Pretty Poppies

Pretty Poppies has been juried into the Women Artists of the West 56th National Exhibition 2026 "Limitless" at the Centerpiece Gallery, Raleigh NC from October 9 thru November 6, 2026.

I painted in my studio at the Artists' Atelier in Great Falls in January (January 3 to be precise). This was just near the beginning of my 31-Day Challenge to paint from life and post throughout the month -- so I needed to find inspiration there. My studiomate, Bobbie Beasley, has this beautiful silk flower display in her space in the studio -- framing the view to the courtyard beyond. It's caught my eye ... countless times ... and I finally took the chance to capture it.

This was the fifth time I took on the January challenge. It's quite the way to kick off each year -- looking for inspiration all around me even while in very familiar territory. You can check out each days post on Instagram @jillbanks1 and/or Facebook @JillBanksStudio.