Sunnyvale Baylands Park, Thursday, November 2, 2017

Sunnyvale Baylands Park has over 70 acres of developed parkland plus an additional 105 acres of seasonal wetlands preserve.  The land is owned by Santa Clara County and managed by the city of Sunnyvale.

The park with its natural grasses and seasonal wetlands has a very different look at different times of the year.  For our visit the winter rains had not yet started so the natural grasses were brown and there was no water in the seasonal wetlands.  There was still lots to paint as we focused on the many stands of different kinds of trees, the panoramic views of the Milpitas Hills and surroundings, and the geometric sculptures.  There was a sharp distinction between the brown natural grasses and the velvet green of the well manicured turf grass.  We were reminded of how much effort goes into caring for the turf grass when a very polite and apologetic gardener asked a group of us to please move so he could mow the grass with his riding mower.

The temperature was very pleasant.  It was mostly cloudy when we began, then the clouds dispersed leaving sun and sharp shadows, and by the time we finished our lunch, it had totally clouded up again.

Link to Sunnyvale Baylands Park

Upcoming paintsites:
Nov 9 - Pao-Hua Buddhist Temple, San Jose
Nov 16 - Cooper-Garrod Vineyards, Saratoga
Nov 18 - Weekend Paintsite - Villa Montalvo, Saratoga
Nov 23 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Nov 30 - Rancho San Antonio, Cupertino

Toni's painting shows trees, turf grass, natural grass, Milpitas Hills,
high tech buildings, and radio controlled plane

Toni in the Great Meadow

Lorraine's painting of eucalyptus tree with playground in background

Leslie's painting of benches, waiting for the rains
to fill the seasonal wetlands

Cindy

Cindy's painting of trees with Milpitas Hills in background

Annie

Annie's painting of Great Meadow surrounded
by natural grasses and stands of trees

Broncha at the end of the boardwalk

Broncha's painting of boardwalk really captured the shadows

Jane S at the start of the boardwalk
with the Twin Creeks Sports Complex in background

Jane S's painting of seasonal wetlands and
stands of eucalyptus trees

Lisha by the geometric sculptures

Lisha's portrait of a tree with high tech buildings
and Milpitas Hills in the background

Helen sitting in the shade of geometric sculpture

Helen's quick watercolor sketch of tree avenue

Helen's painting of tree avenue

Grace sitting on top of the hill before the gardener asked
her to move off of the grass so he could mow

Grace's painting of stand of geometric sculptures

Marilyn's painting of geometric sculptures with tree tunnel

and Milpitas Hills in the background

The artists have finished their picnic.  Thanks, Cindy, for taking our picture.