Saturday, January 26, 2019

Lighthouse Field State Beach, Santa Cruz, Thursday, January 24, 2019

The bluff at Lighthouse Field State Beach forms the northern boundary of Monterey Bay.  From the bluff we had an excellent view of Monterey Bay to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, many surfers in Steamer Lane, Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, handsome Monterey cypress trees, and Monarch butterflies fluttering about.

Although we had reserved January 24 as a rain makeup day, when the weather forecast called for perfect weather at the coast, we changed our plans and went to Santa Cruz.  We were treated to excellent beach weather: temperature reached mid 60s, little to no wind, bright blue sky, and clear air so we could see Moss Landing and the Monterey Peninsula very clearly.  Wildlife sightings included a couple of sea otters, a red-tailed hawk, and lots of Monarch butterflies.

For information about the State Beach see: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=550
For information about the lighthouse see: http://lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=87

Upcoming Paintsites.  See the SCVWS website or the January/February Newsletters for details.
  • Sunday,   Jan 27, 1-3 pm, Santa Clara Fire Museum
  • Thursday, Jan 31, Downtown Pleasanton and CWA Exhibit
  • Thursday, Feb 7,  Location to be announced
  • Thursday, Feb 14, Location to be announced
  • Saturday, Feb 16, Stanford Red Barn
  • Thursday, Feb 21, Winchester Mystery House, San Jose
  • Thursday, Feb 28, Belgatos Park, Los Gatos
  • Thursday, Mar 7,  San Francisco Botanical Garden and "Monet: The Late Years" at the de Young museum

Shows & Exhibits by Paintsites Regulars:
  • Annie Haines and John Ediger each have two paintings in the California Watercolor Association's "Explore Color / Discover Color" exhibit at Dominican University, 50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael.   John's painting "Red Barn" won the 2nd place award. The show runs through January 31, 2019.    (Official website: https://www.californiawatercolor.org/gallery.php?cat=95
  • Tiangong Liu's painting "Low Tide" has been accepted in the California Watercolor Association's 49th National Exhibition to be displayed Jan 11 - Feb 16, 2019 at the Harrington Gallery, Firehouse Arts Center, 4444 Railroad Ave, Pleasanton.  We will view this exhibit on January 31.  (Official website: https://www.californiawatercolor.org/index.php )
  • Elaine Goldstone’s Botanical watercolor paintings are currently on display in the 1st annual Artist Showcase at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto  - 668 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 321-3891 info@pacificartleague.org Monday - Friday 9AM to 5PM, Saturday from 10AM to 2PM. Elaine's Hachiya Persimmon painting sold on the 1st night! The show runs until January 28, 2019.
See Edward Rooks's Flickr album of the Santa Cruz paintsite on: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardrooks/albums/72157706047745755

Artists and their artwork:


Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse (Photo by E. Rooks) 

View of surfers near the lighthouse (photo by E. Rooks) 

Wintering Monarchs have travelled to Santa Cruz from west of the Rockies
(Photo by E. Rooks)
 

A single monarch on the pathway (Photo by M. Perry) 

Painters setting up near the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse

Lorraine's painting of the lighthouse
Since we were in Santa Cruz for the day Allen was able to join us

Annie 

Annie's painting of the crashing waves and the lighthouse

Painters near the lighthouse

Edward's painting of the lighthouse

Helen

Helen's watercolor of the park trees

Helen's second painting of the beautiful wind swept Monterey Cypress

Indira's painting of the cliffs seen from near the lighthouse

Jane's view of the lighthouse from the west

John, Tanvi and Ling (Photo by E. Rooks) 


John's watercolor of the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse

Kaaren's watercolor of the view looking west of the lighthouse

Kaaren's second painting, a view of the cliffs below the lighthouse

Marilyn's painting of a surfer in Steamer Lane

Sham's painting of the lighthouse

Tanvi (Photo by E. Rooks)

Tanvi's watercolor of the lighthouse
which contains the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

Tanvi's view of the cliffs

Paintsites lunchtime group shot (Photo by E. Rooks) 

Paintsites show and tell artwork (Photo by E. Rooks)

Monday, January 14, 2019

Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch, San Jose, Thursday, January 10, 2019

Originally part of Rancho Santa Teresa, the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch complex and surrounding 20-acre property are what remains of a nearly 10,000-acre parcel granted to Jose Joaquin Bernal by the Mexican Government in 1834.  This ranch had been continuously owned and worked by Bernal descendants as a family-operated cattle ranch, evolving into fruit production, until 1980 when it was sold to IBM.  The county acquired the property in 1986 and it became part of Santa Teresa County Park in 2002.  The ranch complex is beautifully maintained, the ranch house is furnished with period furnishings, and the ranch house and barn exhibits are open to the public on Friday and Saturday.

