verdeartistguild.com Blog

GAMBLE GARDEN CELEBRATES 25 YEARS DURING 2010

The art community is invited to join in the celebration with some wonderful opportunities and special events.

POSTER CONTEST – 2009

Artists are invited to submit one original work of any 2-dimensional media, excluding photography, with the subject of Gamble Garden, to be considered for a poster. The image of the winning art work will be used on a poster to commemorate Gamble Garden’s 25th Anniversary year, as well as the July 2010 PAINT OUT.

The drop off date for the art work entry is Monday, October 12, 2009 – 9 to 12 noon, at 1431 Waverley Street, Palo Alto. The pick up date is Friday, October 16, between 9 and 12 noon. The Poster will be for sale during the anniversary year, and the image may be used to promote anniversary events.
The artist of the winning work must be willing to relinquish any publicity or monetary rights to the image to Gamble Garden and must offer the work for sale during the July Paint Out, with a 30% donation to Gamble Garden.

A Gamble Garden committee will select 20 artists from the paintings entered for the Poster Competition to participate in a Paint Out and other events.
Accepted artists will be notified by October 20, 2009.
Artists entering this competition must be available to attend the Paint Out in 2010.

PAINT OUT WEEKEND

On July 16, 17, and 18, 2010, the 20 artists who were selected from the Poster competition will be invited to attend several events.
Friday evening the 16th, Gamble Garden will host a reception honoring the artists. The artists will display and offer for sale the painting of Gamble Garden that they entered for the contest, along with one or two of their other paintings. The additional paintings do not need to be of Gamble Garden.
Saturday, July 17, 2010, there will be a Paint Out starting at 9 a.m. The artists may choose to PAINT OUT in the gardens or PAINT IN the house, where there will be several floral arrangements.

The PAINT OUT will conclude at 2:30 p.m. Paintings done that day should be framed and put back on the easels where they were painted by 3 p.m. The public, which was watching and admiring during the painting time, will now be able to see the finished painting and the subject of its inspiration. These paintings will be on display and for sale until 6 p.m. They will be moved inside at the end of the day and will be on display and for sale indoors on Sunday, July 18.

Gamble Garden will be responsible for collecting all income from sales of paintings and will pay the sales tax. 70% of the sale price will go to the artists, with 30% going to Gamble Garden. Sold paintings can be picked up by the buyers on Sunday after 3 p.m.

This is a very special event and a rare treat offered by Gamble Garden. Artists are encouraged to paint there often this summer to prepare for the Poster Competition in October and to be selected as one of the 20 artists that will paint at Gamble Garden in July 2010. The garden is open daily, during daylight hours.

GUIDELINES FOR ARTISTS

1. Please inform the Office that you will be working in the Garden 650-329-1356. On weekends, access to certain parts of the Garden may be limited. Please check with the Office regarding upcoming events and activities.

2. Access to a particular area is determined by the Garden Manager Horticulturist. Please be sure that materials are not set up where Gamble Garden work or activities will be in progress. You may be asked to relocate to another area if a Gamble Garden activity in planned. Please be aware that the formal gardens are frequently rented for private functions starting at noon on weekends.

3. Artists must stay on paths and may not set up on the brick or tile areas.

4. No painting may take place in the garden beds.

5. Plant material may not be moved, picked, or pruned in any way.

6. Acrylic, oil, pastel, and watercolor may be used.

7. Restrooms are available during business hours, but the sinks are not to be used for cleaning brushes or water supplies. Please furnish your own water and do all cleaning of brushes off-site. Waste water and disposal of any other excess materials must be carried off-site and not disposed of on Gamble property.

8. No smoking is permitted anywhere on the property.

www.gamblegarden.org/

UPDATE [4/11/09]: I scheduled this on a day that I will be out of town! I know other Verde members will there, so please enjoy the day without me.
I’ve organized a paint-out through the Verde Artist Guild.  The group has about 130 local Bay Area plein air painters.  Everyone is welcome to join us.  This will he held Saturday, May 20th, starting at 9:30am.
This area has great park lands, views of the bay and Bridge, and old buildings.  We’ll meet at Inspiration Point, a place with parking and access to trials.  I’ll be there around 10am, until about 1pm (or so, depending on how it goes).

