Moffett Field Historical Society Museum, Moffett Field (Mt. View / Sunnyvale). Thursday, August 11, 2016.

With time running out to paint the historic Hangar 1's 'bones' before its rumored re-skinning by Google in 2017, we visited Moffett Field as guests of the Moffett Field Historical Society Museum to again visit this extraordinary structure.      Fascinating to view, Hangar 1, is a bit daunting to paint so most of us found less intimidating, but no less interesting subjects to paint:    In addition to the static displays of aircraft which have some historical connection to either Moffett NAS or to NASA Ames Research Center, there is the a water tower and 1930's Spanish themed buildings around the Parade Ground which includes the Admin Building and the (still in use) Base Chapel.   If you plan to visit, be prepared to show photo ID at the main gate.

For additional information about the Moffett Field Historical Society Museum, see:
http://www.moffettfieldmuseum.org/
For a concise history of Moffett Field, see:
https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/santaclara/usn.htm

Upcoming Paintsites:

• Thursday, August 18, 2016:   Harris-Lass House, Santa Clara
• Thursday, August 25, 2016:  San Mateo County beach

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and in the August Newsletter.

Ongoing activities of interest involving Paintsites regulars:

• John Ediger will be gallery-sitting at the AZ Gallery (1213 Lincoln Ave., Suite #106, San Jose) on Sunday, August 28th, from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM and on Tuesday, August 30th, from 11:00 - 4:00 PM.   Come by and say "Hello".
• Mary Raftery and Laurie Barna are in the Haggin Art Museum's 59th Annual Juried National Exhibition.   Located in Stockton, the Haggin 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.)
• Karen Druker has been accepted into the The 8th Annual 50/50 Exhibition at the Sachez Art Center in Pacifica.  (1220-B Linda Mar Blvd.)    There will be a Preview Fundraiser on August 26th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.   Tickets can be purchased thru the link on the Sanchez website:   http://www.sanchezartcenter.org/calendar.htm .    A  free Public Opening Reception follows from 8:00 - 9:30 PM.       Gallery hours are Fri. - Sun. 1:oo - 5:0o PM.  The show runs until Sunday, September 18th.
• Candy Yu is currently showing 18 watercolor pet portraits at the VCA Crocker Animal Hospital, 475 N. Jackson Ave., San Jose.  Most of her artwork is in the reception area and hallways and can viewed by the public.    The Hospital is open Mon. - Fri. 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM; Sat. & Sun. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.    The exhibit runs thru the end of October.

   
P-3 Orion:
A static display P-3 Orion (  http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=1400&ct=1 ) adjacent to the Operations Control Tower was a most popular subject.

As a young man, Joe served aboard US Navy aircraft carriers so he's 100% in-the-know about Naval aviation and the Navy!     When we visit a former Naval Air Station like Moffett, he's a font of knowledge.

Joe's painting of the P-3 with Hangar 1 and the water tower in the background.   (Joe served with fighter squadrons so this isn't an aircraft with which he's intimately familiar.)

P-3s had special significance for Laurie as she fondly remembers when, as a young girl, she used to stand in her back yard and wave to them as they made their final approach into Moffett over her Sunnyvale home.

Marilyn's sketch of the static P-3 Orion.

Annie set-up in the full sun so she could frame the P-3 with a stand of conifers.

The Water Tower:
As Lisha exclaimed: 'What artist can resist a red and white water tower?' ...

... not Helen ...

Helen's water tower.

... not Joy, ...

...not Katherine, ...

... not Marilyn, ...

... not Lisha, ...

Lisha's painting of the water tower.

... and not Brad (but he couldn't resist adding the Museum's static display of a former Blue Angel F-18 in the foreground).

Hangar 1:
Its skeleton completely exposed, this was intended to the big draw but only Joy was brave enough to give it a try...

Joy's painting of the south end of Hangar 1.   The massive doors at this end were closed.   The doors on the north end were open and if there'd been time it would be interesting to paint the skeleton from the inside as it were.

The Base Chapel:

Nora found an ideal spot from which to paint the Base Chapel.  This must be the smallest building on the base but is nonetheless an ofttimes popular subject as it's one of the handsomest.

Thursday and Weekend Paintsites regular Dick Zunkel had recent hip replacement surgery and we hope this will encourage him and Salinda to rejoin the group as soon as possible!

Post-critique, the group checks out Marilyn's recent Yosemite Journal --- it's not just that we can't get in enough plein air painting of our own but we have to see what everybody else is doing too.

In driving around to leave after the paintout, I discovered several Art Deco style buildings north of the Parade Ground ... next time.