Paintsites Blog: Wunderlich Park, Woodside. Thursday, March 31, 2016

Friday, April 1, 2016

Wunderlich Park, Woodside. Thursday, March 31, 2016

Although Paintsites had visited Wunderlich Park years ago, that was before any of the current group had joined the Watercolor Society so it was essentially a new site for us. In researching the site, we noted that the Folgers had built both a mansion and stables on their property in the early 1900s. When we arrived and rambled about a bit, what we assumed was the Mansion was actually the Stables! Described as either Victorian Gothic or French Baroque, those were the days when horses had more elegant lodgings than the general populace. And since the Folger Stables are still in use, I guess they still might have.

The earlier generation of plein air artists would have seen a much different site than the one we visited: The Stables and the Carriage House, on the verge of collapsing, were completely restored by San Mateo County in 2010. Happily, the extensive renovations didn't extend to the small Dairy House just off the road leading up to the Stables -- it was our favorite subject.

For more information about Wunderlich Park, see the official website at:
http://parks.smcgov.org/wunderlich-park

Upcoming Paintsites:

Thursday, April 7, 2016: Southern San Mateo County - site still to be determined based on our assessment of where wildflowers will be most abundant. Watch for your Sunday Paintsites e-notification.
Thursday, April 14, 2016: Nola's Iris Garden, San Jose.
Thursday, April 21, 2016: Gamble Garden, Palo Alto
Thursday, April 28, 2016: San Jose Heritage Rose Garden (not the Municipal Rose Garden), San Jose

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and the April Newsletter. And, please remember, check your e-mail or the SCVWS website Home Page for cancellation notices and the Sunday e-notification for specific driving and parking directions.

The Folger Stables: Since the Stables are Wunderlich's most famous feature, somebody had to paint them.

Technically, this is Mary's painting of a mighty oak tree, but that's the Stables in the background so this gets lumped with the Stables paintings. Mary was situated on the road leading up to the stables so her viewpoint is a low one looking up at the Stables.

Broncha. It was nice working in the sun in the AM as it was still on the cool side. By mid-afternoon it was on the hot-side -- the seasons are definitely changing and nobody knows it better that a plein air artist.

Broncha's painting from directly in front of the Stables. There was lots of horse traffic on the drive between Broncha and the Stables so she was treated to a steady clop-clop of both led and ridden horses passing by.

Brad's painting of the Folger Stables from near the Carriage House. This makes the Stables look small - it's actually quite a large building.

The Trails: Most of us were content to stick close to the historic part of the park -- but not Marilyn.

Marilyn back from her successful hike ....

... successful because she found what she was looking for -- some native iris to paint.

The Dairy Building: This small (probably adobe) structure, built c. 1874 and held together (barely) by a steel cable encircling the structure just below the eaves, was easily the most intriguing subject in the park --- at least for a plein air artist. It's basically a cube with small openings at either end and a gabled roof, We painted it from every side --- each side was unique in that they were in different states of disrepair, each side a multitude of colors from the different mosses, mold, fungi, lichens, or what have you growing on it and different plants growing out of cracks in the walls. What fun!

Helen

Helen's quick sketch of the Dairy House

Helen's finished painting of the Dairy House.

Carole

Carole's painting of the Dairy House seen through the trees.

Georgia

Joy

Joy's painting of the Dairy House

Iris working on her small sketch.

Iris' sketch of the Dairy House

Kaaren

Kaaren's sketch of the Dairy House

Kaaren's finished painting of the Dairy House.

Joe

Joe's sketch of the Dairy House

Joe's painting of the Dairy House.

Katherine's painting of the Dairy House.

Leslie (standing) and Jane. Jane sketched some of the beautiful horses and here explains her technique to Leslie.

Leslie's painting of the Dairy House - she positioned herself on the hillside above the structure - the road on which most of the rest of us set-up is on the opposite side of the building.