Sunday, March 31, 2019

Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve Wildflower Walk, Morgan Hill, Friday, March 29, 2019


We would like to give a special thanks to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (SCVOSA) for giving us permission to hike and sketch at Coyote Ridge OSP, particularly staff members, Teri and Dani, for helping arrange access to this very special preserve. Also, we would like to thank Paintsite member and naturalist, Edward Rooks, for all his work in coordinating this event (including minding the gate) and for sharing his knowledge on the local fauna and flora. 

For a super bloom year one could not ask for a more fitting Paintsite. The preserve "comprises 1,859 pristine acres located in the Diablo Range foothills in southern Santa Clara County. It offers spectacular wildflower displays paired with stunning views over the Coyote Valley. The rare serpentine grassland provides critical habitat for over a dozen threatened and rare species” (Coyote Ridge OSP Wildflower Brochure, 2019). 

Some Paintsites members stayed close to the parking area and the Orange Loop Trail while others hiked further along the Green Trail located at the lower edge of the property. Whichever choice one made the views and wildflowers were spectacular! Marilyn, it was a wonderful idea to add this location to our Paintsites schedule and hopefully we can do it again.

For information on this site  please check out:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/visitors/preserves/coyoteridge.html#about

To see more excellent photos of Friday's Coyote Ridge Paintsite please visit Edward Rook's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardrooks/sets/72157679632399808

Upcoming Paintsites.  See the SCVWS website or the April Newsletter for details.
  • Thursday, Apr 4, Private Garden in San Jose
  • Thursday, Apr 11, Paintsite or Hike & Sketch at Rancho Cañada del Oro OSP, Morgan Hill
  • Saturday, Apr 13, Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills
  • Thursday, Apr 18, Hakone Garden, San Jose
  • Thursday, Apr 25, Nola's Iris Garden, San Jose
 SCVWS Annual Exhibit
  • Exhibit Runs from February 28 - May 1, 2019 at the Addison-Penzak JCC, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos 
  • Open Mon - Fri 5AM -10PM, Sat-Sun 7AM-7AM,
  • Closed after 5PM on April 19 and all day April 20
  • April 14, 12 noon - 1 PM Karen Olsen demonstrates Wet in Wet Watermedia Painting, 2nd Floor, Addison-Penzac JCC
  • April 14, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM "What Makes a Winner" Walk and Talk through the exhibit by John Gianotti 2nd  Floor 


Artists and their artwork:

Wildflowers at Coyote Ridge OSP (photo by Marilyn)

Closeup of Coyote Ridge wildflowers 

Telephoto shot of Tule Elk (photo by Marilyn)

Dick's watercolor of the foothills painted from the Orange Loop Trail

Edward's view of the wildflowers painted from the Green Trail

Indira's  closeup sketch of the meadow grasses and flowers
Kaaren (photo by Edward)

Kaaren's view towards the Diablo Range.

Kaaren's painting of the wildflowers

Kaaren's painting of a view from the opposite direction (looking west)

Lois's watercolor sketch of the hillside

Lois's sketch of the view looking over the Coyote Valley

Lora's view of the wildflower covered hillside and Diablo Range

Sham's watercolor of the view looking west towards the Santa Cruz Mts

Tiangong's painting, looking northwest towards San Jose
Tiangong (photo by Edward)

Uma

Uma's watercolor sketch looking northeast from the Green Trail and 
within 100 yards of the parking area

Uma's second painting of the Coyote Ridge foothills

Uma's third sketch, this time looking west

Wild hyacinth and painted lady butterfly 

Paintsites co-coordinator Jane
Jane's watercolor sketch of a view from the Green Trail

Salinda

Salinda's wildflowers on the trail

Sighting of a rare pink poppy
Marilyn's painting of a field of wildflowers with Coyote Valley
and the Santa Cruz Mountains in the background

Upper view of Paintsites members having lunch (photo by Edward)

Paintsites lunch break

Paintsites members plus OSP guide, Dani (2nd from left)

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Santa Clara Mission, Thursday, March 28, 2019

Mission Santa Clara de Asis, the eighth Spanish mission in California, was founded in 1777 by Franciscan priest Junipero Serra. In 1850 the Jesuit Order took over the Mission, in 1851 Father John Nobili, S.J. began a college on the mission, and this grew into Santa Clara University, the oldest university in California.

The Mission was beautiful as usual, but we always time our visits to coincide with University Spring Break which also coincides with the wisteria blooming beautifully.  This time the wisteria lured many of our artists away from the Mission itself and into the Mission Gardens where our artists also got great views of Nobili Hall, named after the university founder.

We were really cutting it close regarding the weather: our paintsite was scheduled to begin at 10 AM, and at 8 AM it was still raining.  The weather forecast promised that the rain was ending very soon, and the SCU campus surrounding the Mission has many covered areas to seek shelter should an unexpected shower arise, so the paintsite took place as scheduled, and we were not troubled by rain.

For more information about the Mission and Mission Gardens see:

https://www.scu.edu/missionchurch/
https://www.scu.edu/media/offices/mission-church/historial-reference-materials/Self-guided-Walking-Tour.pdf

Upcoming Paintsites.  See the SCVWS website or the April Newsletters for details.
  • Thursday, Apr 4, Private Garden in San Jose
  • Thursday, Apr 11, Paintsite or Hike & Sketch at Rancho Cañada del Oro OSP, Morgan Hill
  • Saturday, Apr 13, Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills
  • Thursday, Apr 18, Hakone Garden, San Jose
  • Thursday, Apr 25, Nola's Iris Garden, San Jose

SCVWS Annual Exhibit
  • Exhibit Runs from February 28 - May 1, 2019 at the Addison-Penzak JCC, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos
  • Open Mon - Fri 5AM -10PM, Sat-Sun 7AM-7AM,
  • Closed after 5PM on April 19 and all day April 20
  • April 14, 12 noon - 1 PM Karen Olsen demonstrates Wet in Wet Watermedia Painting, 2nd Floor, Addison-Penzac JCC
  • April 14, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM "What Makes a Winner" Walk and Talk through the exhibit by John Gianotti 2nd  Floor 
Artists and their artwork:

Santa Clara Mission

The wisteria arbor is over 140 years old

Mindy

Mindy's painting of the wisteria arbor 

Jane

Jane's painting of the wisteria arbor and Nobili Hall

Helen

Helen's painting of the wisteria arbor and Nobili Hall

Edward, Jane, and Helen

Edward's painting of the wisteria arbor and Nobili Hall

Lora is sitting in an opening in the Adobe Wall, erected in
1822, and one of the oldest structures on campus

Lora's painting of the wisteria arbor and Nobili Hall

Marilyn is sitting under the wisteria arbor.

Marilyn's painting of orange flowers

Broncha is taking no chances with possible rain
by painting in a covered area of the Adobe Lodge,
also erected in 1822.

Broncha's painting of the wisteria arbor

Dick and Salinda

Salinda's painting of Nobili Hall

Dick's painting of Nobili Hall



Here are the artists who painted the Mission itself:


Tiangong

Santa Clara Mission

Lauren

Santa Clara Mission

Tanvi

Detail of the Mission including the Bell Tower

Close up of wisteria

Xeuling is taking no chances with pollen from so many flowers.

We had our lunch and shared our paintings on the remnant entry porch of a previous red brick student chapel which burned down in 1926.

Marilyn is showing her own painting.  The rose garden is visible in the background.

We are admiring our paintings.  This photo shows detail of the
former student chapel porch with the Mission in the background.