Calero County Park, March 7, 2013

The Calero Lake paintout was one of those days when Mother Nature couldn't decide if it was a Winter or a Spring day.    We had Winter skies: cold, mostly grey, sometimes blustery, and occasionally threatening with some wonderful cloud formations boiling up over the hills.  But a decidedly Spring landscape with bright green hillsides, early oaks leafing out, even a wary coyote checking out what these early-in-the-season humans were up to.     And a bonus - a sundog ---- fun to observe but certainly difficult to paint!

For more information about Calero County Park, check out:

http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Ride%20Here/Pages/Calero-County-Park.aspx

Note - there is a parking fee for the boat ramp area; parking in the equestrian area is free.

Anna Jacke

Photo by Anna Jacke

Brad Santos

Jenny, just back from Tierra del Fuego, thoughtfully brought some Cape Horn like weather with her to share with the paintout group.    And, like the hearty mariners who braved those frigid latitudes, we not only persevered, we overcame the elements and triumphed.  Brad

 

Jenny Tero

This was my first attempt.  One advantage of the constant cold wind that was blowing, was that the surface of the water was ruffled up into a steely gray sheet, so we didn't have to mess with reflections - a definite bonus.  Jenny Tero

Jenny Tero

 My fourth version attempted to block in the patches of trees so they didn't look so spotty (inspired by some of our other painters), so I finished up with a more patchwork-like version - time to try this out with fabric!   Jenny Tero 

(May '13 - now it's done, see: www.jennyteroartquilts.blogspot.com

Sylvia Waddell

Another fun day of painting - I loved the skies as the storm clouds went by. Sylvia

Weekend Site Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard, Feb 16, 2013

 

Artists at the weekend pleinair paintsite, Feb 16, 2013

First time in four months we painted under dry conditions at the weekend pleinair paintsite, under diffused sunlight and comfortable temperatures. About a dozen artists came to the Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard and painted a medley of landscapes. Over lunch we shared our paintings, at various stages of completion, and enjoyed the insightful comments that were made by fellow artists.

It was a great day. I learned a lot and look forward to painting together again! - Rajit

Brad Santos

This is the third time in the last couple of years I've painted the dormant Apricot trees at the Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard.    I intended to focus on just one tree this time but the interesting perspective of the rank & file of all the trees intrigued me.     We'll have to go back at least three more times:  when they're in bloom, again when they've leafed out and finally in the fall when the leaves change color. - Brad

Laurie Barna

Jean Massey

Sitting in a plowed field sketching mustard and a tree was delightful.  My first experience with the SCVWS weekend paintsite was memorable.   -Jean

Anna Jacke

Anna Jacke

It was a beautiful day in the dormant apricot orchards.  For me the challenge was painting the stark fruit trees.  I chose one particular tree that looked as if it was ready for a new season.  I did like the magnolia tree in the courtyard where we met up later to view our works and a bite to eat.  Hopefully, the next visit to the orchard will be more "fruitful." -Anna

Rajit Chandra

I wasn't the only one interested in painting this wagon leaning by the side of the orchard! It was an interesting subject with a range of colors and shapes, reflected light and shadows. -Rajit

 

Santana Row, San Jose, February 7, 2013

The Thursday Paintout group covers the Valley like no one else:  One week we're rugged outdoors persons painting the hills and mountains above the Valley; the next week we're cool sophisticates working on urban-scapes in the heart of the Valley in upscale Santana Row.      Considering the weather forecast, we had a fine turnout for a morning which started out cold.     And then it started raining.     Undeterred, we found cover where we could until we retired (we did not retreat) for a hot lunch in one of the chic cafes.      (Special thanks to Sylvia for arranging with Santana Row management for permission to paint there.)

For general information about Santana Row, see:    http://www.santanarow.com/ 

(The specific area where we painted was the Chess area between The Vintage Wine Bar and El Jardin in the wide median at the south end of the complex.)

