San Juan Bautista Mission on the original El Camino Real June 1, 2017

Mission San Juan Bautista was founded on June 24, 1797 by Father Lasuen as the 15th of the 21 missions.  It is the largest of the 21 missions and the only church with 3 aisles.  It was dedicated in 1812, and its monastery wing consisted of 36 rooms.  This mission has never been abandoned, and is now the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista.

We had beautiful weather for our trip to San Juan Bautista.  The air was so clear that the hills east and west of the Mission looked close enough to touch.  We shared the Mission with many fourth graders as one school bus after another pulled up at the plaza to drop them off for their Mission field trip.  The students were well behaved, and between the large Mission grounds and the adjacent State Historic Park there was plenty of room for all of us.

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Liz's painting of the Mission Church

Liz using her new umbrella

Lisa with some of the fourth graders and buses in the background

Lisa's sketch of the Mission Church

Lisa's painting of the Mission Church

Lorraine with lushly growing fields in the background

Lorraine's painting of bell tower and cemetery gate

Helen and Lisha

Helen's sketch of the Mission Church

Helens' painting of the Mission Church

Lisha's painting of the Mission Church

Broncha

Broncha's painting of a bit of the arcade and the Mission Church

Marilyn's sketch of the bell tower

Alan

Jane set up in the bright sun to get the right angle 

Jane's sketch of the cemetery gate

John and Annie

John's painting of the cemetery gate

Annie's painting of the cemetery gate

Dick and Salinda

Salinda's painting of the cemetery gate

Dick's painting of the cemetery gate

Finding refuge from the sun

Marilyn and John

Marilyn and Lisha

Artists enjoying everyone's paintings