Neale's Hollow, Saratoga, Thursday, January 16, 2014

The problems we as plein air artists have to deal with are almost beyond human endurance:  witness our mid-January day at Neale's Hollow, a recycled Western movie set --- a slightly chilly mid-morning, an almost too warm forenoon and early afternoon, and a monotonously blue sky (Liz's comment that she hasn't mixed a new blue or grey sky for months on end was certainly true).     I'm sure the people in other parts of the country must feel very sorry for us.    But we press on, undaunted, with our art.

Upcoming Paintouts:

• Thursday, January 30, 2014 - Rancho San Antonio Park & Open Space Preserve - first Hike & Sketch of 2014 - details will be forthcoming via an e-mail notification.
• Thursday, February 6, 2014:  Carmelite Monastery, Santa Clara
• Saturday, February 15, 2014: Casa Grande & the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum, New Almaden (San Jose)
• Thursday, February 20, 2014:  Friends Meeting House, San Jose

Check the Watercolor Society website or newsletter for details

Lunch:

 Followed by a thoughtful critique...

 Of what we did.    Here are some completed paintings:

"Winter's Glory" - Mary Paquet

I had intended to do an ink drawing and drop in color, but I left the ink at home. Plan two, do a small piece of part of one of the buildings. I wasn't happy with the results. I looked around and decided this stately old Sycamore made a fitting subject. Without rain to strip the trees bare, many still have fall foliage clinging to their branches.     Mary

Liz Siegel

Brad Santos

Normally I prefer to paint from a more oblique angle but the shallow faux gables were a bit unsettling so a head-on approach, where I didn't have to deal with that, worked better for me.    Brad

And here are some snapshots of unfinished paintings showing what we accomplished (in spite of the hardships).   Please visit again when the finished paintings are presented.

Sylvia Waddell - unfinished painting

I was rather ambitious in trying to paint the whole building, as I couldn't stay for long enough to finish it on site!  Hopefully I'll get time to put in the finishing touches and repost it.   Sylvia

Kaaren

Iris

Jenny

(superb charcoal sketch by Iris' daughter)

Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, Thursday, January 2, 2014

If the rest of 2014's paintouts are as good as this one, it'll be a great year indeed!   Sunny, mid-60s, windless, a King Tide lapping at our feet (which gave a much different look to the ever popular slough), and lots and lots of beautiful waterfowl provided the setting for a bunch of talented artists turning out some fine paintings (which we'll show this Spring at the Palo Alto Baylands EcoCenter).  

Please be sure to bring your plein air sketchbooks and some plein air paintings to show at the Annual Holiday Party on January 18th.

Next Paintsites:

• Thursday, January 16, 2014:  Neale's Hollow, Saratoga
• Thursday, January 30, 2014: Paintsite or Hike & Sketch  - location to be notified nearer the time.

For details, check the Society website or January Newsletter.

Here are some of us by the internationally famous Duck Pond.  

Here's some finished artwork:

Marilyn Perry

I admit to using my camera to photograph the Northern Shoveler, and drawing from the LCD screen.  But he and his mate were very hungry and spent the entire morning feeding right by where I was sitting, so I got to paint while viewing the real bird, not the photo.     Marilyn
 

Liz Siegel

 

Brad Santos

Lots of geese, lots of ducks, lots of gulls, lots of children, lots of airplanes at the adjacent airport, lots of fine artists = lots of fun.     Brad

Jenny Tero

Painting probably needs a couple of people and a flock of birds - there were certainly plenty of those around.  It was a beautiful day close to nature.  While we were painting the "islands" disappeared under water but by the afternoon they were back again and much bigger - magic!    Jenny

Caroline Garbarino

Once upon a time, I did this same scene in oil paint.    Now I see that it lends itself much better to watercolor.    Next time, I'll focus on reflections in the pond as an abstraction.   The Baylands offers an infinite array of beauty, just begging to be painted.   Thanks for the

adventure.     Caroline

Here we are looking over the morning's work...

 

 And here's a snapshot at some of what we produced (check back later for more finished artwork)....