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

Watch Me Paint Tomorrow and Web Updates

I just (finally) updated my web site so you can view my "Painting the Town" exhibit online -- AND click on each of the images to enlarge/get more info. So take a look. Again, if you've been there before.

Plus, I updated my resume with the latest good stuff that's been happening this summer.

I'll be adding info on Fall classes sometime in the next day or so ... so check back.

Randy and I were stripping wallpaper today. This house stuff's time-consuming! It needs to get balanced out with more time with Winsor & Newton.

You're Invited... My current plan for painting or drawing at or around the Old Brogue is tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, July 21), 1-4pm and one or two more days next week. I'll post specifics here. You're welcome to come and watch ... and talk to me any of those days. I can't wait! (Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue Irish Pub is where my "Painting the Town" exhibit is hanging through July 31, 760 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066.) Send me an email if you'd like to be painted into the scene ... and willing to model for me.

"Pizza and Pesce", oil on linen, 8"h x 10"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009 is one of 13 paintings and drawings in my "Painting the Town" exhibit viewable online on my Web site: www.jillbanks.com ... or see it in person during one of my painting sessions or reception (Sunday, July 23, 2-5pm) or any time before the show closes on July 31.

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

Shows, Shows, Shows

What a mess. My dining room's lined with paintings. I can hear Randy hammering ... framing in the kitchen. We hang my "Painting the Town" show at the Old Brogue Irish Pub (1144 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066) tomorrow. I probably have about one-and-a-half to twice what I need for the space. I guess that will make what hangs the cream of the crop.

Tomorrow, some of my fellow Atelier artists will be hanging the "Summer Landscapes" show in the gallery at the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with, well, "I'm losing count" other artists. I'm submitting "Benched" and "Backyard Fountain", shown here. Come to the opening reception this Friday, July 2, 7-9pm at 1144 Walker Road, Suites D&G, Great Falls, VA.

I picked "Benched" -- a piece I did in a plein air workshop in Easton two summers ago -- because it shows a turning point in my work ... in saturation and the exuberance of light. It reflects what I see with my "mess" of paintings around me for my "Painting the Town" show.

"Backyard Fountain" is in because I'm moving. And slightly sentimental about it. It's recent. I was testing out my EasyL easel in anticipation of the workshops I'm teaching in July and August. Practical and funny reasons. (See my web site for information about workshops: www.jillbanks.com, click on classes.

As soon as my "Painting the Town" mess moves out ... tomorrow ... my Farmer's Market (this Saturday, 9am-1pm in Great Falls -- near the intersection of Walker Road and Georgetown Pike) mess moves in.

Hmmm.

"Benched", 11"h x 14"w, oil on linen, copyright Jill Banks 2008.
"Backyard Fountain", 8"h x 10"w, oil on Raymar panel, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

Getting Ready for the Show

Well, things aren't going exactly to plan. It's countdown time towards hanging my solo show "Painting the Town" on Thursday, a week from tomorrow.

Yesterday, I:

• attended Modern Postcard's Direct Marketing Crash Course seminar in the a.m. at the Key Bridge Marriott. It was fantastic. Great advice about direct mail, but also marketing in general. It was geared to larger/more commodity-based businesses ... but I still found plenty to apply to my art business. Plus, I received $250 off of my next printing job with them.
• went to Framemaster's, my framer in Fairfax, VA to order a replacement frame for "Rainy Day in NYC" -- the painting that was accepted into Salmagundi Club's Open Painting and Sculpture Exhibition. Randy and I will be hand-delivering that painting while up in NYC for the Salmagundi Club's Open Photography and Graphics Exhibition closing reception. 
• painted on "Rope of Garlic" for inclusion on my "Painting the Town" exhibit. (I'm sure that I already had a blog entry here that it was done.)
• varnished a number of paintings. (I use Gamblin's Gamvar Final Picture Varnish.) I love the way the painting's look fresh off the easel as soon as I apply the varnish. Presto!
• sent in my blurb and images for Great Falls Studios Studio Tour promotions. The Studio Tour isn't until mid-October, but there's tons of pre-Studio Tour stuff to do.
• packed up a bunch of clothes to give away/throw out in anticipation of our move mid-July.

Today, I:

• spent ALL day on the computer laying out my postcard for the "Painting the Town" exhibit. Matter of fact, I was still in my pajamas -- no breakfast, no lunch, a few cups of coffee -- at 4pm. That's after getting up early. I can't quite explain why it took me so long, but part of the problem was due to Word quirks and mishaps. I did manage to finally upload instructions and files plus place the order with Modern Postcard by 5:30 today. $250 saved ... and I can't wait to get them. (That $250 didn't stay in "my pocket" long, did it?) I've used Modern Postcard many times ... and they do such a great job.
• now I'm hungry. (Understatement.) Off to dinner in a few minutes.

 Tomorrow, I:

• get a root canal in the a.m. Can't say yippee about that one. Bet that slows me down. Maybe I can put together press releases. Draw?

Still to do before next week:

• better not to think about it.

"Dining Al Fresco", (Easton, MD) 24"h x 20"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2009 and "Rialto Market", (Venice, Italy) 24"h x 36"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2009 will both be part of my "Painting the Town" exhibit, July 1-July 31 at Katie's Coffee at the Old Brogue, 760 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA 22066. Reception: Sunday, July 25, 2-5pm. See a preview/get more info on my web site: www.JillBanks.com.

Also, I'll have a booth at the Great Falls Farmer's Market on Saturday, July 3, 9am-1pm, corner of Walker Road and Georgetown Pike in Great Falls, VA.

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