Leslie Grimm

I found a place under cover from the rain to paint this charming fountain featuring mosaic geckos.  Because of the dampness the paint wouldn't dry enough to add details, so I finished it at home.  Despite the cold it was a pleasant morning in a beautiful area with other hardy painters for company!    Leslie

Sylvia Waddell

The rain started soon after I got out my paintbrushes - you can see the drop marks! So I moved undercover to finish this one as best I could. It was so damp the paint just wouldn't dry! We had a great turnout for a cold rainy day - 9 artists - and boy, did we enjoy the hot soup at mid-day! Sylvia

Caroline Garbarino

I'm so impressed with our hardy plein air group! I was astonished to

see artists painting under only a leafy canopy. Sue Newberry made an irresistable

model with her visually vibrating blue and red rain apparel. Thanks for another

grand adventure.   Caroline 

Marilyn Perry

I drew and inked my painting on site, and added the color at home, because the arbor that gave me refuge from the rain was not perfect, and every once in a while, a big drop of water landed on my table or sketchbook.  It was very fun to sit and sketch while watching the rain, yet I was happy to stop to have hot soup.   Marilyn

Brad Santos

I always associate Gothic buildings with damp, cold, grey days and bundled up, hunched-over people scurrying to find a warm spot indoors.    This paintout had it all:  The Gothic "Vintage Wine Bar", appropriately gloomy weather, and both shoppers and artists keen on finding that cozy spot indoors when their tasks were done.   Brad 

Fremont Older Open Space Preserve Hike & Sketch, January 31, 2013

We absolutely could not have had a more perfect day for the first Hike & Sketch of 2013!  The Paintouts over the past three months have presented us with some challenging weather (to say nothing of fierce wildlife) --- but no such challenges this time.      The last Fremont Older Hike & Sketch several years ago was sparsely attended as only Jenny & Sylvia braved the elements to produce some wonderful atmospheric, "rainy day" paintings.   And although one might not recognize it was the same location, the dozen artists participating this time produced some equally fine paintings --- again proving just what a talented plein air artist can produce in only 20 minutes!

For more information about the Fremont Older Open Space Preserve, check:  http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_fremont.asp

 

Jenny Tero

A beautiful sunny, warm day, just right for hiking – who would believe it was January. The view was lovely – such rich dark shadows in the trees, and layer after layer of receding hills beyond.   Jenny

Jenny Tero

This is a glimpse of the Ranger's House on the tarmac road back to the parking lot - I believe it was the original home of Fremont Older.  I left the middle distance trees in pen and ink, because I hoped they added to the sense of the house peaking out from the foliage.   Jenny

Leslie Grimm

There were several luxury homes visible from the trail that overlooked the cities below.  This one caught my eye.  I hadn't tried to sketch a city seen from a distance before, but hopefully this suggests it!     Leslie
  

Brad Santos

 I got a little carried away with the old stone retaining walls and steps leading to the Ranger's House when I meant to focus on the beautiful Madrone (Manzanita?) -- in full bloom, its twisted, peeling red limbs positively glowed where the light fell on it.    Brad

Fremont Older 2013- Sylvia Waddell

The vistas from Fremont Older are a joy, and this was a perfect day to paint them. Last time Jenny and I were hiking here it rained. See painting below. Sylvia

From Hunters Point, May 2010 - Sylvia Waddell

                

Caroline Garbarino

This paintout let me see a new side of Fremont Older Open Space.

You "take me places where I've never been before!"   One observer of my painting

thought that aliens were about to land.   (They must have waited until after I left...)

Thanks again for the tea party,   Caroline

Weekend Site Villa Montalvo, Jan 26, 2013

Brad Santos

The day started out inauspiciously:   rain on the drive to Saratoga, the long sweep of lawn below the Villa torn up for refurbishment (so there were no grand views of the main building) and grey skies & drizzle for my first, monumentally unsuccessful painting.      After lunch I thought it best to tackle a less 'grand' subject and settled on a large urn.     The sun came out, the sky turned a clear blue --- life was good (and the painting better) -Brad Santos

Rajit Chandra

After looking around the grounds, in the grey and rainy morning, I chose a spot in the Italian Garden. The light and the mood changed in the beautiful garden as the skies cleared and I worked to finish the painting. It was well into the afternoon when I stopped - Rajit Chandra

Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard & Drawing Exercises, January 17, 2013

After several challenging paint-outs, weather-wise, we had an absolutely perfect day, weather-wise (for January at least), for a day in the Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard.    The day started out with Sylvia presenting a series of drawing exercises:   We limbered up our fingers, honed our eye-hand coordination, and were guided through a series of drawing exercises, each focused on a specific technique.     (The past few years Jenny & Sylvia have presented a number of informal painting demonstrations which have been well attended and unanimously appreciated -- always more informative and entertaining than advertised.   Watch for the next one!)     Then, hands twitching and heads bursting with new ideas, we headed out to tackle old farm equipment, gnarled apricot trees, and patches of mustard.