Inspiration Point, The Presidio

Take in views of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and the Presidio forest from the Inspiration Point overlook. The site offers a perspective on Tennessee Hollow’s spring-fed tributaries, historic homes, the El Polin Spring picnic area, playing fields, and trails such as Lovers’ Lane and the Ecology Trail. Inspiration Point was funded by a gift from the James R. Harvey Presidio Restoration Fund.

It’s located just inside the Agrguello Gate.  Click here for a map (see bottom, right middle side of the map), or here for Google Maps directions.

From the Penninsula
- Take 101 North, exit
- exit 434B toward Fell St/Octavia Blvd
- Merge onto Octavia St
- Turn left at Fell St
- Turn right at Divisadero St
- Turn left at Geary Blvd
- Turn right at Arguello Blvd
- You’ll enter the Presidio at gates, turn right.  Follow Agrguello a short distance, the outlook will be just on your right

See you there!

The experience of painting outdoors “en plein air” with oils can be both rewarding and frustrating. A few basic principals coupled with careful observation arms the novice with the tools to grow in their journey to become a better artist. The workshop will cover oil painting materials and their use, basics of composition and color theory. There will be a daily beginning demonstration with time for questions, followed by students selecting and painting their own subjects with gentle one-on-one guidance. The first day we will meet and paint in the Allied Arts Guild gardens in Menlo Park. The second day we will be in the Los Altos Hills.

Catching the Light – Plein Air Workshop
$180.00
Location: Menlo Park and Los Altos Hills
Workshop Dates: 10/15/2008 – 10/16/2008
Contact Person: Julia Seelos
julia_seelos@yahoo.com

Portola Art Gallery is pleased to sponsor the Plein Air Event: Paint Allied Arts on Saturday, September 13, from 10:00-3:00. More than 30 artists from around the Bay Area are participating in this fun, one-day event, painting the beautiful gardens and the historic Spanish-style architecture at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Paintings by the artists will be available for sale all day during the event, including the new work created at the paintout. At 1:00 pm the new, framed paintings will be on display and available for sale. 20% of the sales will benefit the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. The public is invited to watch art happen!

Bay Area artists participating in Paint Allied Arts include:

Barbara Wright, Karen Leoni, Karen Barone, Tonya Zenin, Karthryn Ellis, Robert Schick, Sylvia Dahlgren, Carol Mead, Barbara von Haunalter, Berni Jahnke, Marcia Enns, Diana Jaye, Susan Watson, Katherine McGuire, Alice Weil, Kim Lordier, Tomiko Bailey, Ann McMillan, Susan Lawton, Hugh Hendry, Linda Patterson, Mary Stahl, Kim Holl, Ed Bertolet, Julia Seelos, Betty Olson, Cathy Boyer, Edie Kirschner, Marsha Heimbecker, Stephen Woolery, Cynthia Riordan, Akiyo Walker and Cynthia DeBenedetti.

The Portola Art Gallery is celebrating its 2nd anniversary at the Allied Arts Guild and 27 years as a gallery displaying artwork by distinguished local artists.

Plein Air Paintout, Exhibit & Sale
September 13, 2008, 10:00 – 3:00
Allied Arts Guild, 75 Arbor Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
CONTACT Katherine McGuire 650.854.4656

In its efforts to promote art in the community, and meet other Bay Area artists,  the Fremont Art Association will hold a one day Plein Air Paint Out at Lake Elizabeth/Central Park in Fremont on September 13, from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Artists will paint until 3:00 PM, followed by a people’s choice vote and a silent auction  at the Park Pavilion from 3:30 to 5:30PM.  Mark your calendar and plan to participate in this First Annual FAA Paint Out. 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 fee will also include full membership in  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, etc all backed by the beautiful 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 6.  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 Pavillion, behind the Community Center, by 3:00 PM  for the reception and exhibition of completed pieces for public viewing and an optional silent auction from 3:30 PM -5:30 PM.  The exhibition will 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 and ready for hanging, though acrylic works may be “gallery wrapped” on the edges and be ready to hang.
Artists must provide an easel on which to display their work in the Pavilion.

Artists will also have the additional option of displaying their finished pieces in the FAA Gallery in a special exhibit on Sept. 14 and Sept. 17-21. On Sunday,  Sept. 21, artists must pick up their work during 11 AM-5:00 PM. from the FAA Gallery.

