Ulistac Natural Area, Santa Clara. Thursday, April 16, 2015

We're in the midst of our Spring Garden Paintouts:  last week the Lucie Stern Community Center "Secret Garden"; this week a very different type of "secret garden" --- one that none of us had ever heard of a month ago, let alone visited.       It was all terra incognita to us so we were fortunate that Dennis, the Ulistac Executive Officer, and and Kristy, a hard working volunteer (did we feel guilty sitting and painting while they worked?  Not really.  Should we have?) led tours of Ulistac pointing out both botanical highlights and historically significant Ohlone sites.  (I was particularly fascinated to see native California grasses -- I didn't realize there were any native grassland remnants anywhere.)

Dennis, Ulistac Executive Officer, and Kristy -- hard at work in the mid-day sun (while Laurie paints in the shade).

For information about the Ulistac Natural Area, see the official website:   http://ulistac.org/

Upcoming  Paintsites and Watercolor Society events:

• Sunday, April 19, 2015,  2 to 5 PM:  "No Limits - Freedom to Create" Reception, Los Altos Hills Town Hall (see SCVWS website or Newsletter for details)    
• Thursday, April 23, 2015: Cummins Iris Garden, Scotts Valley
• Thursday, April 30, 2015: Chateau CharMarron Peony Garden, San Jose (11:30 start time)

(Note:  the "lattice" on most of the photos of paintings was caused by a shadow cast by the tennis court's chain link fence against which we leaned the paintings --- blame the photographer, not the artists.  (Incidentally, the tennis courts weren't in Ulistac, they were in Lick Mill Park across the street.  Which is also where the restroom facilities are located should you wish to visit.) 

Ten yards from busy Montague Expressway you're a world away in the native plant garden ..

Candy and Leslie

 A concentration of lovely wildflowers were popular subjects

As were the artists themselves - painting by Caroline

Wildflowers by Candy

Wildflowers on Yupo by Candy

Dick was lucky enough to catch a feeding hummingbird at a wildflower

Don's wildflowers

California poppies by John

More poppies, one with a bee this time, by John

Leslie's Matilija poppy

Leslie's wildflower medley

Another wildflower medley - this one by Jane K.

A page out of a California Wildflowers Field Guide?   Someday could be - this is Liz's wildflower sampler.

Mary's California poppies and fence rail

Laurie

Laurie's charming wildflower still life

Elaine

Elaine's painting of unwanted & forgotten trees in crumbling containers

Iris

Iris' painting of potting supplies 

Helen and Lisha

Helen's painting of Don

Lisha's painting of a different variety of eucalyptus

Brad's painting of a eucalyptus copse across a native grass meadow - the more you look at a eucalyptus, the more colors you see in the leaves, limbs and trunk!

 Heading off the beaten paths ... 

Cathy (and Alwyn) and Melanie ventured deeper into the wooded area

Rich's painting of one of the trails leading into the "interior"

Leslie's pond scene - hard to find but worth the effort

Cathy's painting of a handsome eucalyptus

Melanie's choice of a different eucalyptus was equally striking

Just across Lick Mill Blvd from Ulistac is Lick Mill Park where we ate lunch and had our critique 

Show and Share time (photo by Yan)

Lucie Stern Community Center, Palo Alto. Thursday, April 9, 2015

The Lucie Stern Community Center, Palo Alto's 1934 Spanish Colonial Revival performing arts center, had lots to offer in the way of subject matter.   Gonzalo Rozo, the Center's facilities manager and our most welcoming, knowledgeable and enthusiastic host led a quick tour or the site and pointed out the most prominent features:   the Community Theater, the Children's Theater, the Children's Library, the central Courtyard and The Secret Garden.   That's right, a "Secret Garden" behind heavy wood gates!    With a name like that who could resist painting there?   Not us.

In addition to handsome buildings and tidy little formal gardens, the Center held memories for some of us:  Nancy's son was married here; Jane plopped her baby daughter in a stroller and wheeled her down to the Children's Library from her nearby home; and Brad learned to read in the Children's Library.

For more information about the Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto, check out:
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/csd/facilities/stern.asp

Upcoming April Paintsites:

• Thursday, April 16, 2015: Ulistac Natural Area, Santa Clara
• Thursday, April 23, 2015: Cummins Iris Garden, Scotts Valley
• Thursday, April 30, 2015: Chateau CharMarron Peony Garden, San Jose (11:30 start time)

The Central Courtyard with its rustic brick, yet formal walkways offered a fine view of the Community Theater ...

Laurie

Laurie's unfinished painting of the Community Theater from almost head-on.

Rich

While Rich painted the same building from the side ...

And Mary R. did a quick sketch of an old tile roof.

Liz

Liz's painting of the wisteria at the entrance to the Children's Theatre

And Broncha found some pretty little flowers next to the brick walk in the entrance to the Courtyard.   (Please excuse the shadow in the photo.)

  The adjacent Children's Library, tho' not as imposing a building, has a charm all its own ...

Brad's painting of the Children's Library

Brad (photo by Liz)

And, now that you've made it this far, you are now entitled to enter ..... The Secret Garden!
Where you'll find ....

Bonnie & Mary

Bonnie and her painting of the wishing well and the Children's Outdoor Theater.

Dan working on a sketch of the Children's Outdoor Theater.

The sketch

Dan's finished painting of the Children's Outdoor Theater and the wishing well.

Dan's portrait of Lisha at work.

Lisha at work.

Lisha's painting of the Children's Outdoor Theater

Dick also chose to paint the Children's Outdoor Theater.

Dick's painting

Nancy T. arranged her busy schedule so she could join us and re-visit the site of a major life event - her son's wedding and reception.

Nancy's unfinished painting of one of the Children's Theater towers.

Yan and Rich in the Secret Garden

Rich's painting of the Children's Outdoor Theater

Helen painting, you guessed it, the Children's Outdoor Theater.

Helen's painting

Iris in the Secret Garden

Iris' painting in the Secret Garden - but not of  the Children's Theater

Jane in the Secret Garden

Jane's painting of the Children's Outdoor Theater

Elaine and Leslie in the Secret Garden

Elaine's painting of the wishing well

Leslie's painting of the wishing well

Leslie's painting of one of the Children's Theater towers

After lunch Melanie couldn't resist a Children's Theater tower for dessert

Dan, Liz, Leslie and Jane are still working.   The rest of us are eating lunch.

Dan, Broncha and Elaine finally taking a break

Lisha, Helen and Yan

Liz, Melanie and Nancy T.