February 2019 Reception at Gallery Clarendon this Friday

From Georgetown to the Cathedral
by Jane McElvany Coonce

It's been a while since I've blogged. I apologize.  No excuses, but I have been painting quite a bit getting ready for several upcoming shows. One of them is this Friday at Gallery Clarendon. The painting in the photo above is a large watercolor painting of Washington, DC.  It has Georgetown and Key Bridge in the foreground with the Washington Cathedral in the distance.  It's the largest watercolor I have ever done ( a full sheet) and I have to say it was quite intimidating.  I've done large oils before, and I don't bat an eye at the prospect. But something about watercolor...what if I get 80% done and I screw it up? All kinds of crazy thought go through one's head.  Anyway, I finally finished it, and this is the first show that it's been in. Everyone is invited; bring your friends , bring your family. It's from 5 to 8 pm this Friday at Gallery Clarendon, 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA. We are located at the corner of Fillmore St and Clarendon Blvd. Look for the red awning on the corner. I might be up on the 2nd floor pouring wine, so come and look for me. I'll be there. We are having spring-like temperatures so come out and take advantage of some warm weather in February.

Sign of the Times

Family Time
by Jane McElvany Coonce

The Arlington Artists Alliance sponsored a national juried show called "Sign of the Times."
Works have been entered from across the country for this show to interpret signs of our times in various ways: real or imagined, literal or figurative, positive or negative. I put some thought into what I was going to paint for this show. I decided that one of my pet peeves is people always on their cell phones instead of talking to each other. I see people in restaurants, and the people at the table are all on their cell phones instead of talking to each other.

So this painting is actually from a photograph that my son, Kevin, took. It was a photo of my oldest son Nicholas, my youngest son Brian, and me sitting in the airport waiting for our flight. And here I am on my cell phone instead of talking to my family! I thought it was funny so I painted it.  I was thrilled that it was accepted into the show.

The reception for this show is this Friday, January 11 from 5 to 8 pm.  It is at Gallery Clarendon Clarendon located at 2800 Clarendon Blvd (at Fillmore St) in Arlington. Our gallery was just voted "Best Place to Buy Local Art" by the Arlington Magazine readers for 2019. I hope you will come out and see the show.  The show runs until Feb. 3.

Ft Smith Art Show - This Weekend, Nov 16-18

Moonstruck
original oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

This weekend is the annual Fall show at Ft. C.F. Smith. It's always a lovely event. I'd like to invite everyone to the opening on Friday, Nov 16 from 6 to 8 pm. It's always a lovely event. I'd love to see you there on Friday night. If you can't make it Friday, the show will be open on Saturday from 10 to 5.  I will be there on Saturday, too,  from 10 to 12 at the sales desk on Saturday.  The show continues on Sunday from noon to 4.

Besides larger framed work, there are small paintings that make great gifts. There are also unframed pieces in the shrinkwrap bins, and there are also cards. Boxes of cards make great hostess gifts.

Ft Smith is located at 2411 N. 24th St in Arlington, right off Spout run and Lorcom Lane.
Friday, Nov 16 from 6 to 8 pm
Saturday Nov 17 from 10 am to 5pm
Sunday Nov 18 from noon to 4 pm

Hope to see you there!

More Key Bridge/Georgetown Paintings

One of my signature pieces that I'm known for are my Georgetown/Key Bridge Paintings. Whenever I show art work, people will ask, do you have any of your original Georgetown scenes. Most of the time, I have to answer, "No" because they sell so fast.

I've done paintings two recently. They are both showing at Gallery Clarendon. One is downstairs in the main gallery and the other one is on the 2nd floor in my studio area.
They are both 11x14 and are oil paintings.

The show will be up until Dec. 2. Hope you'll stop by and see the show. It's a beauty this month!

Home Studio Tour this Weekend

Saturday and Sunday this weekend will be nice and sunny. Come visit me at my house for the Visual Arts Studio tour of Arlington.  I have lots of my paintings displayed, and I would love for you to stop by.  It's from 11 am to 5 pm both days.  Visit the website to see all the 56 studios that are open this weekend.
www.arlingtonartstudiotour.org

2018 Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour this weekend

I am participating in the Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour this weekend.  I'm opening up my house and showcasing many of my paintings.  I hope you will be able to stop by and see me painting in my home work space.  The tour has 56 artists that you can pick and choose which artists you want to visit.

The show will be Saturday, Sept 29 and Sunday, Sept 30 from 11 am to 5 pm.  You can look at the website and download a map and a directory of all the studios that will be open.

Please visit to get the map and directory:
www.arlingtonartstudiotour.org

Hope to see you this weekend.

A Colorful Life

Pumpkin and Gourds

Sunflowers

Finished Mural at Preston's Pharmacy

Scenes of Arlington Mural at Preston's Pharmacy
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Today I finished painting the mural that I've been working on for a month.  I started exactly 1 month ago today! It's been lots of fun, painting and talking to the customers who come into the store. Everyone has been very supportive of the work.

Some people don't get it. It's a trompe L'oeil mural; it's supposed to look like photographs pinned up on a bulletin board.  I painted the cork, I painted the frame and did the woodgrain, I painted the pushpins, and I painted 8 scenes of Arlington. Some people ask if those are big photos up on the wall. When I tell them I painted them, they say they don't understand. Not sure why that's so hard to understand. They ask questions like, "What did you paint that on?" When I say, "The wall," they look at me like I didn't understand the question. When I point to the other green walls in the store and say it started out looking like this green wall, they look at me in disbelief.

I've met a lot of great people, customers and employees of Preston's. I thank everyone for your words of encouragement. It's been a long haul, but it's almost over. Tomorrow I will varnish the painting, let it dry and put a 2nd coat of varnish on. Then I can declare it completely finished! 

Stop by and see it next time you are close. Preston's Pharmacy is at 5101 Lee Highway (at the corner of North Edison St and Lee Highway) in Arlington. It's on the back wall of the store. You can't miss it.