Paintsites Blog

Friday, September 19, 2014

Mt. View Main Library & Pioneer Memorial Park, Mt. View, Thursday, September 18, 2014

An amazing thing happened the day of this Paintsite. It rained! Not much but just enough to clean the air and freshen the foliage. That was the good thing. The attendant humidity was not so good. But we had a great day painting whether it was "Toad's Book Club" behind the Library, Pioneer Memorial Park between the Library and City Hall, City Hall and the Performing Arts Center, a piece of the Berlin Wall, or the friendly library patrons or staff who made us all feel welcome. And, talk about welcoming, we welcomed Jenny back from her summer in the Olde Country.

For more information about the Mt. View Main Library see:
http://mountainview.gov/depts/library/default.aspl
For additional information about the "Toad's Book Club" sculptures:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM8Z83_Toad_and_Badger_from_The_Wind_in_the_Willows_Mountain_View_CA
Couldn't find a good link for Pioneer Memorial Park so you'll have to visit in person.

Upcoming Paintsites and related events:

Thursday, September 25, 2014: Santa Cruz Paintout - Day 1 *
Friday, September 26, 2014: Santa Cruz Paintout - Day 2 *
Thursday, October 2, 2014: Moffett Historical Museum and Hangar One
Thursday, October 16, 2014: Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont

* The deadline for signing up for the post-painting parties has passed but everyone is still welcome to join us for a day painting on Thursday, 9/25, or Friday, 9/26, or both days. On Thursday we will be at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk where we've received special permission to paint the Carousel (which would normally be closed that day). On Friday we'll be on the beach in Capitola.

Check the Newsletter or website for complete details for all upcoming events.

"Toad's Book Club" was a very popular subject ...

Melanie & Liz

Melanie and Liz are Mt. View residents and are very familiar with the Library and Park. It was Liz's recommendation that we select this as a Paintsite. Thanks Liz.

Liz's "book Club" painting

Melanie's painting of same - note "Ratty" in the tree

Jenny

Jenny's "Book Club" painting

Nancy T.

Nancy's painting of Mr. Toad

Leslie

Leslie's sketch of Mr. Toad


Brad's Mr. Toad study

The Library grounds and adjacent Pioneer Memorial Park were also popular subjects ...

Lisha

Lisha's painting of the Library itself. The "Book Club" meets under the leftmost tree.

Dick

Dick's painting of a wheeled contraption one suspects Mr. Toad would no doubt covet.

Susan working on a "Book Club" painting

Yan painting flowers next to the Library

Meanwhile, others of us painted in Pioneer Memorial Park between the Library, City Hall and the Performing Arts Center...

Helen painting Leonard seated on a park bench ...

Helen's unfinished painting of Leonard in the distance ...

Leonard seated on a park bench.

So, while Helen painted Leonard, Leonard painted some of the big trees in the park ....

... and the Mt. View City Hall & Performing Arts Center

new member Anu

Anu's painting of a service truck and workers

Dan, who hadn't painted with us for some time, makes a triumphant return ...

Dan's painting of a park path and the historic Masonic Lodge in the background

Doug, a guest of Dan and an oil painter, gives watercolor a try. Better than pretty good I'd say.

And while Dan painted the park grounds, Melanie painted Dan painting.

Plein air painters are one tough group - witness Karen, a day after her accident, battered and bruised, painting up a storm.

Mary found much joy is observing (then painting) a group of well behaved young children who, perhaps for the first time ever, got to pop open their bright colored umbrellas. (Even though it had stopped raining by this time.)

There were other things to paint too if one looked closely .....

Broncha's painting of an enticing porch swing in an adjacent neighborhood home

Laurie's evocative painting of a piece of the Berlin Wall, the installation of which on Library grounds was a big political fight.

Leslie's all-about-color painting of end-of-summer flowers along one of the park pathways

And Marilyn's painting of two hanging baskets exploding with color in the City Hall plaza.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Weekend Paintsite Downtown Campbell Saturday, September 13, 2014

Two members and three guests made for a fine afternoon of plein-air painting. Only Alison came near to finishing her work. The rest of us were too engaged in watching the festivities of Campbell's 2nd Saturday event.

Alison

Alison's nearly finished painting

Guest Artists Tom Zunkel and Yan Zheng

Guest Artist Cindy Ling

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Syngenta Flowers (formerly Goldsmith Seeds), Gilroy, Thursday, September 4, 2014

Who knew that Gilroy was a premier spot for Bay Area plein air painters? Last month it was Gilroy Gardens, this month (although we missed peak bloom by a few weeks) it was Syngenta Flowers. Normally we'd expect Gilroy to be hot late Summer, but again, on Thursday it was perfect. (Sylvia modestly took credit for arranging the weather - she and Jenny seem to have a knack for that.) Who knows what other hidden treasures await us in South County?

For more information about Syngenta seeds, check out their official website at:
http://www.syngentaflowers.com/country/us/en/seeds/Pages/default.aspx
For a dramatic photo of the demonstration flower fields, see:
http://gilroywelcomecenter.org/attractions/syngenta-flowers.html

Upcoming Paintsites:

Saturday, September 13, 2014: Downtown Campbell 2nd Saturday Art Walk & live music
Thursday, September 18, 2014: Mt. View Main Library, Mt. View
Thursday, September 25, 2014: Santa Cruz Paintout - Day 1 *
Friday, September 26, 2014: Santa Cruz Paintout - Day 2 *

* Remember, if you plan to attend the Santa Cruz Paintout on September 25 & 26 and want to attend one or both of the post-paintout parties, reservations are required by September 15th. Check the Newsletter or website for details. A PDF reservation form is available on the Paintsites Details page of the Members Only / Member's Home Page.

Check the Newsletter or website for complete details for all upcoming events.

Here's the Paintsites first team: