Paintsites Blog: Senior Safari - Happy Hollow Zoo, San Jose. Thursday, October 27, 2016

Taking advantage of the free Senior Safari for adults 50+ at Happy Hollow Zoo, we had a chance to sketch & paint wild (tho' not in the wild) animals for the first time at a Paintsite. (Other than the wild boars at Joseph Grant County Park but sketching them was the last thing on our minds at the time.) Intermittent showers didn't discourage us at all but did most of the animals as they were smart enough to stay in their nice dry little 'houses', caves, dens, burrows, etc. (Not sure what that says about us.)

For information about San Jose's Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, see:
http://www.hhpz.org/
For information specifically about the Senior Safaris at the Happy Hollow Zoo, see:
http://www.hhpz.org/index.cfm/id/310
(Thursday was the last 2016 Senior Safari -- hopefully the program will restart in 2017.)

Upcoming Paintsites:

Thursday, November 3, 2016: Japanese Garden, San Mateo Central Park, San Mateo.
Thursday, November 10, 2016: Historic Santa Clara RR Depot, Santa Clara.
Thursday, November 17, 2016: "Kids & Artists" - Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills.
Saturday, November 19, 2016: "Kids & Artists" - Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills.

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and in the November Newsletter.

Ongoing activities of interest involving Paintsites regulars:

Candy Yu is currently showing 18 watercolor pet portraits at the VCA Crocker Animal Hospital, 475 N. Jackson Ave., San Jose. Most of her artwork is in the reception area and hallways and can viewed by the public. Ask the reception if it's OK to see artwork in the exam rooms. The Hospital is open Mon. - Fri. 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM; Sat. & Sun. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. The exhibit runs thru Sunday, October 30th.
Mike Granger has two paintings in the Fremont Art Association's 50th Annual Art Show. The Association Gallery is located at 37697 Niles Boulevard, Fremont. Hours are: Tue. 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM; Wed. 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Thu. 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM; and Fri. - Sun. 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. The show runs thru Sunday, October 30th.
Candy Yu is showing 17 original paintings & canvas prints at Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd. San Jose. Call the church (408) 258-8133 before visiting to make sure the show will be accessible. The show runs thru the end of December.

Two red pandas, recently installed, are the 'stars' at Happy Hollow Zoo. Beautiful animals, they only occasionally made forays out of their tree house for a spin around their enclosure.

Marilyn at the Meerkat habitat. The little fellows, cozy in their underground dens, were not to be seen, or sketched most of the day.


Marilyn patiently waited for a Red Panda to come out and, when it did, made this quick sketch of it.

For a rainy Thursday morning when just seniors were in the zoo, the paths were unexpectedly crowded but, just outside the Zoo's perimeter fence, was the Meadow Amphitheatre --- where there was room to spread out and set-up ...

Jane S., between a rock and a hard place, practices yoga while sketching.

Liz

Liz's painting of the 'Crooked House'.

Salinda and Dick.

Salinda's painting of the aptly named 'Crooked House'.

Dick's painting of the same.

Jenny and John in the Meadow

Meanwhile, back in the Zoo, in the rain ...

Iris and Tammy sketching Sophia the Jaguar. Sophia was sleeping in her cave (that's what cats do best) and and all we could see of her was her head.


Leslie's painting of a Red-ruffed Lemur at his feeding dish.

It was on a branch when I started but went down after I got the sketch drawn so I had to use the one lying down to get the colors. But it climbed up again as I was nearly done, so I was able to use it as a model again. I had to put my umbrella up over me as I finished the painting to prevent any watercolor "surprises"." Leslie

Dick, left, and Brad

Brad's sketch of the Red-ruffed Lemur.

Brad's quick sketches of Eloise the (pig-like) Collared Pecarry, a Ring-tailed Lemur, and the African Spurred Tortoise. (Lesson learned: don't use a Tombow when it's raining.)

A case of role reversal: Here an artist, Helen, stays dry in the enclosed aviary observation building while the birds flit about in the rain.

Sometimes the best part of a paintout is the least expected: Because of the weather we decided to skip lunch and our critique. But then, on the way out, near the Main Entrance is a colorful carousel we couldn't resist riding. And riding, and riding ....