We hope artists from all over The Bay Area  will join us  for this first-ever 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.  It  promises to be a fun day and will be an annual event.  For more information call Robyn, (510) 656-4939.

Join us for a pain-out this Summer and Fall. Paint-outs begin around 9am, and run as long people want to stay. They are not structured. Bring work for critique if you like…ask for demo from one of the experienced painters…come and enjoy yourself with company of fellow artists. By the way, we can’t predict the weather this far in advance (:-) so please use your own judgement. We tend not to paint in the rain or heavy fog…

• Sunday, June 8th, Lake Merced
• Sunday, July 13 Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge
• Sunday, August 10, Burrell School Vineyards and Winery
• Sunday, August 31, Hidden Villa, Los Altos
• Sunday, September 21, Alameda, TBD
• Saturday, October 18th, 9:30AM-on, Crissy Field, San Francisco

Sunday, June 8th, Lake Merced

Click here for directions.

Sunday, July 13 Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge

When: Sunday, July 13
Where: Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge

It is located near the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza in Fremont at the eastern end of the bridge. The visitor center is perched on a hillside above miles of salt marsh, tidal sloughs, mudflats, and salt ponds. Inside you will find wildlife exhibits, an observation deck and restrooms. The Refuge is at the southern end of San Francisco Bay and is surrounded by uplands, marshes, salt ponds, and a freshwater tidal slough. In July it should be clear of fog and is an interesting site. I prefer the first parking lot, looking east, but the views from the top by the visitor center are good too.

www.fws.gov/desfbay/index.htm

Directions: From Highway 84 (at the east end of the Dumbarton Bridge), exit at Thornton Avenue. Travel south on Thornton Avenue for 0.8 miles to the Refuge entrance on the right. Turn right into the Refuge. The first parking lot is to your right. To get to the Visitor Center, follow Marshlands Road to the stop sign and turn left into the parking lot. It is at the top of the hill. Additional bathrooms are below the center nearer the Bay.

Sunday, August 10, Burrell School Vineyards and Winery

When: Sunday, August 10,
Where: Burrell School Vineyards and Winery

Burrell School Vineyards and Winery is just over an hour south of San Francisco, halfway between San Jose/Los Gatos and Santa Cruz. Located at 24060 Summit Road, take Highway 17 to Summit Road and go 3.5 miles east/south from the intersection of Hwy 17 and Summit Rd. Look for the big red Schoolhouse on the hill beyond the white fence.

Burrell School’s origins date back to 1854 when Lyman J. Burrell settled the rough wilderness that is now home to our winery and Estate vines. Carrying on the more than 130 year old tradition at the School, David and Anne Moulton began development of the Estate vineyard in 1973. At a 1,600 foot elevation, the site faces to the southwest. Soils are a complex mixture of loam and shale due to our close proximity to the San Andreas Fault.

Sunday, August 31, Hidden Villa, Los Altos

When: Sunday, August 31,
Where: Hidden Villa, Los Altos 26870 Moody Road Los
Altos Hills, CA 94022 Phone: (650) 949-8650
map:

Hidden Villa is a nonprofit educational organization that uses its organic farm, wilderness, and community to teach and provide opportunities to learn about the environment and social justice. Hidden Villa stretches over 1600 acres of open space in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 40 miles south of San Francisco. Our mission is to inspire a just and sustainable future through our programs, land and legacy.

Sunday, September 21, Alameda, TBD

When: Sunday, September 21

Where: TBD

Saturday, October 18th, 9:30AM-on, Crissy Field, San Francisco

When: Saturday, October 18th, 9:30AM-on
Where: Crissy Field

Crissy Field is the area along the northern shoreline of the Presidio of San Francisco. There are many subjects to paint here, including a marsh (with a distant view of the Golden Gate Bridge), beaches, historic buildings, etc. Parking, bathrooms, and a small cafe are on site.

