Los Altos Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, Los Altos. Thursday, June 11, 2015

In common with recent Paintsite Guadalupe Oak Grove Park in San Jose, this is another relatively small, undeveloped, and unknown park in the midst of a city --- a plein air painter's mini-paradise.   Unlike Guadalupe Oaks however, there are no long and wide vistas but there are plenty of redwoods, a winding creek (currently dry of course) with an interesting environmental sculpture created to prevent bank erosion (the artist must  be an optimist).   Early overcast gave way to highs approaching 90 --- this truly felt like our first summer paintout.   And, unlike the last time we visited when we shared the park with summer day-campers, we had the park to ourselves --- no sharp elbows required to defend our lunchtime picnic table.

After lunch and a quick critique (try saying that rapidly three times), a number of us headed over to the Los Altos Hills Town Hall to view the "No Limits - Freedom to Create" exhibit.  It's an excellent show and runs until August 28th.    See it if you can.

For more information about the Los Altos Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, visit the official website: http://www.losaltosca.gov/recreation/page/redwood-grove-nature-preserve
(There are restroom facilities (porta-potties) and scattered picnic tables and benches.   Street parking only.)

Upcoming June Paintsites:

• Thursday, June 18, 2015:  Agnews Historic Park, Santa Clara
• Saturday, June 20, 2015:  Santa Teresa County Park - no Hike & Sketch this time, just a Sit & Paint in the Pueblo Day Use Area.
• Thursday, June 25, 2015:  San Juan Bautista Mission, San Juan Bautista

For additional information and details, see the SCVWS website or the June Newsletter.


Artists in the Grove and in the groove:

Alan and Elaine.

Dick, just back from a month in Beijing.

Mary R. on the bridge over Adobe Creek.

Marilyn, Dick, Helen and Lisha creekside.

Helen and Marilyn.

New member Kathy and Leslie.

Nancy T.

Nora on one of the boardwalks which wind thru the park.

Rich living on the edge.

This is some of what we did.     Unfortunately, the photos were taken hurriedly in dappled shade --- that's the blurry dark spot in most all of the images:
 

Alan's unfinished painting.

Dick's completed painting.

Elaine's unfinished painting of acanthus (Bear's Breeches).   There wasn't much color in the park other than these plants.

Leslie's close up of an acanthus.

Helen's sketch of Adobe Creek.

Helen's finished painting of Adobe Creek.  (Note the environmental sculpture of woven and intertwined branches of native plants on the far bank.)

Lisha's finished painting of Adobe Creek.   (Again note the sculpture on the far bank.)

Mary R. tried out her new Winsor & Newton watercolor markers on a redwood over the creek bed.

Marilyn's redwoods.

Brad's painting of  a variety of trees with a few redwoods thrown in.

Nancy's unfinished painting of redwoods.

Nora's finished painting from the boardwalk

Rich's finished painting from the Observation Post.

A good day's work done, we head over to the Los Altos Hills Town Hall.