Sawyer Camp Trail (San Mateo) County Park, Woodside. Thursday, May 19, 2016 - Paintsite I

We tried something a little different with this Thursday Paintsite.   In the morning, at the regular time (10:00 AM), we visited the Sawyer Camp segment of the Crystal Springs Regional Trail just west of I-280 on the east shore of Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir.  In the afternoon, we headed to Filoli to participate in the monthly Artist Access Day.   Very different venues, they shared one thing in common --- very brisk breezes which went from strong and cool in the morning to downright cold and even stronger in the afternoon.

Upcoming Paintsites:

• Thursday, May 26, 2016:   Anna Cook's Mexican Garden, Saratoga 
• Thursday, June 2, 2016:    Rancho San Antonio, Cupertino - Hike & Sketch or Sit & Paint.
• Thursday, June 9,  2016:    Allied Arts, Menlo Park
• Thursday, June 16, 2016:   Vasona County Park, Los Gatos
• Thursday, June 23, 2016:   Sierra Azul Nursery & Garden, Watsonville 
• Thursday, June 30, 2016:   Duc Vien Buddhist Pagoda, San Jose

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and in the current May and upcoming June Newsletters.    Be sure to check the Sunday e-notifications for specific driving and parking directions.  Please consider carpooling to Rancho San Antonio (limited parking) and Sierra Azul (a long drive).

Other ongoing  local events of interest:

• Through Friday, May 27, 2016:    SCVWS  Member Show "H2O Works" at the Presentation Center in Los Gatos.   For details see the SCVWS Home page:  http://www.scvws.org/.

Sawyer Camp Trail: 
Although direct access to the reservoir isn't possible (don't count on filling your water container from the lake --- and why would you, it's probably the same water that comes out of your tap at home?), it's possible to get far enough off the paved lakeside trail to get great views across and down the lake and hills (while staying out of the way of the numerous walkers, runners, and occasional cyclist on the trail).  Suggested by Mary Raftery, who hikes the trail monthly, this was a new Paintsite for us and one to which we'll return in the near future as it will serve equally well as a Hike & Sketch (6 level miles if we're game) which also provides a fine Sit & Paint site very near the on-street Skyline Blvd. parking area.

The official San Mateo County website for the Sawyer Camp Trail County Park is:
http://parks.smcgov.org/sawyer-camp-segment

 Windblown but unbowed:

Rich relied on the adjacent fence for a windbreak --- Big, big mistake.  He took this selfie just after a particularly fierce gust lifted from his chair and carried him away.    Hopefully he'll come down in time for the next Paintsite.

Fortunately, we were able to find Rich's painting.  

Jane P.

Joe found a relatively protected place in which to paint.

Joe's painting of the trail winding into the distance.

Joy also found a good place in which to paint ... 

... this view down the trail.   (The rock is the left foreground provided a more substantial windbreak than the one on which Rich relied.)

 

Sharon next to the big rock that served as a fine windbreak for her and Joy.

Kaaren found an ideally sited bench with a great view of the lake.   Also, it turned out,  ideally sited for funneling the wind coming down the narrow valley:  moments after she commented that it looked like the wind was dying down a bit, a gust caught her palette and blew it down the trail.    She was able to retrieve it and carried on to paint these two fine paintings.   ("Plein air" fortitude at its finest!)

Kaaren's first painting

Kaaren's second painting.

Liz found a semi-protected spot to paint some interesting boulders.

Liz's overflow boulders.

Mary's painting "... facing the hills that were half green, half gold.

 No time for lunch or a critique as it was off to Filoli.