Japanese Tea Garden in San Mateo's Central Park. Thursday, November 3, 2016.

Although on the small side (a few wide spots and numerous paths provide enough intimate spots in which to set up), the Japanese Tea Garden in San Mateo's Central Park is a wonderful paint site -- it made me wonder why we hadn't visited before.   It didn't hurt that we had an absolutely perfect day:  paint in the sun or shade, paint the meticulously landscaped grounds, the authentic architecture, or the interesting stone features - it made no difference, it was all worth the effort.   (Note, if you visit and you hear a little bell tinkling about 11:00 AM, it means the koi are about to be fed.   Altho' the park ranger admitted the bell was more for visitors than for the fish, I choose to believe otherwise.   Either way, the gold / white /orange / blue-grey feeding frenzy is something to behold.)

Hungry koi (photo by Mary R.)

Feeding the hungry koi (photo by Mary R.)

The official website is:
http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/index.aspx?NID=718

Upcoming Paintsites:

• Thursday, November 10, 2016:  Historic Santa Clara RR Depot, Santa Clara.  This will be the first of our paintsites focused on historic Santa Clara in the buildup to the "Art on the Lawn" event at the Harris-Lass House Museum scheduled for August, 2017.
• Thursday, November 17, 2016:  "Kids & Artists" - Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills.
• Saturday, November 19, 2016:  "Kids & Artists" - Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills.   
  (This is a repeat of last year's successful two day Hidden Villa paintout.)

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and in the November Newsletter.

Ongoing activities of interest involving Paintsites regulars:

• A number of Paintsites artists are showing their studio work in the 'Vino Locale Show' which runs November 8, 2016, thru February 6, 2017.   The Artists Reception will be Monday, November 14, 2016, from  6:00 PM - 8:00 PM.       The restaurant is located at 431 Kipling St., Palo Alto.   Hours are:  Lunch:  Tue. - Sun.:  11:30 AM - 2:30 PM.   Dinner:  daily:  5:00 - 9:00 PM.    Go for lunch or dinner, have some wine (get in a good mood), buy some fine art.   You won't regret it!  Vino Locale website: http://www.vinolocale.com/about-us/
• Candy Yu is showing 17 original paintings & canvas prints at Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd. San Jose.   Call the church (408) 258-8133 before visiting to make sure the show will be accessible.   The exhibit runs thru the end of December. 

 Here we are.  You can tell we had a good day by our smiles .... 
 

Iris (photo by Liz)

Iris' painting of the larger of the two wood bridges in the garden.

Broncha

Broncha's painting of one of the handsome stone pagodas.

Elaine (photo by Liz)

Tammy

Ji-eun (photo by Liz)

Annie (photo by Liz)

Brad (photo by Liz)

Brad's unfinished painting looking across the pond from near the main entrance gate.

John (photo by Liz)

John's value study of two older gentlemen who, after a leisurely stroll thru the garden, settled down on a sunny bench across from John.   Other than us artists, there were a number of seniors (the garden is adjacent to a senior/community center), and many toddlers with their moms or grandparents in the park -- it made for an interesting cross section of humanity.

John's dramatic finished painting of the two old gents.

Leslie (photo by Liz)

 

Leslie's painting of one of the bridges with a small bubbling fountain.  There were several water features in the garden which masked some of the outside city noise and contributed greatly to the garden's sense of serenity.

Lorraine is an experienced artist and this was her first time with the Paintsites group.  (photo by Liz).

Lorraine's painting of the smaller of the two bridges in the quieter end of the garden.

Lorraine's 2nd painting of pond-side  rocks and plants.

New SCVWS member Marcelle (foreground) at her first Paintsite (photo by Liz)

Mary R. (photo by Liz)

Mary R.'s painting of a hidden waterfall which emptied into the main pond.

Susan (photo by Liz)

New SCVWS  member Debbie at her first Paintsite event.

Debbie's first plein air painting with Paintsites!   This is of the Tea House and very well done.

Lisha (standing) and Helen

Lisha's small painting of a detail of the bridge.

A happy artist: Karen O. - "What more could an artist ask for?"

Karen O.'s unfinished painting.   (Be sure to re-visit this posting and see the competed painting.)

Liz

Liz's unfinished painting of the Tea House and an adjacent maple just starting to turn color.

Lunch. (The 'show and share' critique followed.)

Senior Safari - Happy Hollow Zoo, San Jose. Thursday, October 27, 2016

Taking advantage of the free Senior Safari for adults 50+ at Happy Hollow Zoo, we had a chance to sketch & paint wild (tho' not in the wild) animals for the first time at a Paintsite.  (Other than the wild boars at Joseph Grant County Park but sketching them was the last thing on our minds at the time.)   Intermittent showers didn't discourage us at all but did most of the animals as they were smart enough to stay in their nice dry little 'houses', caves, dens, burrows, etc.  (Not sure what that says about us.)

