Murder on a Hot Summer Night!

Last night on a very warm summer evening Ardenwood held it's latest Murder Mystery Dinner. Lots of fun and the Butler didn't do it!

It was a very busy night, a wedding in the pool area, company picnic in Deer Park and a murder in the house!

I haven't had a chance to paint much so am looking forward to this week, cooler and I'm getting out there!

Oh, my gosh! I'm Zydeco'ed

Wonderful day at Ardenwood, great food, great music, great people, and LOTS of them....Perfect weather, too! And, they are still going strong!! til 7pm!

Cajun Zydeco Music Festival today!

Cajun Zydeco Music Festival today at Ardenwood. I'm leaving early so I can enjoy the music and food before I do tours! Maybe I will get some good photos to paint from this winter.

Join us for the Paint Out!

Fremont Art Association is having its
 2nd Annual Plein Air Paint Out
     At Lake Elizabeth in Fremont Central Park

 In its efforts to promote art in the community, the Fremont Art Association will hold a one day Plein Air Paint Out at Lake Elizabeth/Central Park in Fremont on September 12, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Artists will paint until 2:00 PM, followed by a reception at the Park Pavilion from 2:30 to 4:00PM.  The event is being cosponsored by Olive Hyde Art Guild, the Fremont Cultural Arts Council and Mission Coffee Roasting Company, who will provide coffee and mini-pastries for the artists at registration time.  It will be open to both FAA members and non-members, with members paying a $10.00 entry fee and non-members paying $20.00.  For non-members this will also include full membership in the Fremont Art Association through the end of the year.  All 2-dimensional  mediums will be accepted, to include oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels and mixed media.  Artists will  paint within the park at the location of their choice, and not from a reference photograph.  You will find inspiration in many locations throughout the Park with all the wildlife, the large lake, boathouse, snack bar, playgrounds, sports fields, trees and plants, and brand new waterslides etc all backed by the Niles/Mission San Jose Hills.  Artists should bring all their supplies needed to paint, including an easel and chair if needed, a bag lunch and drinking water for the day.  Hats and umbrellas are encouraged.  All participants must be 18 years old.

 Due to City of Fremont regulations, all participants must be pre-registered, since no financial transactions can take place on City property.  Registration applications and rules can be picked up at the FAA Gallery, 37659 Niles Blvd, Fremont or from their website www.FremontArtAssociation.org ,   with a registration deadline of September 8, 2009. 

 Check-in will be from  9:00 - 10:00 AM in the park at the smaller Community Center located at the intersection  of Mission View Dr. and Paseo Padre Pkwy, at which time artists’ blank canvases or papers  will be stamped on the back. Multiple canvases or papers can be stamped, though only 1 finished piece will be accepted from each artist at the end of the Paint Out.

 Completed pieces must be returned to the Park Pavilion, behind the Community Center, by 2:00 PM for the reception and exhibition of completed pieces for public viewing and an optional silent auction from 2:30 PM -4:00 PM.  The exhibition will also include a “People’s Choice” voting and award where spectators will vote for their favorite works.  Photos of the pieces receiving awards may be used in publicity for next years’ Paint Out event and may also be shown on the FAA website, (see above URL ).  All works submitted for silent auction must be framed or “gallery wrapped” on the edges and ready for hanging.

We hope artists from all over The Bay Area will join us for our 2nd annual Plein Air Paint Out sponsored jointly by the Fremont Art Association, Olive Hyde Art Guild, the Fremont Cultural Arts Council, and Mission Coffee Roasting Company. Mark your calendar and plan to participate in this fun event.  For more information call Robyn at (510) 656-4939.

What I've been doing!

After a great week with a couple of my grandchildren I am now back home.  The garden has been calling to me, Ardenwood tours to do and working on paintings that haven't been finished.  

It's about time to get ready for the 2nd Annual Lake Elizabeth Paint-Out on Sept 12.  And then, I just may exhibit in the Fremont Art Association's "Fine Art Show".  Busy, busy.....

Call to Artists - August 23, 2009

Calling all artists - On Sunday August 23rd there will be a plein air paint out in Burlingame from 9 to 4.  Everyone's invited and we encourage you to go out and paint, watercolor, pastel or draw.  It's a great for people to see artists at work, it raises awareness and appreciation for what you do and that's always a good thing.  There will be an artist's reception open to the public at the Burlingame Train Station from 5 to 7.  Bring the work you did to the station at 4:30 for a public exhibit and sale.  There will be refreshments and prizes.  It's free , there's no forms to sign - just come out and make art.  For more info see the website - http://www.paintburlingame.com

Check this out! Amazing!!

