Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland CA

Artist: Matt Buchanan

I found myself tangled up with white on site Sunday. So Monday I worked thru and re-established the darks.

7th North Bay Plein Air Session - Moutain View Cemetery, Oakland CA - Oct. 25, 2009

If you've never visited the Mountain View Cemetery, this is one of the largest cemeteries I've ever visited. Painters were scattered but what a great place to paint! Here's a few photos from the paint out. Thanks Olivia for the photos.

Meeting at the end of the day to share our
findings at Mountain View Cemetery.

Artists: Gerald de Dios and Carrie Lee McClish
Artists: Carrie Lee McClish, Gerald de Dios,
Matt Buchanan, Sergio Lopez and Patricia Berry

No critiques, just admiring each other findings and
sharing techniques and approaches to painting on location.

Artist: Gerald de Dios
(gouache on watercolor board)

Artist: Matt Buchanan (oils)

To our surprise, artist Matt Buchanan was just driving through Northern California on a road trip. He took the time to meet up with the North Bay Plein Air group and is now heading down to So-Cal.

Artist: Patricia Berry (oils)

Artist: Sergio Lopez (oils)

Lots of good suggestions and advice to help improve our meetups.

Artists: Patricia Berry, Matt Buchanan,
Sergio Lopez, Gerald de Dios, and Carrie Lee McClish

Lake Anza

Two oil sketches here of Lake Anza in Tilden Park in Berkeley. Heavenly place, very still water and gorgeous colours. I cannot wait to go there again.

Artist: Fran Osborne

1st Annual Sacramento Capitol Plein Air Festival

Here are my 4 paintings from the week long event.

Painted from the California State Capitol Fountain.
(9" x 12" gouache on watercolor board)
Available for purchase at the
Capitol Art Center, 1200 South St.
(corner of S and 12th St.) in downtown
Sacramento until November 21st.

One block from the Crest Theater on K Street,
downtown Sacramento (gouache 7" x 10" on
watercolor board). Available for purchase at the
Capitol Art Center, 1200 South St. (corner
of S and 12th St.) in downtown Sacramento
until November 21st.

Entry #1 for Quick Draw competition,
painting of the Steven's Monument
located in the City Plaza Park
(gouache on 2" x 3" watercolor paper)
Available for purchase at the Sterling Hotel (1300 H Street)
in downtown Sacramento until November 21st.

Clock Tower facing the opposite side
of the City Plaza Park.
(gouache on 2" x 3" watercolor paper)
Available for purchase at the Sterling Hotel (1300 H Street)
in downtown Sacramento until November 21st.

Net Proceeds will benefit the "LifeSteps Life Skills Training and Educational Programs, Inc", a homeless prevention program serving over 10,000 individuals at 18 sites throughout the county of Sacramento.

Artist: Gerald de Dios

Comic Strip

Just in case you missed the comic section of the San Francisco Chronicle yesterday.

Sacramento Press Interview

Last week I had the privilege to be interviewed by Anthony Bento of the Sacramento Press about my plein air experience during Friday's "Quick Draw" competition.

Click photo for article


Artist: Gerald de Dios

1st annual Capitol Plein Air Event - Oct. 11 - 16

North Bay artists: Gerald de Dios and Sergio Lopez will be participating in Sacramento's 1st annual "Capitol Plein Air" Paint out Oct. 11 - 16 (Sun - Fri). Stop by to hang out or just to say "Hi". Multiple events are happening each day:

Event: The Capitol Plein Air Festival is the first major plein air painting event of its kind in the Capitol of California and promises to produce the largest creation of plein air paintings of the Sacramento County by over 40 artists in a single time period. Artists from all over California will be painting on location from October 11 - 16, 2009, capturing fresh images of Sacramento and the outlying area on canvas and paper.

Schedule of Events:
Artists are free to paint anywhere in Sacramento County, with several special events scheduled and special awards given.

Sunday - Thursday East Lawn Memorial Park (award for painting created here)
For those artists looking for something different and unique, try East Lawn Memorial Park at 45th Street and Folsom Blvd. From the ornate mausoleums and tombs, to mature trees, large open spaces, lush greenery and timeless architecture, a very diverse subject matter is found here..

Sunday October 11 (Award for Scribner Vineyard painting)
“Paint and Wine at Scribner Bend Vineyards“.
Schribner Winery painting day in Clarksburg, Delta area.
9051 River Road
Sacramento, CA 95832 Phone: (916) 744-1803 Fax: (916) 744-1806 Email: info@scribnerbend.com Tasting Room hours: Friday-Sunday 11:00am to 4:30pm

Monday October 12
Launch Party and reception at Patris Studio 7 pm - 9 pm EVERYONE WELCOME!
1200 S Street, Sacramento, Ca 95814

Tuesday October 13 (Two awards for best Oak Park Painting)
“Painting in the Park” - Oak Park artist and Capitol Plein Air Festival organizer Patris will lead a group of artists to this up and coming neighborhood, focusing on the Oak Park historic district near 35th and Broadway - US Bank, the Guild Theater, the “Purple Castle“. Other possibilities may include McGeorge School of Law, 35the Street & 5th Ave or the United Methodist Church at 36th and Broadway.

