In 1912 when W.H.Wright bought property on Adobe Creek in Los Altos it had one small cottage and a single redwood tree. The property was originally intended as a family retreat away from foggy San Francisco. Later, Wright gifted the land to his daughter Emma on her marriage to Theodore Vail Halsey. A new house was constructed in 1923 and truckloads of redwood seedlings were brought in from the Santa Cruz Mountains to replace the diseased creekside willows.
The Halsey Property was bought by the City of Los Altos in 1974 for the purpose of protecting the majestic 90 year old redwoods planted by the Halseys. In addition to the towering redwoods, the six acre preserve features a boardwalk loop, a meadow, and native understory plants maintained by Grassroots Ecology.
Thanks to all the rain we've been having, Adobe Creek actually had flowing water. The morning started out cool but the welcoming mid-morning sun provided warmth and wonderful shadow patterns throughout the grove.
For more on Redwood Grove please check out:
https://www.losaltosca.gov/recreation/page/redwood-grove-nature-preserve
http://www.friendsofhistoricredwoodgrove.org
https://www.grassrootsecology.org/redwood-grove-nature-preserve/
Upcoming Paintsites. See the SCVWS website or the February/March Newsletters for details.
- Thursday, Feb 14, Maryknoll Retirement Residence, Los Altos
- 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
- Saturday, Mar 9, Webb Ranch, Portola Valley
- Thursday, Mar 14, Saratoga Heritage Orchard
- Thursday, Mar 21, Kirk-Farrington House, San Jose
- Thursday, Mar 28, Santa Clara Mission
Shows & Exhibits by Paintsite Regulars:
- Tiangong Liu's painting "Low Tide" has been accepted in the California Watercolor Association's 49th National Exhibition and will be displayed through Feb 16, 2019 at the Harrington Gallery, Firehouse Arts Center, 4444 Railroad Ave, Pleasanton. (Official website: https://www.californiawatercolor.org/index.php )
- Laurie Barna’s painting “The Heart of Liberty” is displayed at “Art from the Heart” exhibit which runs through March 23 at Dove Gallery, Park Victoria Church, 875 S. Park Victoria Drive, Milpitas. Laurie was featured in an article in the “Willow Glen Resident” supplement to the Mercury News: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/24/local-artist-finds-life-after-liberty-series/
Also, make sure to check out Edward Rook's Flickr album of our February 2019 visit to Redwood Grove Nature Preserve:
Artists and their artwork:
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| Tanvi's watercolor of the boardwalk meandering through the redwoods |
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| Tanvi |
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| Tiangong's painting of the historic Halsey House |
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| Tiangong |
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| Toni's painting of redwoods bordered by Adobe Creek |
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| Toni |
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| Carol |
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| Caroline |
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| Mary |
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| Lora's watercolor of the bridge and redwoods |
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| Lora |
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| Lauren |
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| Lorraine's painting of the creek and redwoods |
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| Lorraine |
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| Annie's of view the main bridge |
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| Annie |
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| Helen's watercolor of the creek and redwoods |
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| Helen |
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| Edward's view of Redwood Grove |
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| Edward |
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| Wanda's sketch of the grove |
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| Wanda |
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| Dick's painting of Redwood Grove visitors |
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| Salinda's watercolor of visitors on the boardwalk |
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| Joe's watercolor of the creek |
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| Paintsites' lunch break |
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| Paintsites' artists admiring artwork |
