Painting the Forest Goddess

"Artemis," oil, 11"h x 14"w, ©Jill Banks 2013

After painting at the Atelier during open hours, I headed off ... a little reluctantly to the Open Life Long Pose session held at the McLean Community Center (McLean, VA). Reluctantly -- because I wasn't very far along on what was being worked on this afternoon.

Open Life was terrific. I walked in just as the pose and set-up were ready. It was quite a scene ... and I started with this portrait ... finishing it about halfway through so I could capture the whole set-up in a second painting.  That you'll see in tomorrow's post.

Artemis is the Greek goddess of the forest ... and I imagine that's who sat for us today.

Cupcake as Subject

"Artsy Cupcake," oil, 6"h x 6"w, ©Jill Banks 2013

The giveaway at Thursday's fundraiser for the Great Falls Foundation of the Arts were cupcakes with a palette of "paint" on top.  Before I could test mine, it had to pose on my easel.  The cupcakes were from Georgetown Cupcake ... cute and tasty.

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


See my web site for Events & Exhibits: www.JillBanks.com.

New Nude

"Red Pillow," oil, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2013

After a long hiatus, I took advantage of an open life long pose session at the McLean Community Center (McLean, VA). Yea! Loved it. Loved the setup. For dates/times for open life there, go to www.mpaart.org and click on education (I think).

Hopefully it doesn't take me as long to return again.

 The monitor today -- right at the beginning -- said he'd like to try something ... and turned off the overhead flourescent lights. Huge improvement. I can never quite figure out why art spaces add room lights that can't be controlled individually.  And, flourescent lights don't do anything good for anybody. 
 
Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project
Email
Phone: 703.403.7435

Events and Exhibits

February 1 - February 28: "Flowers and Chocolate" Exhibit at the Artists'Atelier Gallery, 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon - 4pm.
 

"Open Life" Painting and Lots More...

Do you get nervous when I say "lots more"?

Today was a jam-packed day. I worked on "Weekend Edition" this am before heading the Atelier for open hours. There, I worked on the "Piazza di Michelangelo" that sat unfinished during my 100 Faces in 100 Days project. (You'll see it sometime soon.)

"Open Life," oil on linen, 20"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2011

Open Life
From 4 to 7pm, I went to Open Life held at the McLean Community Center (download the PDF on open life sessions near the bottom of the page). I hadn't gotten a chance to do that this year until today. And, next Saturday is the last one of those (long pose) until the Fall. So, good thing I made it!

When I walked in, two painters were there, set up at their easels with large canvases. Actually, one was huge. I had a little 9"x12" canvas in my bag ... that looked ridiculous on the easel. I like little paintings, but, those large canvases looked like way more fun. I trekked out to my car ... and chose a 20"x16" ... not huge, but better.

Open life sessions are fantastic. Such a treat. Easygoing, comfortable ... and I just love every minute of it.

I really like this painting. Everything works, the colors are beautiful and I captured the day. Love those legs, too. Maybe my best legs.

I keep reaping the rewards of my 100 Faces project (read about it on my web site: www.jillbanks.com, go to the 100 Faces project pages). I paint so much more rapidly now at the beginning of a session, which allows me to concentrate on exactly what I want to accomplish with each painting. "Open Life" came together naturally and I spent two of the three hours refining the painting, pushing it in different directions. Being quick means I can take my time even in a relatively short session. A weird idea, perhaps.

"Weekend Edition" work in progress, 20"x20", oil on linen, ©Jill Banks 2011

My only difficulty was the horrible state of my paintbrushes. I promise (myself) that I will clean them tonight as soon as I post this. I didn't have a single small brush to use for her mouth or details. And, most of the larger ones I pulled out were stiff or hard as rocks. Not ideal.

"Weekend Edition" is still a work in progress. It might be my undertaking for tomorrow. I'm trying to get a number of pieces ready for the many juried shows and exhibits that are all right around the corner.

Thinking About Photography
I've been working on pulling together the knowledge and set up for photographing my own work in anticipation of an upcoming article on my "100 Faces in 100 Days" project and publishing a book. I spent a lot of the day Friday working on it ... and there are apt to be plenty more next week. I'll figure it all out, though, with the help of some friends. And guess what that will do? Make my photos on blog posts better and more consistent. Yea!
 

