Jill E. Banks
JILL E. BANKS — The world is full of small wonders Virginia artist, Jill Banks. It’s the simple stuff that fascinates her, makes her smile and drives her to pick up a paintbrush.
When Banks was a kid, she used to “play” in her grandmother’s flower shop in Chicago while the rest of the family helped out during holidays. She’d spend those hours happily mesmerized by the activities of a group of ants. She loved how energetic they were, climbing all over each other and engineering the movement of a crumb – that had they any sense, they would have known was way too big for them to budge.
Jill Banks now keenly observes people instead of ants, and paints them carrying out their interesting and ordinary lives. As a “city girl”, having lived on the outskirts of Chicago, New York, and now Washington, D.C., Banks loves the energy and pulse of city life and sees beauty in people, urban places and manmade things. Her street, market and restaurant scenes bring that bustle to life. Having had a florist in the family influences her art, too. Banks’ life has been filled with flowers and beautiful tablescapes her Dad sets that make each day seem like a celebration. No wonder she gravitates to painting still life subjects with saturated color, and finds joy in everyday moments and things. They are something to celebrate!
Banks started painting in 2003 after retiring from the marketing communications business she founded and managed for 16 years. She studied with master artists Danni Dawson, Robert Liberace and Nelson Shanks. Her work is exhibited nationally, has garnered many awards and is in collections throughout the US. Banks shares studio space, the Artists’ Atelier, with 14 other talented artists.
 |
 |
Pumpkin FieldJill Banks
|
Randy and Me30"h x 40Jill Banks
|