For information about San Jose's Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, see:
http://www.hhpz.org/
For information specifically about the Senior Safaris at the Happy Hollow Zoo, see:
http://www.hhpz.org/index.cfm/id/310 
(Thursday was the last 2016 Senior Safari -- hopefully the program will restart in 2017.)

Upcoming Paintsites:

• Thursday, November 3, 2016:  Japanese Garden, San Mateo Central Park, San Mateo.
• Thursday, November 10, 2016:  Historic Santa Clara RR Depot, Santa Clara.
• Thursday, November 17, 2016:  "Kids & Artists" - Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills.
• Saturday, November 19, 2016:  "Kids & Artists" - Hidden Villa, Los Altos Hills.

Details can be found on the SCVWS website and in the November Newsletter.

Ongoing activities of interest involving Paintsites regulars:

• Candy Yu is currently showing 18 watercolor pet portraits at the VCA Crocker Animal Hospital, 475 N. Jackson Ave., San Jose.  Most of her artwork is in the reception area and hallways and can viewed by the public.   Ask the reception if it's OK to see artwork in the exam rooms.   The Hospital is open Mon. - Fri. 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM; Sat. & Sun. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.    The exhibit runs thru Sunday, October 30th.
• Mike Granger has two paintings in the Fremont Art Association's 50th Annual Art Show.  The Association Gallery is located at 37697 Niles Boulevard, Fremont.   Hours are: Tue. 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM; Wed. 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Thu. 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM; and Fri. - Sun. 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM.    The show runs thru Sunday, October 30th.
• Candy Yu is showing 17 original paintings & canvas prints at Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd. San Jose.   Call the church (408) 258-8133 before visiting to make sure the show will be accessible.   The show runs thru the end of December. 

Two red pandas, recently installed, are the 'stars' at Happy Hollow Zoo.  Beautiful animals, they only occasionally made forays out of their tree house for a spin around their enclosure.

Marilyn at the Meerkat habitat.  The little fellows, cozy in their underground dens, were not to be seen, or sketched most of the day.

Marilyn patiently waited for a Red Panda to come out and, when it did, made this quick sketch of it.

For a rainy Thursday morning when just seniors were in the zoo, the paths were unexpectedly crowded but, just outside the Zoo's perimeter fence, was the Meadow Amphitheatre ---  where there was room to spread out and set-up ...

Jane S., between a rock and a hard place, practices yoga while sketching.

Liz

Liz's painting of the 'Crooked House'.

Salinda and Dick.

Salinda's painting of the aptly named 'Crooked House'.

Dick's painting of the same.

Jenny and John in the Meadow

Meanwhile, back in the Zoo, in the rain ...

Iris and Tammy sketching Sophia the Jaguar.    Sophia was sleeping in her cave (that's what cats do best) and and all we could see of her was her head.

Leslie's painting of a Red-ruffed Lemur at his feeding dish.

It was on a branch when I started but went down after I got the sketch drawn so I had to use the one lying down to get the colors.   But it climbed up again as I was nearly done, so I was able to use it as a model again.    I had to put my umbrella up over me as I finished the painting to prevent any watercolor "surprises"."    Leslie

Dick, left, and Brad

Brad's sketch of the Red-ruffed Lemur.

Brad's quick sketches of Eloise the (pig-like) Collared Pecarry, a Ring-tailed Lemur, and the African Spurred Tortoise.   (Lesson learned: don't use a Tombow when it's raining.)

A case of role reversal:  Here an artist, Helen, stays dry in the enclosed aviary observation building while the birds flit about in the rain.

Sometimes the best part of a paintout is the least expected:   Because of the weather we decided to skip lunch and our critique.  But then, on the way out, near the Main Entrance is a colorful carousel we couldn't resist riding.  And riding, and riding ....

The Keep-Around Carousel.  (Rides were free.)

And sometimes a bunch of serious artists is transformed into a bunch of happy kids ...

Jane on an eagle and Liz on some hybrid horse/zebra like animal.  (Photo by Marilyn)

Here comes Liz and Jane again.

There goes Jane on her eagle.

Oops, here comes the eagle without Jane.  What happened to Jane?

 (Scroll down to find out*.)

from left, Brad, Helen and Marilyn.   (Photo by Jenny)

Marilyn on a hummingbird and Helen on an anteater.  (Photo by Jane S.)

Brad on a jaguar.   (Photo by Jane S.)

Jenny on a shark.

John on a fishing cat.  (He's too tall for the giraffe.)

*Don't worry about Jane - she got off the eagle without mishap.