Montalvo Arts Center, Villa Montalvo, Saratoga. Thursday, January 8, 2015

Our day at Villa Montalvo started out like any normal June morning --- sunny and warm, gardeners mowing the healthy green lawns, happy walkers --- in other words, a perfectly idyllic day.   Then the clouds moved in, the sun disappeared (taking with it the sharp shadows and bright contrasts so loved by plein air painters), a cool breeze appeared and we were reminded that it was, after all, January.  But Villa Montalvo, any month of the year, is a treat for a plein air artist.

For more information about Villa Montalvo, see  http://montalvoarts.org/:  

Upcoming Paintsites

•  Thursday, January 22, 2015:  NEW - Sikh Gurdwara Temple, San Jose
•  Thursday, January 29, 2015:  NEW - Sunnyvale Baylands Park, Sunnyvale:  "easy" Hike & Sketch

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

Some completed paintings have recently been added to the Murphy Ave., Los Altos History House, Clos LaChance Winery and Lighthouse Field SB posts.    Check to see the new postings of some recent paintings from past Paintsites.

Finally, one more thing to do before you visit Villa Montalvo with us --- to see the MixBook Photo Album presented to Jenny & Sylvia at the Annual Holiday Party, go to: http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/interests/jenny-and-sylvia-10996563?vk=759PD8gn7A

Candy painting the Villa (with husband Roger in the foreground)

Five fine artists: Helen, Candy, Lisha, Iris and Iris' daughter

Iris' painting of the East Wing of the Villa

Lisha

Lisha's unfinished painting of the West Wing of the Villa

Helen

Helen's painting of the Villa with Dan in the foreground

Broncha working from the far end of the Great Lawn looking towards the Villa

Cathy working at the Mermaid Pond  ( http://montalvoarts.org/venue/64/ )

Cathy's sketches of the Mermaid

Cathy's finished painting of the Mermaid

Dick's painting

Jane's painting of Hebe  (at least that's who Dan thought it was)

and Jenny's sketch of Hebe

Jenny's painting of the Villa and the magnificent Bunya Pine ( http://montalvoarts.org/sculpture/from_within_without/ )

John's painting of the huge antique urn

Mary's painting of the urn

Leslie's painting of the Blue Garden ( http://montalvoarts.org/venue/62/  )

Marilyn's painting of ornate planter with trailing succulents

Mary's unfinished painting of toppled tree

Melanie, rightfully pleased with her wonderful painting of ...

...  the Villa

Pat  (that's not an FDR type cigarette holder - it's a brush -- what wouldn't a plein air watercolorist give for another hand?)

Pat's unfinished painting of Control Tower ( http://montalvoarts.org/sculpture/control_tower/  )

Sylvia's sketches of various subjects

Liz working at the base of the Bunya Pine.   Visit later for her finished painting - it's always worth a visit.

Liz's finished painting of the Villa.

Bobbi's painting of the Villa

With twenty-three artists and two spouses at Villa Montalvo not everybody could fit in one photo so here's three looks at us during lunch ....