Neale's Hollow, Saratoga, Thursday, January 16, 2014

The problems we as plein air artists have to deal with are almost beyond human endurance:  witness our mid-January day at Neale's Hollow, a recycled Western movie set --- a slightly chilly mid-morning, an almost too warm forenoon and early afternoon, and a monotonously blue sky (Liz's comment that she hasn't mixed a new blue or grey sky for months on end was certainly true).     I'm sure the people in other parts of the country must feel very sorry for us.    But we press on, undaunted, with our art.

Upcoming Paintouts:

• Thursday, January 30, 2014 - Rancho San Antonio Park & Open Space Preserve - first Hike & Sketch of 2014 - details will be forthcoming via an e-mail notification.
• Thursday, February 6, 2014:  Carmelite Monastery, Santa Clara
• Saturday, February 15, 2014: Casa Grande & the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum, New Almaden (San Jose)
• Thursday, February 20, 2014:  Friends Meeting House, San Jose

Check the Watercolor Society website or newsletter for details

Lunch:

 Followed by a thoughtful critique...

 Of what we did.    Here are some completed paintings:

"Winter's Glory" - Mary Paquet

I had intended to do an ink drawing and drop in color, but I left the ink at home. Plan two, do a small piece of part of one of the buildings. I wasn't happy with the results. I looked around and decided this stately old Sycamore made a fitting subject. Without rain to strip the trees bare, many still have fall foliage clinging to their branches.     Mary

Liz Siegel

Brad Santos

Normally I prefer to paint from a more oblique angle but the shallow faux gables were a bit unsettling so a head-on approach, where I didn't have to deal with that, worked better for me.    Brad

And here are some snapshots of unfinished paintings showing what we accomplished (in spite of the hardships).   Please visit again when the finished paintings are presented.

Sylvia Waddell - unfinished painting

I was rather ambitious in trying to paint the whole building, as I couldn't stay for long enough to finish it on site!  Hopefully I'll get time to put in the finishing touches and repost it.   Sylvia

Kaaren

Iris

Jenny

(superb charcoal sketch by Iris' daughter)

Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, Thursday, January 2, 2014

If the rest of 2014's paintouts are as good as this one, it'll be a great year indeed!   Sunny, mid-60s, windless, a King Tide lapping at our feet (which gave a much different look to the ever popular slough), and lots and lots of beautiful waterfowl provided the setting for a bunch of talented artists turning out some fine paintings (which we'll show this Spring at the Palo Alto Baylands EcoCenter).  

Please be sure to bring your plein air sketchbooks and some plein air paintings to show at the Annual Holiday Party on January 18th.

Next Paintsites:

• Thursday, January 16, 2014:  Neale's Hollow, Saratoga
• Thursday, January 30, 2014: Paintsite or Hike & Sketch  - location to be notified nearer the time.

For details, check the Society website or January Newsletter.

Here are some of us by the internationally famous Duck Pond.  

Here's some finished artwork:

Marilyn Perry

I admit to using my camera to photograph the Northern Shoveler, and drawing from the LCD screen.  But he and his mate were very hungry and spent the entire morning feeding right by where I was sitting, so I got to paint while viewing the real bird, not the photo.     Marilyn
 

Liz Siegel

 

Brad Santos

Lots of geese, lots of ducks, lots of gulls, lots of children, lots of airplanes at the adjacent airport, lots of fine artists = lots of fun.     Brad

Jenny Tero

Painting probably needs a couple of people and a flock of birds - there were certainly plenty of those around.  It was a beautiful day close to nature.  While we were painting the "islands" disappeared under water but by the afternoon they were back again and much bigger - magic!    Jenny

Caroline Garbarino

Once upon a time, I did this same scene in oil paint.    Now I see that it lends itself much better to watercolor.    Next time, I'll focus on reflections in the pond as an abstraction.   The Baylands offers an infinite array of beauty, just begging to be painted.   Thanks for the

adventure.     Caroline

Here we are looking over the morning's work...

 

 And here's a snapshot at some of what we produced (check back later for more finished artwork)....

Weekend Paintsites Japanese Friendship Garden, Saturday December 21, 2013

The sky was clear and blue as our artists arrived for the Weekend Paintsite at the Japanese Friendship Garden. Many of our group chose to render the bright red traditional arched bridge while others ventured further into the park to find interesting sites. We welcomed guest Cindy Ling, a versatile artist to our plein air outing.

Wildlife inspects the artist

Showing their stuff

Lunch on the green

Brad Santos

The two weeping willows by the Tea House have surprisingly held their spectacular Fall colors so I couldn't resist taking a try at them.    Lots of Mallards, a pair of Mergansers, and a solitary egret provided additional interest but they didn't stay in one place long enough for me to capture their images.    Overall, it was a perfect day and, in the more protected lower pond area, unlike the past few paintouts, I didn't even need my fingerless gloves.     Brad

John Ediger

What fun!