Kseniya Simonova's Amazing Sand Drawing (VIDEO)

Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who just won Ukraine's version of "America's Got Talent." She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII.

For more on the artist, read this Guardian profile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo

"Yes" canvas boards

Francisca and I spent this afternoon painting, water colors this time.  I wanted to try out "Yes" canvas panels I had gotten last year.  They just soak up oil and take the life right out of them.  They are supposed to be good for any kind of wet medium.  So, today was a trail for them.  

I was really surprised that I rather like the effect of watercolors on the Yes boards.  I did a quick little study.  I will post it when I get a chance to take a photo of it.

This is the photo of what I did the first time we went to Huddart Park.  It was painted down in the valley of redwood trees.  It was dark there but not this dark.  Even though Sheryl and I were checking our values as we went along we were shocked when we got home and looked at our paintings.  They were sooooo dark.  Actually the photo is much brighter than in reality.  It looked mostly a dark value.

So... today, I tackled the painting to bring up the values to what I remembered them to be and decided to take photos as I progressed.  So below is how I worked.

Rework of Huddart Park, 1st painting

Julie and Julia, the Movie

Just saw the movie "Julie and Julia".  Very sweet, Meryl Streep does a great job as Julia Childs.

Recap of Second Painting at Huddart

Please keep in mind I am not a good photographer, so this photo isn't so great.  I finished this painting I started earlier this week at Huddart Park. I will have to replace this photo with a better one once the painting is dry.

Recap of Sycamore Valley Painting Day.

California is definitely in it's golden part of the year!  

Today I worked on the painting I started earlier at Sycamore Valley Preserve.  We met a lot of artists there and spent lots of time visiting so didn't finish painting while there.  

The California Oak Tree is threatened because of a virus.  That is very sad since they are such beautiful trees.

Recap of First Painting in Huddart Park

(Keep in mind this is step 1 on this painting!!)

When Sheryl and I painted the several weeks ago at Huddart Park  it was so beautiful and we really enjoyed ourselves.  We were happy with what we painted, we weren't finished with them but figured they were pretty good.  Then when we got home and looked at them----OH MY GOD!  They were soooooo dark.  It was really shocking.  So I figured I would post my attempt and show you.  It even looks lighter in the photo than in reality.  Still can't get over it.  I kind of like it because it brings back the day and the scene in my minds eye but I will paint it again either over it or larger and bring up the value.  It was dark down in the woods but REALLY not THAT dark!!

While there, Topher Simon, a volunteer photographer with the San Mateo County came by and took our photos.  I would have posted one of Sheryl but didn't know if she would appreciate that!

Happy Birthday, Fremont Art Association

We had a little birthday party tonight for FAA.  There was a good crowd to celebrate.

What vision some people had 50 years ago!

Painting at Sycamore Valley Preserve

The photos above were from Dori at PAL.

Today we painted at the Sycamore Valley Preserve in Danville, CA.  It was very lovely there and the weather was perfect, probably around 78 degrees.  Usually at this time of the year it is in the 100's.  We did "land" at the first spot with a good composition rather than hiking in and up!

We met lots of other artists from Pleasanton Art League that arranged this paint-out.

A great place to paint, but ck the weather report the day before.  The bathrooms are at the school and the parking lot.

Now to finish what I started today!

Answer to Quiz "Where is this Scene?"

Where is this beautiful scene and the other photos on the quiz?  

Well, no one won the $64,000 question!  

(Just kidding about the $!)

The answer is below the picture below.

And the answer is..........Port Townsend, Washington!  Around July 1st.

This town actually has an uptown and a downtown.  The uptown is the residential area of cute Victorian homes, some now bed and breakfasts.  The uptown is literally up on a cliff above the downtown.  The downtown is the Victorian business district and port.  Flowers are everywhere and it is a wonderful place to paint and visit.  And I am so lucky when I get a chance to visit my sister and her husband that live in this beautiful place.

Quiz Responses, Answer Tomorrow!

No, it isn't:

Moro Bay 

Mendicino

Pacific Grove

Pidgen Point

Point Cabrillo

San Diego

I'll post the answer tomorrow night!  Last chance!

Pretty much finished with my sunflowers.  I really loved the set up and enjoyed painting it.  I will let it sit for awhile and see it anything really bothers me enough to change it.

Quiz Hint #4

Last hint!!  Where were these quiz photos taken?  

Hint #4:  Small community, lots of history, wonderful Victorian architecture, near salt water.

Beautiful place!