Villa Montalvo, Saratoga, August 29, 2019

Villa Montalvo was the country home of three-term mayor of San Francisco and later U. S. Senator James Phelan.  The name "Villa Montalvo" is a reference to popular 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo, who first coined the name "California."  At his death, Senator Phelan was explicit in his bequest of Villa Montalvo.  It was "to be maintained as a public park open under reasonable restrictions, ... for the development of art, literature, music, and architecture by promising students."  What a perfect place for the SCVWS artists to paint on a lovely summer day.  Kelly Sicat of the Montalvo Arts Center chatted with us to make sure we artists felt welcome.

For more information about Montalvo Arts Center visit http://montalvoarts.org/
For the history of Villa Montalvo including many historical photos visit: http://montalvoarts.org/about/history/
For information about the gardens and grounds, visit: http://montalvoarts.org/gardens/

Upcoming Paintsites:  See the SCVWS website or the September Newsletter for details:

Thursday, Sept 5, Emerald Lake Country Club, Emerald Hills
Thursday, Sept 12, Rosicrucian Museum Park, San Jose
Thursday, Sept 19, Allied Arts Guild, Menlo Park
Saturday, Sept 21, Edenvale Gardens Regional Park / Hayes Mansion, San Jose
Thursday, Sept 26, Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz

Artists and their artwork:

The villa itself was the subject of many pieces of art:

Tanvi's painting of Villa Montalvo

Tanvi

Broncha's painting of Villa Montalvo

We are happy to have Mindy painting with us again

Mindy's painting of Villa Montalvo

Elaine

Elaine's painting of Villa Montalvo

Sham and Indira

Sham extended the blooming season of the wisteria

Jayne

Jayne's painting of Villa Montalvo

Caroline

Caroline's painting of Villa Montalvo's historic stained glass window

which depicts Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo's galleon the San Salvador

Brad's sketch of Belvedere Temple

Anne

Iris

 On the grounds are displayed many sculptures which made excellent painting subjects.

Annie

Annie captured the gardener inspecting the sculpture

Benay

Benay's painting of a cast stone mermaid rising
from the water in the Mermaid Pond

Cindy

Cindy's unfinished painting of two of the Three Greek Graces

Helen

Helen's painting of one of the Three

Greek Graces near the entrance to the Italianate Garden

Lauren

Lauren's painting of the "Fountain of Life" and the garden

near the Mermaid Pond

We just met Kathy at Happy Hollow Zoo last week

and we are very happy she returned to paint with us.

The special exhibit "Threads: Weaving Humanity" is on display now until October 25, 2019.  These newly commissioned works use braiding, stitching, patching, and mending as a metaphor for weaving the threads of our diverse communities into a shared social fabric.  For information about the special exhibit, visit: http://montalvoarts.org/exhibitions/threads/

Susan B-G painted Forgiveness, The Misplaced Grace:  http://montalvoarts.org/sculpture/forgiveness_misplaced_grace/

Susan B-G

Susan B-G's painting of Forgiveness, the Misplaced Grace

Marilyn painted "A Common Thread" which represents Los Altos artist Sudnya Shroff's commitment to the global refugee community.  http://montalvoarts.org/sculpture/common_thread/

Paintsite co-coordinator Marilyn

Marilyn was quite intrigued by the unique art installation so she painted it.  It contains rainbow 

colored threads installed in the forest with many hard-crocheted flowers on the ground below.

There was lots more to paint on the 175 acre estate.

Matt painting in the Oval Garden which used to be Senator Phelan's 

swimming pool but is now filled in and turned into a garden.

Matt's painting of wisteria and its pods

Indira's painting of a conversation on the grounds

Jan C.

Jan C's painting of the Italianate Garden

featuring two rows of cypresses and

a fountain in the Love Temple

Thank you to paintsite regular Elaine for leading

the sharing of our artwork.

Elaine is making sure everyone gets a good look at the piece of art we are

discussing.  You can see the Italianate Garden in the background.

Everyone misses long-time Thursday Paintsites artist Lisha

and we are sending her our love.