We're in the midst of our Spring Garden Paintouts: last week the Lucie Stern Community Center "Secret Garden"; this week a very different type of "secret garden" --- one that none of us had ever heard of a month ago, let alone visited. It was all terra incognita to us so we were fortunate that Dennis, the Ulistac Executive Officer, and and Kristy, a hard working volunteer (did we feel guilty sitting and painting while they worked? Not really. Should we have?) led tours of Ulistac pointing out both botanical highlights and historically significant Ohlone sites. (I was particularly fascinated to see native California grasses -- I didn't realize there were any native grassland remnants anywhere.)
 |
| Dennis, Ulistac Executive Officer, and Kristy -- hard at work in the mid-day sun (while Laurie paints in the shade). |
For information about the Ulistac Natural Area, see the official website: http://ulistac.org/
Upcoming Paintsites and Watercolor Society events:
- Sunday, April 19, 2015, 2 to 5 PM: "No Limits - Freedom to Create" Reception, Los Altos Hills Town Hall (see SCVWS website or Newsletter for details)
- Thursday, April 23, 2015: Cummins Iris Garden, Scotts Valley
- Thursday, April 30, 2015: Chateau CharMarron Peony Garden, San Jose (11:30 start time)
(Note: the "lattice" on most of the photos of paintings was caused by a shadow cast by the tennis court's chain link fence against which we leaned the paintings --- blame the photographer, not the artists. (Incidentally, the tennis courts weren't in Ulistac, they were in Lick Mill Park across the street. Which is also where the restroom facilities are located should you wish to visit.)
Ten yards from busy Montague Expressway you're a world away in the native plant garden ..
 |
| Candy and Leslie |
 |
| A concentration of lovely wildflowers were popular subjects |
 |
| As were the artists themselves - painting by Caroline |
.JPG) |
| Wildflowers by Candy |
 |
| Wildflowers on Yupo by Candy |
 |
| Dick was lucky enough to catch a feeding hummingbird at a wildflower |
 |
| Don's wildflowers |
.JPG) |
| California poppies by John |
 |
| More poppies, one with a bee this time, by John |
 |
| Leslie's Matilija poppy |
 |
| Leslie's wildflower medley |
 |
| Another wildflower medley - this one by Jane K. |
 |
| A page out of a California Wildflowers Field Guide? Someday could be - this is Liz's wildflower sampler. |
 |
| Mary's California poppies and fence rail |
 |
| Laurie |
 |
| Laurie's charming wildflower still life |
 |
| Elaine |
 |
| Elaine's painting of unwanted & forgotten trees in crumbling containers |
 |
| Iris |
 |
| Iris' painting of potting supplies |
.JPG) |
| Helen and Lisha |
 |
| Helen's painting of Don |
 |
| Lisha's painting of a different variety of eucalyptus |
 |
| Brad's painting of a eucalyptus copse across a native grass meadow - the more you look at a eucalyptus, the more colors you see in the leaves, limbs and trunk! |
Heading off the beaten paths ...
.JPG) |
| Cathy (and Alwyn) and Melanie ventured deeper into the wooded area |
 |
| Rich's painting of one of the trails leading into the "interior" |
 |
| Leslie's pond scene - hard to find but worth the effort |
 |
| Cathy's painting of a handsome eucalyptus |
.JPG) |
| Melanie's choice of a different eucalyptus was equally striking |
Just across Lick Mill Blvd from Ulistac is Lick Mill Park where we ate lunch and had our critique
 |
| Show and Share time (photo by Yan) |
The watercolors are lovely. Thanks for your visit to Ulistac Natural Area SCVWS!
ReplyDelete