For additional information about the Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard, check-out: http://northerncaliforniagardens.sutromedia.com/sunnyvale-heritage-orchard.html  
and for the affiliated Heritage Park Museum:  http://www.heritageparkmuseum.org/

Dick Zunkel

Sylvia's mini-seminar covered the material in my six-week drawing 101 class in about a half hour, and did it better. With her inspiring instruction still in my mind I rendered the old wagon at Heritage Park with brush pen and watercolor wash. I chose to sit near the subject so as to force the perspective. The other side of the wagon would have made a more interesting subject due to the odd way it was resting on the berm, but the light was better on the south side.   Dick

Keiko O'Leary - Orchard Tree and Mustard

 Sylvia's exercises made a big difference for me. I have done many of them before, but to do all of them just before a painting session made the painting so much easier. I'm hoping I'll have the discipline to incorporate a few of these exercises into my pre-painting routine. I think doing gesture drawings of the trees beforehand allowed me to capture the essence of this tree when I painted it. Thank you, Sylvia!     Keiko

Mary Paquet

 

I loved the drawing exercises and applied some of the gestural work on the tree and some negative painting. Harking back to our lesson on the use of ink by Dick Zunkel, I added the small branches using a dip pen and ink because I left my rigger brush at home. Loved the beautiful day we captured.   Mary

Brad Santos

I had fun with the drawing session --- now all I have to do is practice, practice, practice!   Class over, I wondered into the orchard and ended up painting (I think) the same tree I painted the last time we were here.  And I think I managed to get in a few more branches than last time.    For sure the background is better.     I reckon the next time I'll put it all together.   Brad

Sylvia Waddell - Blind Contour Drawing

Blind contour drawing is a great exercise in eye-hand coordination. Resisting the urge to look at your drawing is really tough!  Sylvia

Jenny Tero

Sylvia's drawing exercises were much appreciated and I learned a lot just by doing things I wouldn't normally think of doing. Having had a "bad-paint day"  here's my attempt at a left handed pencil portrait - I know it doesn't look like anyone on earth, but I was surprised that I was able to even get a face.  This might be a way to "loosen up" - with a bit more practice!    Jenny

The "Drawing Exercises" session before the Paint-out

 Limbering up to draw

Engaged in the "negative painting" exercise

The attentive class

The inspirational instructor

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, January 3, 2013

Unlike the last few paint-outs of 2012, weather for the first paint-out of 2013 was merely "brisk" rather than downright numbingly cold.    The group hadn't painted at the Winchester Mystery House for a number of years but the manager remembered us and was pleased that we'd returned --- the sort of welcome we invariably receive.   Lots to choose from to paint in a relatively compact area with some formal gardens and lots of interesting Victorian buildings (or maybe it's just one building - it's difficult to tell).    All in all, a great start to the New Year.

A reminder - bring your plein air paintings (done on paint-out days, when on vacation, or wherever) to the Annual Party for display.     We'll have a dedicated table on the stage for sketch / travel books.   For larger and framed works we'll have a few spare easels but best if you bring you own.

For more information about the Winchester Mystery House, see: http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Mary Paquet

I had a lovely time at the Winchester House, standing at my easel in the sun. As I circled the property I was immediately struck by the light and shadow in an old barn leading to a glass greenhouse. The cold moist air made for very slow drying, and I am an impatient painter. I finished a few bits at home. Mary Paquet

Dick Zunkel

 I live only a few miles from this site, but have never been there. What a great place to paint!  The light was perfect, but Yan and I were in the shade. It became so cold I had to stop painting.  This is a good way to keep from overworking. It was my first rendering with a brush pen. I usually draw with a Speedball nib and fluid ink. When I began, I was not happy with the look and considered starting over. The pen is difficult to work on medium texture paper.  However, I kept at it and am satisfied with the results. Dick

Caroline Garborino

This was the first time I really "saw" the Winchester gardens. Decades ago when I
toured the grounds, the out-buildings were not open. I loved the self-guided tours with recorded
(actor's) voices of the gardener, the maintenance man, and chauffeur. I hope to go back and paint
the gardens from the front. This paintout was completely enchanting, and I'm sure I saw Sarah.
Caroline

Sylvia Waddell

This is the Foreman's house, not quite so rambling as the Mystery House so somewhat less intimidating! Sylvia