15 April

Vintage Mother and Baby

Vintage Mother and Baby

As I continue to create illustrative pieces for gallery shows, I’ve been looking for more archival alternatives to my standard oil-on-illustration-board method. In this experiment, I’ve sampled water soluble oils on board. Still uncertain whether I like this surface, but glad to have this option. Next challenge: painting larger pieces!

13 April

Illustration Friday

Illustration Friday

Happy to be featured in the recent edition of the online creative portal Illustration Friday! I’ve long been a fan of this site (which includes a recent write-up about my illustrator hubby, Timothy Banks). We recently connected with blog writer Angie Brown, a fellow Charleston artist. Always great to make these local connections, and an extra […]

11 April

Houghton College Fine Arts Seminar

I was flattered to be invited as a guest speaker at the Houghton College Fine Arts Seminar in upstate New York. Students, where faculty and community members attended the presentation about my illustration career. It was such a warm reception and boost to my creative ego! The Houghton art faculty were so influential in my own […]

12 February

Freelancing with New Baby

Freelancing with New Baby

Just gave birth to our lovely second baby, Magnolia Wren! A few days after my hospital release and it’s time to jump back into my latest freelance project, an educational reader for Triumph LLC. Thankfully prepared with my Moby wrap and baby-safe water soluble (read non-toxic) oils. Hooray for multitasking!

28 October

Paris Lady Joins the Art Nouveau Collection

Paris Lady Joins the Art Nouveau Collection

After several years of dormancy, I finally completed my “Paris Lady” painting. The original sketch was part of a series developed for an art licensing company in 2008. Somehow the sketch survived five moves, from Atlanta suburb to midtown, then to Charleston where it migrated three more times to our current studio. A good lesson […]

14 June

Pug Portrait

Pug Portrait

As part of my Art Nouveau portrait series, I adapted an sketch study of our pugs, Fiona and Grace. Purposely asymmetrical, I included a vintage wallpaper backdrop with tiny pug silhouettes as part of the motif. Painted in oils, this is the first of hopefully more dog-centric portraits! Luckily I have two very natural models […]

7 May

North Charleston Arts Festival Illustration Exhibit

North Charleston Arts Festival Illustration Exhibit

As part of the annual North Charleston Arts Festival, I was invited to participate in an illustration exhibit at 10 Storehouse Row. The renovated warehouse gallery was a rustic alternative to typical gallery venues. Tim also showcased a wall of illustrations, along with local artists Steve Stegelin and Melanie Florencio. I used this opportunity to […]

6 January

Tiny Illustrations Art Show

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Tiny Illustrations Art Show

To kick-0ff the new year, I participated in a collaborative show themed as the “Tiny Illustrations” art show at Rick Rhodes Gallery in West Ashley. Local artists Baird Hoffmire, Farrah Hoffmire and Marcus Amaker were also featured, in addition to myself and co-illustrator husband Tim. This also happened to be baby’s first art show… Images from […]

5 January

Charleston Scene: Artist of the Week

Charleston Scene: Artist of the Week

My series of small oil portraits (“Tiny Illustrations”) were created for a collaborative art show in Charleston, SC. The work was also featured in an article in the Charleston Post and Courier, as follows: The Post and Courier “Artist of the week: Erin Bennett Banks” January 5, 2012 written by Vikki Matsis Inspired by the […]

13 September

Society of Children’s Book Illustrators and Writers (SCBWI) Cover Artist

Society of Children’s Book Illustrators and Writers (SCBWI) Cover Artist

My illustration “Harmony” was recently featured as the cover for Pen & Palette, the quarterly publication of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. An interview about my work and process was included in this issue, copied below. Society of Children’s Book Illustrators and Writers (SCBWI) “Cover Story: Erin Bennett Banks” Fall 2011 written […]