Marilyn Perry

I thought I would paint the red bridge until I saw the beautiful yellow willows reflecting in the lower pool which also had mergansers, egret, mallards, and koi fish.  I had to change my plans. Marilyn

Santa Clara Civic Center Park & 2013 California Statewide Painting Competition at Triton Museum. Thursday, December 19, 2013

What started out as an overcast, cold morning which didn't seem too promising (after 11 straight smoggy, grey, Spare-the-Air days) turned into a clear, sunny, brisk day once Jenny & Sylvia were on site.  (They always bring the sunshine with them!)    We skipped the usual post-painting critique and headed over to the Triton Museum for a no-holds-barred critique of those paintings.  (We felt pretty safe doing this as none of the artists were there to defend themselves.   And the paintings were all so wonderful that we found we didn't have anything critical to say anyway --- what a disappointment.)

For more information about the Santa Clara Civic Center Park, go to:
http://santaclaraca.gov/index.aspx?page=2661&recordid=1280

For information about the Statewide Painting Competition at the Triton, go to:
http://www.tritonmuseum.org/exhibitions_paintingcompetition2013.php
Note: the exhibition runs through February 2, 2014

Upcoming Watercolor Society events:

• Saturday, December 21, 2013:  Weekend Paintout at Japanese Friendship Garden, Kelly Park, San Jose
• Thursday, January 2, 2014:   Palo Alto Baylands Park
• Saturday, January 18, 2014:   Annual Holiday Party (RSVP by January 13, 2014.   Bring your 2013 plein air paintings and sketchbooks --- they'll be displayed on the big stage.)

Reference the Watercolor Society website for additional information.

What we did:

Marilyn Perry

When I first arrived, I thought the wind was much too cold, but I found a sunny, somewhat protected place to sit, and it turned out to be a very pleasant painting morning.    Marilyn

Brad Santos

Normally, when we're painting in public places, most passers-by like to stop and chat; maybe even wish they could trade places with us.   This time, I was envying them the nice warm offices they were heading for without pausing for even a moment to see what we were doing.     Brad

Jenny Tero

The park area around the City Hall offices provided lots of interesting trees, and benches from which to paint them. Orginally we were going to paint at the front of the park along El Camino, but it was so bitterly cold we retreated to the shelter of the buildings and   trees. Jenny

Jane Saltman

Jane Saltman

The Sculpture Garden hidden in the redwoods behind the Triton Museum was a an ideal spot to sketch. I found a sunny bench (a welcome spot on this cool morning) in front of an unnamed sculpture of a man and women (I named them Adam and Eve) with 2 wolves.   Jane 

Caroline Garbarino

The entrance to the Triton reminded me of an Egyptian promanade. Entering a painting for the blog provides a way for me to discipline myself to finish. I hope to make more time for painting in the New Year. Thanks for a museum adventure. Let's see more shows!
Caroline
 

Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, Thursday, December 5, 2013

It was cold but not too cold, (more like "brisk" or "bracing"), for our annual "Desserts & Savories"  Pot-luck Paint-out in Santa Cruz.    And in spite of the "briskness" (actually bordering on numbness), it was a beautiful, sunny, clear day with only a mild sea-breeze; we were all inspired to paint the interesting rock formations, the beach, or the wind contorted trees.    And happy to share the bounty of appetizers, desserts, hot soup brought by Dick & Yan, and hot coffee & tea provided by Jenny & Sylvia. 
For additional information about Natural Bridges State Beach, check out:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=541

Upcoming Paintouts and other Watercolor Society events:

• Thursday, December 19, 2013:  Santa Clara Civic Center Park followed by a visit to the Statewide Painting Competition/Exhibit in the nearby Triton Museum.
• Saturday, December 21, 2013:  Japanese Friendship Garden, Kelley Park, San Jose
• Saturday, January 18, 2014: Watercolor Society Annual Holiday Party, Saratoga

See the Watercolor Society website or December Newsletter for complete details



Getting very chilly by lunch time, and too cold to sit down and eat - it was a lovely spread though. 
Artists on the beach:

Laurie Barna



Sylvia Waddell keeping warm

Here are some snapshots taken during the critique --- some are finished (check back for the properly scanned images), others were not yet been completed (check back for the finished work)...

Laurie

Mike Bailey

Mitsi

Here are some finished paintings:

Dick Zunkel

Sylvia Waddell

Sun, Wind, Waves - an exhilarating day by the sea! There were lots of birds on the rocks, but I left them until last in my painting and by that time most of them had flown away. The lunch was a lovely spread. Thanks to everyone who contributed.  Sylvia

Jenny Tero

It was only 52 degrees all day, but the sun was warm, the ocean crashing against the rocks was magnificent, and the food we all shared was delicious.

Brad Santos

A beautiful wintry day, talented artists and hordes of exuberant school kids enjoying their day at the beach - what's not to like.    Brad