Wednesday October14
Nocturne Paint Night at the Crest Theater
Artists with night painting gear will do an evening paint out in downtown Sacramento near the Crest Theater, 10th and K.

Friday October 16, 1 pm - 4 pm“Treasures of the Town” Quick Draw Event:
Starting at the intersection of 10th and J Streets, artists will paint five blocks in any direction. The wet paintings will be displayed and sold during the Gala Event on October 16 at Capitol Art Center and exhibited thereafter at Sterling Hotel 1300 H Street in downtown Sacramento.

Friday October 16, 6-10 pm Gala Event:
Opening Reception, Awards Presentation, Preview Sale and Exhibition at the Patris Gallery and Capitol Art Center at S12, 1200 S Street, Sacramento. Those in attendance at the Gala have the first opportunity to see the award winning artwork, vote for their favorite quick draw “Treasures of the Town,” and acquire their favorite paintings while mingling with the artists and enjoying wine, hors d’oeuvres, raffle prizes and music. Tickets to this exclusive event are $60 per person or 10 packs for $55 person.

October 17 through November 21
Exhibition & Sale opens to the general public

November 2nd Saturday 6 pm - 10 pm
“Paintings from the 1st Annual Capitol Plein Air Festival”
Patris Studio and Capitol Art Center, 1200 S Street, Sacramento

Urban Sketchers Mapping Project

I don't know if this is something other people want to do...but I'm kind of a nerd, so I thought it was fun to plot the best of my San Francisco sketches in a Bing Maps collection.

here's a link to the Citizen Sketcher Map Collection

Weekly Wandering - SF & Folsom (Janice L-H)

Legion of Honor, SF - September 26, 2009

Wanting to avoid the >100 degree heat in my area - I accompanied the EBPAP to the Legion of Honor for one of their bi-monthly paint outs. Although the fog was in and out around the bridge until about 10AM, the rest of the day turned out to be very warm! The EBPAP arranged for the group to be able to access the Legion of Honor facilites and handed out membership applications to whoever wanted them (in anticipation of the Musee d'Orsay exhibit that the De Young will have next year - membership is good for both SF museums).

I completed a quick pastel sketch of the Legion of Honor (yup it's too short!)

Legion of Honor (pastel) Artist Janice L-H

EBPAP Critique gathered on the grass outside the wall to the Legion of Honor.

Foggy Bridge - Camino Del Mar (pastel) Artist Janice L-H

Japanese Memorial at The Golden Gate (pastel) Artist Janice L-H

I apologize that I couldn't correctly render the writings on this beautiful memorial to Japanese Shipping in SF. Here is the real thing for those who can read Japanese. It is located to the north of the museum right before the golf course.

Folsom Gourd & Arts Festival - September 27, 2009

Got in the car the next day and headed north to the Sacramento area to join the Sacramento Plein Air Painters Meetup group. Hot! Just had time for one sketch which I have cropped here below. Since most of the group painted on Saturday, that just left me to record what I saw. I called the calvary at noon (my Folsom area friends) to pick me up and head back to their house for a cool lemonade and wonderful meal!

Folsom Gourd Festival, Folsom City Park (pastel) Artist Janice L-H)

The Art booths at this festival were clustered in the rear of the park. The gourds were all delightful. A big Thank You to Sue of the Sacramento Meetup Group for arranging for free tickets for the Plein Air Painters who participated that weekend!

7th North Bay Plein Air - Sunday, Oct. 25

Oakland Mountain View Cemetery

226 acres with Chapels, Columbarium, Mausoleum, Crematorium.

There are many notable people interred in Mountain View, many are local figures in California History, but others have achieved wider fame. Click here for list of names.

Painting Times
11:00am - 3:00pm

Between 2:30pm and 3:00pm, we will all meet in front of the Main Mausoleum, which is the first building you see upon entering (All white building).

Location
5000 Piedmont Avenue

Oakland, CA 94611

Directions (Click here for Google Maps)
From the San Rafael Bridge: Remain on 580 to 580 East to 24 East, take 51st Street exit, right on 51st Street, continue forward on 51st Street/Pleasant Valley, go left on Piedmont Avenue to the end of the street.

Parking
This is a very large cemetery and there is not a designated parking lot. You can drive around and park to the side and set up.

Finding us

We are available anytime by phone/text: (415) 342-6764 or (707) 304-3265, email: nbpleinair@yahoo.com Please don't hesitate to contact us if you are lost or can't make it...even if it's the middle of the day during the paint out. No worries :)

IMPORTANT RULES:

• Please do not paint or post photos of headstones that clearly show the full names.
• Families occasionally visit the cemetery, so please make sure not to set up over any graves.

I know rules are common sense, but I promised the Cemetery Director to pass those two rules along to our painters.

There is no waiver to sign (like St. Vincent's Church) since we're a small group. Thanks and see you there!