Maison du Lac, Summit Rd., Los Gatos. Thursday, July 14, 2016

"Discovered" by Lois, (who has attended community events there in the past), and coordinated by Marilyn, Maison du Lac was a new Paintsite for us.   Owned, created and maintained by Patti Hughes for almost 50 years, it's a very special place and, as a popular  wedding reception venue, has special meaning for many people.    Unlike so many of the more recent grand "estate"  developments in this area, the house, although architecturally interesting, sits very lightly on the land.  The "stars" are the many redwoods (a number of which were lost in the 1985 Lexington Fire which happily spared the Hughes' home), the lake and the wildlife friendly gardens.  (And for some of us, as you'll see, the rusty 1926 Model-T truck.)   It's a place where it's easy to get lost in your own unique "space" and get really engrossed in your painting.    And it was unanimous:  this is a site to which we hope to return again.  (Actually, maybe again and again and again --- if they'll have us.)

Maison du Lac doesn't have an official website but there are many glowing reviews in social media.

Upcoming Paintsites:

• Thursday, July 21, 2016:   New Almaden Historic District, San Jose
• Thursday, July 28, 2016:   Downtown Los Altos with potluck lunch to follow at a member's nearby home.  (See the Members Only / Paintsites Detail webpage and the Sunday, July 24th e-notification for directions to the potluck.) 
• Thursday, August 4, 2016:   Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill
• Thursday, August 11, 2016:   Moffett Field Historical Society Museum, Mt. View
• Thursday, August 18, 2016:   Harris-Lass House, Santa Clara

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and in the July & August Newsletters.

Ongoing events of interest involving Paintsites regulars:

• Candy Yu's one-woman show runs thru August 6th in the Cupertino Library, 10800 Torre Ave., in the Cupertino Civic Center Plaza.    Hours are:  Mon. - Thu. 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM;  Fri. - Sat. 10:00 AM -  6:00 PM; and Sun. noon - 6:00 PM.
• Mary Raftery and Laurie Barna were accepted in the Haggin Art Museum's 59th Annual Juried National Exhibition.  The Haggin Art Museum is located in Stockton and is famous for its outstanding fine art collection.   The show runs July 7  - September 11, 2016.  
• The SCVWS Summer Palette exhibit continues its run (thru August 26th) at the Hobee's restaurant at  680 River Oaks Parkway in San Jose.     Hours of operation are:  Mon. - Fri. 7:00 AM - 2:30 PM; Sat. 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM; Sun. 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM.   (This Hobee's serves breakfast & lunch only.)

And keep checking the "Members Blogs" links in the right sidebar for updates -- Sylvia and Mary both have recent postings. 

Our day at Maison du Lac:
We come out to commune with Nature but what do some of us do?    We paint a rusty old truck!

Left to right: Dick, the Model-T truck, and John ("The Painter of Rusty Thing"), caressing the truck.

Dick's painting of the old truck.

John's unfinished painting of the truck.   Watch for a "studio" version on his website (see the Links sidebar on the right) in the near future.

Annie and Kaaren

Annie is from Michigan and her family are GM people --- so, although this is a Ford, she knows cars and trucks.   And obviously knows how to paint them.  (Unfinished.)

Annie's finished painting.

So taken was he with the site, Alan threatened to get "lost" on the property so he could stay past our allotted time.  When he realized he'd have to live on what he could catch - lizards maybe - he came to his senses.   (Check back later for his truck painting.)

Painting the "Lac" was another popular subject.  It was so pleasant just sitting by the lake that it took considerable ambition to actually get started.    But we did and the results justify the effort.

Carolyn found a shady spot on one of the really cool cement benches to set-up.

Carolyn's unfinished painting looking east across the lake.

Lois and Shelly, a Santa Cruz artist, who was able to join us for the day.

Lois' journal entry for the day.   (She also shared her wonderful 'June in Provence' journal with us.)

Helen's painting of the lake and floating dock.

Salinda looking east across the lake.

Salinda's painting of the lake and the truly purple trees on the far shore.  (There is a photograph on the web of these trees in the Fall - they're spectacular!)

The following paintings include the "Maison" as well as the "Lac" and you can easily see how harmoniously everything relates.

Lisha facing north.  Just to her right is the lake.

Lisha's painting of the house and the lake.

Sharon (left) and Joy.

Also looking north, Joy set up a bit farther from the lake, and painted both house and lake.

Carole also set-up just a few feet from the lake looking north toward the house.

Carole's painting of the house and lake.

 Venturing away from the lake and the house there was much more to paint ... 

Broncha with the sturdiest of backrests - a nice redwood.

Broncha's painting of a formal paved area and the adjacent lawn beyond which is the lake.

Kaaren set up in a shady clearing among the redwoods.

The photo doesn't do this painting justice --- when, during our "critique", we asked who painted this masterpiece, we all said "Me", "Me", "Me - it's mine", "No it's mine!".   Shameless liars!   It's Kaaren's.

Leslie in a particularly secluded spot --- I think it was the Native Garden.

Leslie's painting looking down-slope into the Sculpture Garden.

Melanie captured the sunlight filtering through the redwoods onto this lattice arch.

 

Brad's unfinished painting of the formerly forested, now a lawn, area swept clear by the big '85 Lexington Fire.

 Some close-ups ... 

Mary R's unfinished painting of a redwood.

Liz's painting of an old pump.

Candy's birdhouse - one of many funky birdhouses at Maison du Lac.

Another old pump of some sort - this one by Candy.

Some petunias by Candy.

A "bouquet" by Candy.

Another bouquet - this one by new member Toni.   She claimed it was her first ever plein air painting.   John didn't believe it --- much too good for a first effort he said.

Lunch in the redwoods ...

Lunch

Left to right: Lisha, Helen and Candy.

Dick and Salinda