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
 

Open Life Painting "Dressed in Yellow"

I took advantage of a long pose, open life session at the McLean Community Center (McLean, VA) tonight ... and as usual, it was a real treat. I'm always torn between painting and drawing. I don't know who the model's going to be or the pose or the setup when standing at the back of my car trying to choose what supplies to pull from the trunk.

Obviously, today I chose paint. And then, when I walked into the studio room ... wow. Yea!

The photo's not great. For those of you who are regular readers, you know the drill. If the paint's sopping wet and I'm so anxious to show you that I take the photo at home at night ... bad photo. I'll try to replace it tomorrow sometime.

This is fairly small. Next to me was a man painting on this monster-sized canvas. There were about six of us there, all with totally different approaches. It's the best way I can think of to spend three hours.

I also think it's the best deal in town. $9 per session as a drop-in although I know they hope that people will sign up for all the sessions. I can't. Just too many other obligations on Saturdays. They also have open life sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays with short/gesture poses. Check it out under the learning tab at the McLean Project for the Arts web site: www.mpaart.org.

By the way, "Arance, Oranges" that's now on exhibit at the Art League's (Alexandria, VA) "Large Works" exhibit is getting lots of attention. This painting actually demands attention. It's hanging right behind the main reception desk and it literally looks like it's going to jump right off the wall. I'm serious. ("Arance, Oranges" is shown on the home page of my web site if you want to take a look.)

I've received beaucoup emails from people admiring it. A call for the image for the press. And ... it seems like it's being wished for by someone who had seen it this summer during my "Painting the Town" exhibit at the Old Brogue. Pretty cool.

"Dressed in Yellow", 12"h x 16"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

Open Life Figure Painting Last Night

Yesterday (as in 19 minutes ago) was a marathon. After my Farmer's Market plein air painting session (see previous post), I attended the open life session at the McLean Community Center. Most Saturdays, there's a long pose open life session from 4-7:30 pm to paint/draw from the model. Guess what? My EasyL easel ... and I suppose my wrist and arm ... continued today's workout.

So, here's the result. I like it.

Paint from life. Paint from life. Paint from life. Repeat.

Be sure to read my previous two posts. I went a little post "happy" in the last couple of hours.

Oh, and Happy Mother's Day! 


"Reclining Nude with Irises", oil on Raymar panel, 12"h x 9"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.


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

New Figure Study Today and "Rooster Ruminations" Sold

A good day. This afternoon during open hours at the Artists' Atelier (the studio I share with 15 other artists in Great Falls, VA), I sold "Rooster Ruminations". Actually, I think "Rooster Ruminations" sold itself to a regular Atelier visitor who had seen it, and then not seen it, off and on on my studio gallery walls. (I move art around constantly.) According to my new client, she kept talking about it to her husband since seeing it during Studio Tour last Fall ... and he finally told her that she must want to own it. She agreed. Hence, the sale.

"Rooster Ruminations" is a tough painting to forget.

Late afternoon, I headed over to the McLean Community Center  for the Open Life session. I will make this a regular part of my routine. If I'm in town, I'll be there. It's such a tremendous treat.

"Viridian Throne" is the result. I may touch this up, too ... as I did with the portrait last week, but I'm pretty pleased with it as it is.  Each week we have a new model for one long pose. This painting is named after the color of paint used for the model's seat. I "grayed" it using an orange and white.

The photo is off in color and exposure because I took it just a few minutes ago under Tungsten light. I'll try again soon in natural light and replace it.

"Rooster Ruminations", oil on Senso linen, 20"h x 16"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009. Sold.
"Viridian Throne", oil on Senso linen, 14"h x 11"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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

Alla Prima Portrait Today

Today, I took advantage of the Saturday long pose open life session at the McLean Community Center (McLean, VA). What a treat! Monday, I start teaching my winter session at Great Falls School of Art (see classes) ... and I'll be demonstrating ... so I always welcome the practice of just painting before needing to paint and talk simultaneously.

Each session is three-and-a-half hours with a different model and pose. I will try to catch as many of these as possible. This is the first time I've used the session to paint (versus drawing). I'm so much faster painting! In about 40 minutes a lot of the portrait was established.

This is an alla prima painting ... painted all at once, wet into wet in a single session.

I'm loosening up ... getting all my painting muscles in shape for 2010. So far, so good!

"Alla Prima Portrait," oil on Senso linen, 14"h x 11"w, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

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