It had rained the previous two days, so our seventeen artists were very grateful for a bright sunny day with pleasant temperatures.  The rain made everything look sparkly clean, the grass was very wet, the trail up the hill looked quite muddy, and everyone stayed close to the ranch buildings.

For County Park information about the ranch complex, see:
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Activities/Cultural-Venues/Pages/Bernal-Gulnac-Joice-Ranch.aspx

Although we did not get to tour the inside the buildings, this website from the 2002 dedication as a park has a few photos of the inside of the house and barn:
http://www.stpfriends.org/BGJDed/BGJDed.htm

Upcoming Paintsites.  See the SCVWS website or the January/February Newsletters for details.

  • Thursday, Jan 17, Los Altos Redwood Grove
  • Saturday, Jan 19, Annual Holiday Party with theme "Under the Sea"
  • Thursday, Jan 24, Location to be announced
  • Sunday,   Jan 27, 1-3 pm, Santa Clara Fire Museum
  • Thursday, Jan 31, Downtown Pleasanton and CWA Exhibit
  • Thursday, Feb 7,  Location to be announced
  • Thursday, Feb 14, Location to be announced
  • Saturday, Feb 16, Stanford Red Barn
  • Thursday, Feb 21, Winchester Mystery House, San Jose
  • Thursday, Feb 28, Belgatos Park, Los Gatos

Shows & Exhibits by Paintsites Regulars:
  • Annie Haines and John Ediger each have two paintings in the California Watercolor Association's "Explore Color / Discover Color" exhibit at Dominican University, 50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael.   John's painting "Red Barn" won the 2nd place award. The show runs through January 31, 2019.    (Official website: https://www.californiawatercolor.org/gallery.php?cat=95
  • Tiangong Liu's painting "Low Tide" has been accepted in the California Watercolor Association's 49th National Exhibition to be displayed Jan 11 - Feb 16, 2019 at the Harrington Gallery, Firehouse Arts Center, 4444 Railroad Ave, Pleasanton.  We will view this exhibit on January 31.  (Official website: https://www.californiawatercolor.org/index.php )
  • Elaine Goldstone’s Botanical watercolor paintings are currently on display in the 1st annual Artist Showcase at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto  - 668 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 321-3891 info@pacificartleague.org Monday - Friday 9AM to 5PM, Saturday from 10AM to 2PM. Elaine's Hachiya Persimmon painting sold on the 1st night! The show runs until January 28, 2019.

Also coming up: The SCVWS Annual Holiday Party: See SCVWS website Home page links (left of the green seahorse) for details.   And remember to bring a 4" X 6" painting of a sea shell for the Painting Exchange.

See Edward Rooks's Flickr album of the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch paintsite on:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardrooks/albums/72157677617326328

Artists and their artwork:

Iris, Lisha, and Helen 

Iris's painting of the cattle barn

Iris's painting of chickens

Lisha's painting of the ranch house

Annie's painting of the sunlit hillside and trail above the farm

Helen's painting of the ranch house

Dick 

Dick's painting of reflections in the 
ranch house window

Edward

Edward's painting of the ranch house

Indira

Indira's painting of the trail and surrounding hillside

Jane S. and Annie (photo by E. Rooks)

Jane's painting of the cow barn in morning shade

John, Liz, Jane, and Annie (photo by E. Rooks)
Liz's watercolor of the barn

California quail (photo by E. Rooks)

John

John's painting of the barn in afternoon sun

Lora

Lauren (photo by E. Rooks)

Liz

Marilyn

Marilyn's painting of the east barn in the morning sun

Salinda (photo by E. Rooks)

Salinda's painting of the ranch house

Sham (photo by E. Rooks)

Sham's painting of the north side of the barn

Tanvi
Tanvi's painting of the barns

Tiangong (photo by E. Rooks)

Tiangong's painting of the north face of the barn 
Paintsites lunchtime group shot (photo by M. Perry)


Paintsites lunchtime group shot