Los Altos History Museum, Thursday, November 6, 2014

The Los Altos Civic Center is a very popular venue for almost everything that people do to stimulate their minds and bodies --- we had to compete with Jazzercisers, Library Friends, and don't know what all else for parking spaces.  But once we were able to find spaces, we had a fine early Autumn day (maybe a bit cool in the shade for some, maybe a bit warm in the sun for others but generally, almost perfect) to study and paint the 1905 J.Gilbert Smith House, some of the outbuildings, an old cart and the History Museum itself.

For information about the Los Altos History Museum, check out:  http://www.losaltoshistory.org/

Upcoming Paintsites:

• Thursday, November 20, 2014:  Clos LaChance Winery, San Martin
• Thursday, December 4, 2014:  Historic S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale
• Thursday,  December 18, 2014:  Lighthouse Field State Beach, Santa Cruz - Holiday Pot-Luck

For complete details see the Watercolor Society website or the November Newsletter.

Why are these people smiling and what's that hidden behind them on the steps?

Aha, you probably guessed it --- they're Paintsites artists and they're smiling because they had this to show for a great day's painting....

Our improvised gallery

An old garden cart with iron wheels and a big potted plant was a popular subject for ...

Broncha & Candy

Broncha's painting of cart and adjacent barn

Candy's painting of same

and ...

Cathy

Cathy's painting of the cart

 and  ...

Leslie

Leslie's painting of the cart.

The J Gilbert Smith house, a shingled Craftsman, was an interesting subject from every side.
 From the front and side... 

Iris & Lisha

Lisha's take on the front

Iris' view down the side looking toward the barn

and ...

Marilyn

Marilyn's finished work of the front

The back of the house was also interesting and just sitting in the brick patio was a fine experience

Melanie, Nancy & Dick on the back patio

Bonnie's painting of the house and gate leading into the patio

Melanie's painting of same

Dick's painting of brick patio

Today I kept the inking to a minimum and played with wet on wet.  There's virtually no control doing this.   Painting wet on wet on a 140 lb. block guarantees unpredictable results as gravity takes over and rivers of color form in the arroyos.    I have more 300 lb. paper on order.   Dick

Jane's painting of the side of the house.

Helen

Helen focused on the gate leading from the back patio to the front of the house

 

Brad's painting of gate and side of house

  The Tank House and Outhouse were also popular subjects...

Anu's painting of the Tank House

Broncha's painting of the Tank House

Jenny's painting of the Tank House & the Outhouse

Leslie's painting of an outbuilding

Susan's sketch of the Tank House

The History Museum itself, although a newer building, is also a handsome one.  Especially when painted by ...... 

Jane

Jane's painting of the Los Altos History Museum

Alviso Marina County Park Hike & Sketch, Thursday, October 30, 2014

Our first Hike & Sketch under new management, without Jenny & Sylvia leading the way, turned into more of a meander by an undisciplined rabble than a focused group of artists.    So it's a good thing we're such a flexible and accommodating group --- we adapted and still had a great time and found much to paint.    There were lots of "I didn't see that interesting old building.   Where was that?"     Which means when next we visit there will be lots of new subjects to paint (assuming the old buildings haven't completely collapsed.) 

(Note:   We did act in concert once was when an Amtrak train went by and we all lined up and waved in unison.    No telling what the passengers thought of the motley group standing on the levee.)

For more information about the Alviso Marina County Park, check out:
http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/AlvisoMarina.aspx

Upcoming Paintsites events:

•  Thursday, November 6, 2014:  Los Altos History Museum, Los Altos
•  Thursday, November 20, 2014:  Clos LaChance Winery, San Martin

For complete details see the Watercolor Society website or the November Newsletter.

(Note: some earlier postings have been updated with finished paintings replacing the incomplete work initially posted.   Check out Ardenwood and the Rengstorff House in particular.)

Painting on the levee ...

Photo courtesy of Melanie

Photo courtesy of Melanie

Our well deserved lunch break after our long trek (maybe all of 3/4 mile!) on the levees and through the town .....

The artists .....

Candy

Cathy

Dick

Helen

Iris

Jenny

John

Leslie

Lisha

Marilyn

Melanie

Sylvia

Mitsi

Brad

And here's some of what we painted.     (Remember we're only allowed about 20 - 30 minutes per sketch/painting before we move on to the next stop.    Some images are quick sketches, some are 20 minute paintings!, and some are work finished later in the studio.)

 First stop - the levee:

Candy's painting of  levee

Cathy's painting of levee #1

Cathy's painting of levee #2

Iris' painting of artist on levee

Lisha's painting of another artist on levee looking west

Melanie's painting of levee looking towards the Park

Sylvia's sketch of the levee looking east (note RR tracks on right)

Brad's sketch of artists on the levee

Off the levee and back in the Park proper ...

The interesting, high-and-dry houseboat 'docked' in a lot next to the Park was a popular subject.    There's an air of mystery about it that draws people in ..... 

Dick's painting of the houseboat

Leslie's take on the same houseboat

Marilyn's drawing of the houseboat

Candy's painting of slough looking south

Mitsi's painting of  Alviso from the Park

The old bar (probably called a saloon in its heyday) adjacent to the RR Crossing was a popular subject.    Many of us made the RR Crossing and tracks very conspicuous (not just because of the interesting perspective but also because few things gets one's attention like a train hurtling by mere yards away from where you're painting ---  you tend to put it in your painting).    ...   

John's painting of the old bar

Helen's painting of old bar and the RR Crossing

Iris' sketch of same

Jenny's painting of the old bar

Leslie captured the scene too

as did Lisha

and as did Sylvia in one of her quick sketches

There were other subjects of interest in town as well ...

Jenny captured the spirit of this old building --- looks like it had spent too much time in the nearby bar

Sylvia captured the same scene

Brad's painting of ever popular Vahl's