Click here to see the area:
http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park.asp?park=14

Directions to Crissy Field Center
603 Mason and Halleck Street, Presidio of San Francisco
phone: 415.561.7690

In San Francisco

1. North on Van Ness Avenue
2. Left onto Bay Street
3. Right on Laguna to Marina Blvd.
4. Follow Marina Blvd. past Marina Green, bear right into the Presidio
5. You’ll be on Mason Street and Crissy Field Center is on the left, at the corner Halleck

From North Bay

1. Follow Highway 101 south across the Golden Gate Bridge to San Francisco
2. Take the Lombard/Downtown exit
3. Take your first right into the Presidio
4. Take an immediate right onto Gorgas Ave.
5. Turn right on Halleck St.
6. Crissy Field Center will be on the left, where Halleck meets Mason

From the South Bay

1. Take Interstate 280 north to San Francisco
2. Take the 19th Ave/Highway 1 exit
3. Follow 19th Ave northbound
4. 19th Ave will turn into Park Presidio
5. After the tunnel, Park Presidio will meet the 101 freeway
6. Stay in the right lane towards the Downtown/Marina exit.
7. Continue in the right lane and take Downtown/Lombard exit.
8. Take your first right into the Presidio
9. Take an immediate right onto Gorgas Ave.
10. Turn right on Halleck St.
11. Crissy Field Center will be on the left, where Halleck meets Mason

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re familiar with social networks, like Facebook, MySpace, etc. I’ve been following Facebook for a while (as part of my role at Wells), and think it has a lot of potential to connect people/groups in much more meaningful ways than MySpace. So, I’ve set up a group called “Plein Air Painters“, and I’d love you to join us!
The group is focused on the art of painting “plein air”, outdoors in natural light. Membership is restricted to plein air artists, of any level. This is a place to learn, make connections and share your experience. We’ll be able to start online discussions, submit photos of paintings to share or critique, and list events–like shows, paint-outs, workshops, and so on.

Here’s how to join:
If you’re not a member of Facebook,

1. Click here to register
2. You’ll then need to check your email for a confirmation from Facebook, click the link in the email to confirm with Facebook.
3. Click here to visit the group.
4. Click the “Request to Join Group” link on the right, below the painting.

If you are a member, click here to visit the group, then “Request to Join Group” link on the right, below the painting. Here’s what the page will look like… See the link “Request to Join Group” under the painting, below right:

The month of May promises to be a most exciting month for plein air artists. Julia will be exhibiting her paintings and participating in several plein air festivals in Northern California.

Julia has been invited to participate in “Painter’s Eden”, a three day plein air event at the prestigious Christopher Queen Galleries in Duncan Mills along the Russian River. The exhibit and sale will be Sunday the 4th of May, some of the finest landscape artists will be represented.
www.christopherqueen.com/events.html

Julia will have works at the Open Studio of fellow Portola Gallery artist, Alice Weil, in Menlo Park, Saturday and Sunday the 3rd and 4th of May and the following weekend. Visit www.SVOS.com for detailed information. The Portola Art Gallery several blocks away, will be featuring works inspired by the beautiful gardens of Allied Arts Guild all month and will have a reception on the 10th.

Cynthia and Julia will both be participating in the renowned Carmel Art Festival this year. The Exhibit and Awards will be on Saturday the 17th of May in downtown Carmel. Many of the galleries will host special exhibits and demonstrations during the weekend. The paintings will remain on display through Sunday. www.carmelartfestival.org/

Finally, the last day of May Julia will join forty of the country’s best landscape painters in the gardens of Copia in Napa Valley for the first Napa Valley Art Festival. The artist will have plenty of room to display their favorite new works for sale and jurying. www.wwwpallas.com/ArtFestival/

We hope you can make it to one or more of these exciting art venues. The weather has been great for painting and the works should be fabulous.

The painters that braved the wind at Pescadero Beach last Saturday were rewarded with stunning clear skies and deep shadows. Kathy, Ed and Julia enjoyed the company of several new painters.

For our April paint-out, we’ll be painting at Pescadero State Beach (the parking lot directly across from Pescadero Road).  The beach has a mile-long shoreline with sandy coves, rocky cliffs, tide pools, fishing spots and picnic facilities.   Across the highway is Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, a popular spot for bird watchers and other naturalists.  We’ll paint in the morning (starting around 9:30am), and get together for a bagged lunch and optional critique afterwards.  There’s also a small market with a deli in town, so you can pick up lunch there.

The Reserve is a refuge for blue heron, kites, deer, raccoons, foxes and  skunks.

Directions

The beach is located 14.5 miles  south of Half Moon Bay on Highway One.  We’ll meet at the third parking lot south of Half Moon Bay, directly across from Pescadero Road at 9:30am.

Seasons/Climate/Recommended  clothing

The weather can be changeable; layered clothing is  recommended.