'll come back to this later... maybe tonight.

Chris Rollins sitting for me was great ... really enjoyed getting to know her better and hopefully inspiring her to get going on creating more art. Chris is a photographer and painter interested in botanicals. See her website to read more about her and see her photography.

But I was a little awkward in the painting area today ... and this took forever ... working from photos after the sitting which I don't like to do. Don't know what was up ... but know that's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

More later.

I'm back. (On Sunday -- one day later.)

Chris and I talked quite a bit about art ... and getting started. She sees herself as the reluctant artist -- who needs to take care of all these other life things before she can get around to her art. She really enjoys it when she makes the time. It's just committing to getting started. I'd just read a post about that same subject. (I subscribe to a daily online art marketing newsletter called Fine Art Views that has great ideas ... and the post was titled "Just Do It!) The author encouraged artist to quit "getting ready" and pick up a paintbrush -- or whatever they create artwork with.

Chris Rollins (Face #22) with the painting of her.

She asked me how I motivated myself ... and I had a few answers. One is to turn inertia into your friend by building new habits (like having artmaking on your calendar). It's always easier to keep doing the same thing than it is to change gears. (Another idea from Fine Art Views.) Another answer is my 100 Faces in 100 Days. When someone is showing up to sit for you, I guess I better show up at my easel ready to paint.

What's really wonderful is that Chris was in the studio the following day (I'm writing this on Sunday night and she sat for me on Saturday), accomplishing a number of those things she'd been postponing.

Being around other artists working is inspirational ... and makes you want to get going yourself. I get that every time I walk into the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with Chris Rollins and 15 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA.
 
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