Pearson-Arastradero Preserve, Thursday, February 6, 2020

You really don’t need to go much further than the parking lot to appreciate this preserve’s beautiful rolling landscape. It just so happened that everyone else and their dog wanted to visit the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve on this warm sunny day. Parking was a bit of an issue but in the end everyone found parking and a place to settle down and paint.  Some of the more adventurous chose to explore the Redtail Loop Trail while others took advantage of the shade near the Ranger Station. For more on the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve go the following link:

cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/csd/parks/preserves/arastradero/

Several of the photos taken at our Paintsites are taken by naturalist, artist and photographer, Edward Rooks. Please check out his Flickr album for more wonderful photos of this paintsite:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardrooks/albums/72157713004384577

Upcoming paintsites:  See the SCVWS website or the February Newsletter for details:

• Thursday, Feb 13, Santa Cruz Arboretum, Santa Cruz
• Thursday, Feb 20, San Mateo County Courthouse, Redwood City
• Saturday, Feb 22, The Alameda, San Jose
• Thursday, Feb 27, The Alameda, San Jose
• Thursday, March 5, Los Gatos Creek Trail Hike and Sketch, Los Gatos
• Thursday, March12, Santa Clara Central Park, Santa Clara
• Thursday, March 19, Los Altos Heritage Orchard, Los Altos 
• Thursday, March 26, Kirk-Farrington House, San Jose

Other notices:  There will be a free Picasso Exhibit at PACE Gallery at 2229 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto. Runs until mid February, hours 11am to 4pm.

https://www.pacegallery.com/exhibitions/seeing-picasso/

Artists and their artwork:

Elaine G's watercolor painted  from the Redtail Trail, Pearson-Arastradero Preserve 

Elanie G (on the right) with her new umbrella, Mindy and Alison 

View of the Ranger Station from the Redtail Loop Trail 

Alison's watercolor of the preserve

Alison's horses horsing around

Alison using her watercolor splatter technique

Alison

Edward's painting of the pasture viewed from the Redtail Trail

Edward's watercolor of the Pearson- Arastradero Preserve

Edward

Brad's watercolor sketch of cyclists on the trail

Helen's painting of the Pearson- Arastradero Preserve

Indira's watercolor of the preserve looking west

Jane S's watercolor of the view looking towards the ranger station

Jane S, Paintsite Co-coordinator

Kaaren's watercolor of Pearson- Arastradero Preserve

Kaaren's 2nd watercolor of the Preserve

Kaaren

Mindy's watercolor of the Preserve's rolling hills

Mindy

Caroline's watercolor the preserve

Sasha's watercolor of the Preserve

Sasha

Sham's watercolor of the view from the ranger station patio

Sham

Susan BG's Watercolor

Susan BG

Wendy's watercolor sketch of the Preserve 

Wendy

Lunch at the ranger station

Paintsite artists display their artwork

Don Edwards Environmental Education Center, Alviso, Thursday, January 30, 2020

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, named in honor of Congressman Edwards, offers an oasis for millions of wetland species. Its Environmental Education Center in Alviso is surrounded by uplands, marshes, salt ponds, and a freshwater tidal slough. After the morning mist burned off most artists made for the lookouts and boardwalks on the west side of the Center. At least one painter took advantage of the 'bird’s eye' view afforded by the building's observation tower, while others chose the pavilion's excellent southeasterly views, which also turned out to be the perfect spot to eat lunch and display our art work. Many thanks to the Education Center's friendly and knowledgeable staff for allowing our group to paint at the Education Center and for taking time to explain some of the site's features. For more on the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge please check out the following link:

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Don_Edwards_San_Francisco_Bay/

Several of the photos taken at our Paintsites are taken by naturalist, artist and photographer, Edward Rooks. Please check out his Flickr album for more wonderful photos of this paintsite:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardrooks/albums/72157712907987556

Upcoming paintsites:  See the SCVWS website or the February Newsletter for details:

• Thursday, Feb 6, Arastradero Preserve Parking lot, Palo Alto
• Thursday, Feb 13, Santa Cruz Arboretum, Santa Cruz
• Thursday, Feb 20, San Mateo County Courthouse, Redwood City
• Saturday, Feb 22, The Alameda, San Jose
• Thursday, Feb 27, The Alameda, San Jose

Artists and their artwork:

Tanvi's watercolor of the Don Edwards Environmental Education Center, Alviso

Tanvi's watercolor of the slough painted from the levee

Tanvi, keeping company with the cormorants and white pelicans 

Looking southwest towards Sunnyvale and Mountain View

Looking southeast towards Alviso

Alison and Elaine

Alison's watercolor of the marsh grasses and reflections

Elaine's watercolor of the refuge's marshlands

Brad's sketch of the view looking across marsh towards Mountain View and Sunnyvale

Brad

Caroline and Tanvi at the Center's pavilion

Caroline's painting of the view from the upper level of
the Education Center's observation tower 

Dick

Dick's watercolor of the boardwalk and marsh

Salinda

 Salinda's watercolor of the boardwalk and Alviso marsh

Susan

Susan's watercolor of the Education Center and the
marsh

Susan's second watercolor of the slough and marshlands

Indira

Indira's watercolor of the Alviso marsh

Edward's watercolor of the marsh painted from the path behind the Center

Kathy's sketch of coots swimming in the slough

Mindy's ink sketch of a wetland shrub

Mindy's watercolor sketch of a native flower

Mindy's sketch of Toyon berries 

Jane S, Paintsites Co-coordinator

Jane S's watercolor sketch of the wetlands

Sham

Sham's watercolor of the view from the deck

Toni

Toni's watercolor of the wetlands from the lookout

Wanda's watercolor and pastel painting of the slough

Paintsites artists display artwork in the pavilion