Paintsites Blog: Lands End, San Francisco. Thursday, February 22, 2018

Marilyn and Jane worked tirelessly setting up this Paintsite: arranging carpools, scouting out trails, overlooks, interesting little side excursions .... and what does everybody end up painting? Some old orange bridge that's probably been painted more than a few times already. Where's our spirit of adventure, our search for the unique? Swallowed up by the magnificent, irresistible spectacle of the Golden Gate Bridge on a beautiful but very cold and windy day --- I suspect this is one of the top (bottom?) ten coldest Paintsites of the 21st Century! If you look closely you'll notice that we used a wide range of colors for the ocean --- these weren't capricious choices --- the ocean was continuously changing colors all day --- really! Same for the sky! Oh how we suffered for our art but I think we all agreed it was worth it.

For more information about Lands End check out the official website
Golden Gate Parks Conservancy

Some of us met the Supergirl of San Francisco who was just starting her patrol near us as we worked. She expressed interest in our work and welcomed us to her city. This YouTube clip is a good introduction to Supergirl:
Supergirl of San Francisco YouTube video

Upcoming paintsites: See the SCVWS website or the March newsletter for details.

Thursday, March 1, 2018: Sunnyvale Heritage Park

Thursday, March 8, 2018: Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, Morgan Hill. Hike & Sketch or Sit & Paint.

Thursday, March 15, 2018: Gamble Garden, Palo Alto

Thursday, March 22, 2018: Still to be determined.

Thursday, March 29, 2018: Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills

Saturday, March 31, 2018: Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills

There's still time to see our own John Ediger, "The Painter of Rusty Things", featured in a Silicon Valley Open Studios "Talk Art" program on YouTube. In this 30 minute presentation he discusses his background, a few of his paintings, and demos his painting techniques.
Link to John Ediger's Video on youtube

Annual Members Show info: check the SCVWS website for details.

March 4, 2018: Last day to register!

Monday, March 19 - May 1, 2018 show runs

Sunday, March 25, 2018: Reception and Award presentation

Artists at work: Cold? (Yes) + Spectacularly Beautiful Day? (Yes)
= Happy, Dedicated, and Cold Artists! (Yes)

We tended to congregate towards the east end of the parking lot where we had fine views of the Marin Headlands, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island and the Bay's eastern shore. Bench sitters (Helen, left, and Liz) opted for relative comfort of the benches (less wind than those on the curb) while those on the 'edge' had a view of the surf breaking below them.

On (and 'over' in the case of Kaaren) the curb: (left to right: Salinda, Candy and Kaaren)

Left to right: Dick, Tanvi, Salinda (behind Candy), Candy and Kaaren

Dick was unhappy with his bridge 'towers' so he imagined a fog bank obscuring the span itself ---which is probably how the bridge looks 180 days a year.

Laurie's first Thursday Paintsite painting but obviously not her first plein air painting! (Check out Laurie's website in the Member's Websites sidebar)

Tanvi's painting of the south end of the Bridge, Angel Island, the surf, cypress trees, ...

Kaaren experimented with some different paper which didn't behave as she hoped. Still, not too bad all things considered --- many of us should be so lucky with any paper!

Kaaren's second painting - this of a Lands End cypress

Salinda's turbulent surf captured the mood (and one of the colors) of the ocean. Angel Island is in the background.

Candy's first painting of the Bridge - note the North Tower shadows on the Marin Headlands --- we've painted the shadows before and they're always fascinating both to paint and watch as they move across the hillside.

Candy's second painting of the Bridge. But where have the shadows gone? They're shy and can barely be seen hiding under the roadway.


Liz (foreground) and Helen

Liz's painting(s) will be added later --- so visit again.

Helen's painting of the south end of the Bridge ...

Brad's painting of the Bridge with Candy and Kaaren in the foreground.

Mary R. was the only "Hiker". (That's Supergirl in the background getting ready to go on patrol.)

Mary hiked the Coastal and Lands End trails and made several sketches which she hopes to finish at home and which we'll add later -- another reason for a return visit to this posting.

Mary took this photo of the Golden Gate Bridge from the hiking trail.

Tanvi painting the Marin Headlands

Tanvi's sketch of Pt. Bonita and the Marin Headlands. A tug heads out to guide a commercial vessel into port. (It made me queasy just watching it pound and bounce thru the swells rolling in.)

Candy's third painting --- this one of the Marin Headlands looking north-west towards Pt. Reyes. By this time the clouds started moving in --- it would rain later that afternoon.