Roberto Adobe, built about 1836 by Native American Roberto Balermino, is one of only two extant adobes in San Jose. In 1847 Spaniard Antonio Sunol, mayor of San Jose among other positions, built a brick house adjoining the adobe. In 2013 the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County acquired this property to create a free museum to showcase Santa Clara Valley’s history. Although the property is only open to the public on Saturdays from noon until 2 PM, two California Pioneers docents, Sylvia Hew and Mary Berger, allowed the paintsite artists to paint there and gave us a tour of the museum. We sincerely thank the California Pioneers and Sylvia and Mary for allowing us to paint at the Roberto Adobe and for being gracious hostesses and knowledgeable docents.
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The property has had many owners. In 1844 Roberto was granted a land grant of 2,219 acres where he had cattle and pigs. This area included his adobe and the current San Jose downtown and Rose Garden. In 1847 Sunol acquired the ranch, built a brick house, and allowed Roberto’s family to remain in their adobe. In 1853 a sea captain Stefano Splivalo purchased the property, added a second story, encased the brick walls in wood siding, and added three rooms. In 1906 Italian immigrant Julio Bassoni acquired the houses and four acres. He and his descendants maintained a typical Willow Glen orchard until 1966. The houses stood empty until the Bruzzone family acquired the property, restored it, and rented it as a law office from 1977 until 2012. In 2013 the Bruzzone family gave the property to the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County.
It was a wonderful paintsite for the SCVWS artists with interesting subject material and unseasonably spring-like weather. Besides the two buildings, two very popular subjects were the horno and the Mission fig tree. A horno is a Spanish domed oven used to make bread. Wood logs burn inside to heat the interior walls, then the embers are removed and balls of dough are baked inside. The Mission Fig tree is the largest and one of the oldest fig trees in Santa Clara County, likely planted between 1847 and 1881. It still produces delicious fruit.
For more information about the Roberto Adobe see:
Link to Roberto Adobe Museum website
Upcoming paintsites: See the SCVWS website or February newsletter for details.
Thursday, February 8, 2018: Santana Row, San Jose
Thursday, February 15, 2018: McClellan Ranch Preserve, Cupertino
Saturday, February 17, 2018: McClellan Ranch Preserve, Cupertino
Thursday, February 22, 2018: Paintsites Hike and Sketch, Lands End, San Francisco
As part of the Silicon Valley Open Studios "Talk Art" series of community TV programs, Paintsites regular John Ediger discusses his background, a few of his paintings, and demos his painting techniques for depicting the rusty objects for which he is noted.
Link to John Ediger's Video on youtube
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| Lorraine's painting captures the Sunol house, Mission fig, Roberto adobe, and horno. |
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California Pioneer docents Mary Berger and Sylvia Hew were very gracious
hostesses, giving us a very interesting tour of the museum and helping
us to fit many more cars than seemed possible in the parking lot.
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Lorraine, John, Toni, Alan, Candy, Liz, and Jane are very serious about
capturing the scene.
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| Many artists in the beautiful garden with fountain |
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| Jayne's two page journal spread includes Roberto's cattle brand |
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| Tanvi |
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| Tanvi's painting of the adobe, horno, and a hint of Sunol House |
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Tanvi's painting really shows the juxtaposition of the primitive
adobe with the newer home as Splivalo remodeled it
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| Marilyn |
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| Marilyn's painting featured the horno |
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| Susan B-G |
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| Susan B-G's preliminary sketch |
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| Susan B-G's painting |
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| Annie showing her work in progress |
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| Annie's completed painting |
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| John's painting |
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Toni's painting featured the Mission Fig Tree and the sun rays
streaming through its branches onto the adobe.
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| Alan's painting |
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| Candy's painting included pen and ink |
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| Liz's painting |
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| Jane's painting |
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| Salinda and Dick |
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| Salinda's painting |
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| Dick's painting |
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| Lisha and Ling |
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| Lisha's painting |
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| Ling |
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| Ling's painting |
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| Kaaren, large paint brush in hand |
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| Kaaren's first painting |
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Kaaren challenged herself to paint this painting in one hour
using only a large brush, and she met the challenge very
well. This is a horse-drawn orchard pesticide prayer which
the Bassoni family would have used in their orchard.
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Lorraine's second painting is of the plow that the Bassoni family
used in their orchard.
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| Leslie |
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Leslie's painting of the outhouse. The moon is the
symbol for women.
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| Leslie's tombow sketch of adobe and horno |
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| Cindy |
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| Cindy's painting of the outhouse and garden |
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| Helen |
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| Helen's quick sketch of house and artist |
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| Helen's painting of Sunol House |
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| Brad is working with markers |
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| Brad's painting of the garden colored with markers |
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| Sylvia Hew is showing the inside of the adobe to the artists. |
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| The artists pose for a group photo |
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